With the Rugby Championship about to kick off next week, I ask a question. Is there a problem with the way New Zealand referees referee?
The IRB have just announced the referee list for the upcoming competition, and there is not a Kiwi in sight.
The Southern Hemisphere has undoubtedly the best, the hardest played and hardest fought competition in world rugby with the Super Rugby competition.
The referees who officiate those games – several of whom are from New Zealand – are considered generally to be the best.
It therefore irks me to find than when the southern hemisphere’s premier international annual rugby competition takes place, the IRB makes excuses to bring referees Rolland (Ireland), Owens (Wales), Barnes (England), Poite (France) to join three of our southern refs, Peyper (SA), Jubert (SA) and Walsh (Australia).
Aside from the inclusion of the northern refs, what has happened to those from New Zealand.
Is this an insult or arrogance by the appointers to suggest that the New Zealand referees are not up to the standard of the northern ones?
Refereeing judgement calls displayed at the last two Rugby World Cups by the above northern referees were in many cases were found wanting.
Referees make mistakes, but have New Zealand referees made so many more mistakes than those appointed that they are either incapable or too incompetent to referee in their own patch and in their southern competition?
There are new rules and amendments being introduced, but there is then an implication that New Zealand referees are too slow on the uptake to adapt to the new rules.
Referee manager Paddy O’Brien suggests that the motive is to bring through a crop of referees with one eye on the 2015 Rugby World Cup. For me, that excuse doesn’t cut it.
There are several competent referees from the New Zealand stable that could have been appointed and introduced into the Paddy O’Brien thinking.
At least there can be no call of bias made if New Zealand win the Rugby Championship.
Ramage
Guest
The reason is quite simple Chris Pollock the only other referee on the International panel is injured. Lawrence has been crucified and Walsh fled to Australia. We have a group of up and coming referees nwho have not had the experience who will be there in future years. They have been brought through after the disatrous years when keith Lawrence was running the outfit and when we had sometihng like about 4-5 test referees all retire in a few years of each other the only replacement we had was Bryce Keith's son. Perhaps you could ask where are the Aussie refs and I would challenge the writer of this article to do some research about where the referees from Australia are. We have merit selection in Super Rugby because the OZ referees are so poor they keep demoting them to linesmen or kick them out altogether. The top OZ referee is a NZer and the next is Ian Smith a poor referee when put alonside the other Super Refs. Who else only two who were blooded this year and had very few games.
ANON69
Guest
My Guess is Paddy O'Brian os nto the Boss of Refreese any more.
Jerry
Guest
That was Paul Honnis - a kiwi, I'm ashamed to say. His informal nickname is "Bonus Point" Honiss as he once gave 4 penalty tries in a S12 match meaning he got a 4 try bonus point all on his own.
superba
Guest
Wasn't Marshall the ref who told John Smit to talk to his men and then allowed Ireland to take the penalty awarded and score , while the Boks were in discussion ? Gr8 reffing !!
Jerry
Guest
"More correctly O’Brien was given the opportunity to step down, otherwise he would have been removed" Evidence please..... Your claims of partisanship are completely bogus - of the occasions POB spoke out about reffing decisions affecting the AB's more often than not, he took a stance that was against the AB's interests. He supported Wayne Barnes 1/4 final performance. He said Tony Woodcock should have been yellow carded for his off the ball hit on Fai'inga. He said Drew Mitchell's first yellow card in 2010 was wrong. But because one time he spoke out about a poor reffing performance relating to the scrum (1 week after the IRB had announced it was going to try and sort out the reffing of the scrum) in a match they won anyway over an opponent they've never lost to, apparently he's the most biased ever. Get over it, I'm looking forward to what excuses you come up with now he's gone.
Xiedazhou
Guest
More correctly O'Brien was given the opportunity to step down, otherwise he would have been removed. O'Brien will go down in history as the most partisan Ref's boss in history. His personal grovelling to Henry following the Italian test match was unprecedented, and should have, way back then, resulted in his removal.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
The universe might explode if that happened.
Well I don't care about the "Richie is a cheat" or you raid talent from the /islands, but I do agree about the blocking without any doubt.
Jerry
Guest
I agree, now the whingers will have to find something else to moan about when they lose to the AB's. Shouldn't take them long though, I'm sure.
Jerry
Guest
Apart from the guy ignoring all the Bok offences and not knowing the laws relating to what a ruck or maul is, it's fine.
Chuckles
Guest
I dont see how it matters the refs are meant to be pros Most kiwis say joubert is best ref dont they
katzilla
Roar Guru
'Whaddaya mean! We're not playing Tiddlywinks Peter!'
Bakkies
Guest
What was wrong with the video? It's true
Bakkies
Guest
Thank god Paddy is gone
Bakkies
Guest
Expect Poite who is terrible to get more big tests down under with Jutge in charge. It's been a while since Berdos who struggled a fair bit with communicating on the pitch with his colleagues refereed in the major tests.
Jack
Guest
Dcnz - there is one Kiwi who actually knows the the rules. The AB's do block and screen and RM does spend half the game on the wrong side of the tackled player. Very fair of you to admit it.
Jerry
Guest
He had a whinge about the AB's getting away with murder after the Boks lost in Wgtn 2010. It lead to that absurd "AB's at the Breakdown" youtube video by that guy off Green and Gold Rugby.
Jerry
Guest
Not everything, he doesn't let front rows get away with moving.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
I'd have Barnes over Kaplan any day.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
I have no idea who they are. They are just like little flies that buzz around your ears.