Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore (left) and captain James Horwill (right) sit out the Australian team training session (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans has a far bigger problem to overcome than Russia at Nelson early this afternoon. Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence.
Of the many pedantic referees who have surfaced in this Rugby World Cup, Lawrence has emerged as the most aggravating, just ahead of Welshman Nigel Owens, South African Jonathan Kaplan, and Frenchman Romain Poite.
So far Lawrence has refereed England 13 – Argentina 9, Ireland 15 – Wallabies 6, and Samoa 27 – Fiji 7.
All three have featured controversial decisions, missed forward passes, and knock-ons, hard-to-fathom penalties, and allowing the leading side to deliberately slow down play by being late to scrums and lineouts.
But not including scrum resets, one of the banes of the tournament, and the code, Lawrence has blown his whistle 197 times in 240 minutes of rugby.
That doesn’t include the time wasted in preparation for lineouts, scrums, and kicking for goal.
Russian roulette refereeing from Lawrence, and no surer way to kill the momentum of a game from everyone’s point of view – players, coaches, spectators, television viewers, commentators, and writers.
Yawnsville.
To a more positive note now the RWC is about to reach the business end, some interesting stats have emerged after three games each for the 20 countries involved.
* The All Blacks have scored the most points with 161, from the Boks 153, England 121, Wales 114, France 110, the Wallabies 105, and Ireland 99.
* The All Blacks have also scored the most tries with 24, the Boks 20, England 17, Wallabies 15, Wales 14, Italy 13, with France and Ireland sharing 12.
* But the Boks have the best try conversion percentage with 19 conversions of 20 tries for 95%.
* France has converted 10 of 12 tries for 83.33%.
* Ireland 9 of 12 – 75%.
* Wales 10 of 14 – 71.43%
* England 12 of 17 – 70.59%.
* All Blacks 16 of 24 – 66.67 – the most staggering stat of them all.
* Leaving the Wallabies dragging the chain with 9 of 15 for 60%.
But there is a plus for Robbie Deans.
Russia is the worst performed of the 20 competing nations with just 35 points from three games, and 2 conversions of 5 tries for 40%.
That should translate to the Wallabies thumping Russia by at least 60 points.
Anything less and the men-in-gold didn’t try hard enough and will be the underdogs against the Boks in the quarters, despite beating them in four of the last five meetings.
It’s overtime for the Wallabies, and Robbie Deans, to stand up and be counted.
Vastevyff
Guest
Go check your records!
Sage
Guest
Ha !
Sage
Guest
Nice Poth! I'm aware of the process David, my point was more the article seemed hollow/cobbled compared to what I believe you normally write. Backhanded compliment I suppose but no particular offense intended. PS - sage is also just a cool colour............
p.Tah
Guest
... And Wallabies and Wobblies...
p.Tah
Guest
:) There is a sense of deja vu...
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Well said Matt. We should also add 'then' vs. 'than' as well. They might sound similar but they are not interchangeable...
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
OK, Can you explain which Rugby Law covers "double movement"? Keep in mind this is Rugby not league.
Matt in Norway
Guest
In reference to the title, they really, really, really mean it this time! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Jerry
Guest
Dude, talking about poaching while including the likes of SBW, TPN, Nonu etc just makes you look stupid. If you're born, raised and learn all your rugby in a country, you're not a poach. And you've no way of knowing whether which country they'd play for if all things were equal or which jersey they'd be more proud of, so stop pretending to.
Justin
Guest
Twice you say?
Derm
Roar Guru
I do. Was he injured for the all the pool matches?
Derm
Roar Guru
He was making a funny based on your statement that editors do headings, writers do copy. So he was asking what do you do to imply that since you don't edit or write copy, what do you do. See? :)
David Lord
Guest
I read your comments Moaman, and try to fathom what you're saying. Not making much progress, but I'll hang in there.
Matt in Norway
Guest
Their, there, they're. Your, You're. Please learn the difference, the roar is becoming as bad as Allblacks.com...
Vastevyff
Guest
Funny! then why is it that the Boks and not Samoa walked of the field comfortable victors? Why is it that Samoa never won against the Boks? (they did beat Australia twice though!)
Johnno
Guest
Well Kuruki today watching Totaui kefu with the tongan team today, made me think wouldn't it be nice if he played for tonga as well or if the money was the same if people like jONAH lOMU ,Toautui Kefu ,Kepu ,Palu, TPN ,Timani played for Tonga. I think aTongan jersey would mean more to them than an ALL BLACK or Wallaby jersey. Same with the Tognan coach isotope Mika who was an ex all black , but you can see like Totaui kefu after the match how porud he was to have tongan heritage and to both those men and jonah Lomu playing for Tonga would be in my opinion more speical for them than wearing a All black or Wallaby jersey. Im sure manna Tuilagi would of dreamed about wearing the Samoan jersey with his brothers more than wearing the England jersey. Bu money talks and and these genetic superior athletes play for the coutnries that offer them the most money which i totally understand. They would much prefer to play for Tonga than say asutralia or NZ but only do so becoz the moey on offer is better here. Same with going to play rugby in Jpan. Do you really think Kuruki Craig Wing or Hugh mcmenniman or George gregan really preferred playing rugby in Japan than in OZ. No way Yes some of these tongans and Fijians and samoans are born in Australia and NZ a lot of them. But im sure if the money was the same they would prefer to represent the islands or dual represent like the good old days for samoa when frank bunce the backup brothers, tuigamala could play for both coutnries. The pacific island nations ar highly complex unlike any other cultural situation in the world, and they are the most genitally suited race of humanity to contact spors so provide so much club talent. Everyhtign should be done to allow them to have dual options of playing for 2 teams as long as they have a 12 month gap i think is fair. ALl the nations at the iRB board room wanted it except wales irleand and scotland who had the most to lose. only to happy to take some of there players eg wlaes no 8 tongan for there team. The IRB are ignorant to the complex nature of the pacific islands and ignorant by not allowing speocial privileges. For say fijians indians for example playing for India would not mean as much as what playing for tonga would mean for say jonah lomu for example. And for Manu Tuilagi representing england is not a speical feeling just the moment issue jeu tliek playing club rugby in japan for the mplayers means nothing. But players like Palu ,Lomu, TPN, Kefu , ma nonu,SBW, Muliana, Samo actually have a much closer cultural and more extended family in there home coutnries and closer emotion to there country, than say a Fijian indian would to india, or say anglo saxon australians have to england or irleand. And they should be given the privilege of playing for 2 nations as all the big nations poach these players by offering there top ones more money kuruki.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Johnno seriously you are way off the mark with your judgement. How can this current Samoan side be better then South Africa the All Blacks and Australia when all they have done is beat an Australian B team. You are getting a little carried away with yourself, maybe you want to have a think about what you say before you say it. When was the last time Samoa beat the All Blacks? Have they ever?? And your comments about New Zealand and Australia are also way off the mark. Alot of the players in the Samoan side developed there rugby outside of Samoa and then return to play for their country. Alot of the Samoans you speak of being "poached" by Nz and Aussie were schooled and bought up in those countries alot of them were born there and are Kiwi's or Australians with Samoan heritage. There are plenty of people on this planet that can play for multiple countries and have the right to choose either, this does not mean they have been poached from the one they did not choose to play for.
Seiran
Guest
10 tries against Russia is hardly scrappy SA.
SA
Guest
Same can be said for Australia. Lost to Ireland and unconvincing scrappy wins against Italy and Russia. Cant man up to wet physical games either with injury toll mounting. Not looking too good.
Johnno
Guest
Avoir Dan lol.