Not so long ago Craig Joubert was regarded as the world’s best referee. While not everyone enjoyed his interpretation of the breakdown laws, we all agreed he was consistent.
However, something went seriously wrong at Twickenham on the weekend.
During the match, the All Black back-rowers were clearly confused, at times bemused, by the bizarre calls Mr Joubert was making.
Thank goodness New Zealand won, because now this point can be made without sounding like sour grapes.
It now appears that Craig Joubert agrees England spent most of the game behaving illegally at the ruck.
His reasoning seems to run along the lines that England were deliberating sealing off the ball and going off their feet, but he deemed it to have no material effect on the game, since New Zealand were chosing not to compete at the breakdown anyway.
Conversely, he believed New Zealand were penalisable for the same offence on the basis that England were committing numbers at each ruck and hence All Blacks off their feet were having a material effect on the game.
Really? So much for consistency, Craig. Here is a guy actually admitting he applied two different sets of laws to each team. Astonishing.
So what could be the reason behind allowed two sets of laws, and the ensuing one way free-for-all at the ruck that saw England forwards merrily diving in from all angles, brazenly off their feet?
Well, according to Mr Joubert, it was all in the name of “keeping the game flowing”.
Equally astonishingly, he’s admitted he might have got it wrong.
Wow. I recall another referee who presided over a breakdown free-for-all recently to the same end, and also admitted after the game he might have done things differently.
Do you remember who that was? Bryce Lawrence. The man hounded out of the game by death-threatening Springbok fans.
Now, I like Craig, he’s a decent referee, or was before he started this kind of carry on. But I can’t help but point out it is not just during this game England seemed to get a special set of laws all to themselves.
The pitch seemed to be slightly wider for England against Australia and the laws of obstruction didn’t seem to be enforced. Scrums could only be reset when England had the feed.
Is there a trend for referees to buckle to RFU pressure somehow at Twickenham? Consciously or subconsciously?
James
Guest
Well don't you look an idiot now - with Scotland all complaining he was biased against them. Joubert is an excellent referee. Like any other he will make decisions that some do not agree with. To focus on perceived failings of the ref is the behaviour of weak small people and sore losers.
James
Guest
"Here is a guy actually admitting he applied two different sets of laws to each team" He admitted no such thing and it takes a stunning ignorance of the game and a clearly determined effort to find fault with him to state that. He admitted he was interpreting the law according to the circumstances. Referees should not be the centre of attention and should not be blowing their whistle all the time just to be part of the action. If England's actions were not affecting the game he is right to ignore them. If NZ had started contesting, and England had continued, he would have penalized them. Thus the difference is context and situation, not the different team
JonnyEnglish
Guest
Love how the NZ's are up in arms about this now, yet were suspiciously silent after the 2011 RWC Final where Joubert was as totally biassed for the home team, that time, obviously, NZ. Poor displays by Joubert are commonplace, he did it again with England vs Ireland, pandered to the home team. He'll always do it, so time to step down? Yes, unless you're the home team.
Dave T
Guest
Joubert is so inconsistent as he refs many Welsh Internationals against Australia. Give us a break and appoint ANYONE but him for our world cup matches and I will finally be happy. Blind to whats in front of him, his one set of rules per team was never more evident than in both Australia/Wales games he reffed he changed the outcome by 5 penalties within the last 10 minutes for both games.(2 in brisbane and 3 in sydney). Let him ref other games if others think hes a "good bloke" but for gods sake take him off Welsh games. The only reason this is getting any attention now is that its finally happened to NZ and England so there is more interest. Whatever happens, I believe that if a ref is appointed for games, the ref should be listed in all advertising and promotional info so we can best be informed before wasting our time when we know whats going to happen with such a consistently inconsistent referee as Craig Joubert. If I had met him after the Sydney game he would have a permanent limp and that would stop him spoiling good rugby. Thank you NZ supporters for starting this and I hope good sense prevails.
PIETER KEEVE
Guest
It is time that Craig Joubert stop cheat the Stormers!!
johnny
Guest
i have seen many good referees before like chris pollock and jaco pyper but none as good as craig joubeer he is the best referee in the world and humans make mistakes and no ones perfect and if you people want to hate on craig go out there your self and referee an international rugby match with millions of eyes on you and yes he ahve have stuffed upi that game but i want you to tell me the last time he did that cant think one ? i knew it leave craig alone he does a bloody good job and without people like him the great game of rugby wont exsist
Nova
Guest
Craig Joubert is by far the best ref on the planet, he's not perfect but he is the best, the fairest and is so calm and unflappable. Who would want to be a ref? Honestly some of the comments in here are quite disgusting, I really hope Mr Joubert doesn't ever get to read them. His job is a thankless one although Im sure a shake of the hand at games end denotes some kind of gratitude depending on whether you are a winner or a loser. You all sit comfortably in your armchairs with the luxury of replay, close ups, commentator bias etc and scrutinise every little detail, I would hazard that none of you have ever reffed a game so none of you are qualified to judge. How about you all grab a whistle and get off your fat backsides and run around and do the job?? Right. So zip it and be happy you dont have to be on the end of these witch hunts.....poor Bryce Lawrence after working so hard to be an international ref and then to be hung out to dry after a bad day. Oh that your bosses would do the same to all you sorry asses after a bad day.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
I hope that you know that I am not That CJ. Check my profile. :)
Thegreyghost
Guest
It's anti me rather than NZ I think you'll find...
Andy
Guest
Have you not found a way to blame the English yet?
Andy
Guest
You know GG, any sensible points should might make are totally overshadowed by your nasty small minded attitude to anything English. You obviously know your rugby but please give up on the nationalist attacks. It's dull, offensive and pretty pointless.
colvin
Guest
Craig, The problem was no one would believe the RWC final and the recent England match were refereed by the same person, given that the law interpretations in both matches were so completely different.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Wow, all this fuss and I didn't even see the game. I'll try harder in the future. :)
TheGreyGhost
Roar Rookie
That's the stupidest argument I've ever heard. Yeah, let's have the referee on the day make up a completely new game with laws invented as he goes along and the point is to see who can figure out the rules first. Just nonsense. The laws are clear. The referees need to learn and apply them, and not let their egos get out of check because they've got a whistle.
TheGreyGhost
Roar Rookie
What would a scot know about rugby? Your only decent player is a kiwi and you once imported a coach from England for goodness sake.
Thanks Jerry, WQ, if anyone can supply me any proof of an Anti New Zealand bias on my part over the past 18 months I have frequented The Roar then please do so. My observation has to do with how I saw it, when someone disagrees with you it doesn't mean they are biased against a team. Often is is merely an opinion, one you are welcome to disagree with.
Tui
Guest
No Refs need to be accountable like the rest of us.
Emric
Guest
Adapt or get off the field - refs have good and bad days like the rest of us.
Jerry
Guest
WTF? I've not noticed biltonbek being particularly anti-NZ either in the past or in this thread. Secondly, based on his stated position Joubert isn't reffing the teams differently, he's reffing different situations differently. He wasn't penalising NZ because they were NZ he was penalising NZ because England were infringing. When NZ started contesting the breakdown he started penalising England too. You can debate his judgment or logic, but he's basing his position on materiality not bias.
WQ
Guest
Unfortunately biltongbek, your poorly disguised hatred of the All Blacks has tainted your opinion on this issue. I can't believe that somebody whom generally makes intelligent comments about Rugby on this website actually believes that it is acceptable for a Test match Referee to interpret the same rules differently for two teams in the same match, regardless of whatever BS reason he comes up with!!!!