One of the more compelling aspects of watching rugby this year has been how well the All Blacks have managed the challenge of being a man down.
This was exemplified in the game against England on the weekend – they put on a clinic of how to manage the 14 versus 15-man game, coming out of the penalty period further ahead on the scoreboard than when they went into it.
Looking back over the year’s rugby internationals the All Blacks have been comparatively naughty boys, being punished with seven yellow cards in total across the 12 games thus far.
On four occasions they’ve actually turned the disadvantage into an advantage, earning extra points during the downtime. Once they’ve come out even, and only twice have they actually ended up on the wrong side (which happened to be in the same game – the drawn Test against the Wallabies).
Their aggregate score across the seven yellow cards is a healthy 27-9 and no team has yet (this year) scored a try against the 14-man All Blacks.
Be it focus, be it leadership, be it intensity, but bloody heck, if I was the opposition I’d almost be hoping that the ref keeps his hands out of his pockets and just gives a penalty.
New Zealand’s yellow card results this year
June 21: New Zealand versus England
Wyatt Crockett yellow at 72 minutes, score was 29-13.
Try to Julian Savea at 80+1 minutes – score during yellow period 7-0.
August 16: New Zealand versus Australia
Crockett yellow at 38 minutes, score was 9-3.
Penalty to Kurtley Beale at 44 minutes – score during yellow period 0-3.
Beauden Barrett yellow at 69 minutes – score was 12-9.
Penalty to Beale at 69 minutes – score during yellow period 0-3
August 23: New Zealand versus Australia
Richie McCaw yellow at 12 minutes, score was 6-3.
Traded penalties at 13 and 17 minutes – score during yellow period 3-3.
Owen Franks yellow at 76 minutes, score was 44-20.
Try to Steven Luatua at 80 minutes – score during yellow period 7-0.
October 18: New Zealand versus Australia
Patrick Tuipulotu yellow at 58 minutes, score was 25-15.
Try to Aaron Smith at 68 minutes – score during yellow period 7-0.
November 8: New Zealand versus England
Dane Coles yellow at 56 minutes, score was 16-14.
Penalty to Barrett at 65 minutes – score during yellow period 3-0.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Remember watching an AB v France game back in the late 80's early 90's. Steve McDowell & the French prop were having an ongoing battle & I believe Steve suggested to his opponent that he might want to stop with the dirt. Apparantly the warning wasn't taken as after the next scrum a French player decided he needed a good long lie down.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Matthew - care to explain how it is the best interests of the IRB to keep the AB's happy?
Harry Jones
Expert
Yes. I remember. And it worked.
I think we did ;) My first game in highschool was prematurely stopped by the referee because of a bit of a disagreement. Our pack disagreed with theirs.
We have done well, Habana got a card against OZ for a high tackle on AAC which in my humble view was unfair as AAC did the exact same thing 10 minutes earlier and wasn't carded. Strauss was carded this weekend, again in my humble opinion unfair as he was attempting to knock the ball from Kearney, and funnily enough Keaney took Le Roux out and wasn't carded, some excuse about cumulative punishment because we had a high tackle in the match I read somewhere we had another but can't remember it. :D That is a good year in Bok rugby.
Wardad
Guest
You warned them ? hahaha nah your right mate...
Rob G
Guest
BB when bakkies botha plays for your team you're always going to be ahead of everyone ;) How have you guys fared this year?
ThugbyFan
Guest
Nigel Owens has been crap all year. He was OK 3-4 years ago but certainly this year, the 3 matches I have seen him referee he has been abysmal. If you really want to watch how a referee can wreck a game, watch Owens's effort with Australia against Argentina this October. He TWICE reversed his call of yellow cards against Australian players. I've never seen that happen once before, yet Owns managed it twice in the one game. As well, he sent two others to the bin; Phipps for giving him lip and later Hooper, the only one that probably deserved yellow. Apart from being very hasty with the whistle, he refused a fair try to Kuridrani and to show the Argentinian crowd what a great bloke he was, he awarded a try to their prop (I think) off a clear forward pass and the ball wasn't grounded in goal. The poor Aussie players were just totally flummoxed with the clown and their game disintegrated. The Pumas realised that all their Xmases had come at once and attacked the Wallabies with mucho enthusiasm. End result was Australia got belted from a game where they led 14-0 after 10 minutes. I never thought I would say this but even J. Kaplan would be preferred. I am praying that Australia doesn't get this git for the Irish or England match but knowing the boofs from the IRB ..........................
Oh how I miss my rugby playing days, a bloke bugs you, you warn him, he does it again, you knock him down. :(
Chan Wee
Guest
@ biltongbek : once is happenstance , twice is coincidence , thrice and something is effing wrong !!!
Chan Wee
Guest
stats will be skewed by different directives to refs. it seems this year yellows are the in thing, right or wrong. there were times when cards were not given even when it was blatant. i think there was one match between fiji and argies (was it), where something like 10 cards were given a couple of years ago.
Harry Jones
Expert
you are correct BB This carding stuff is getting out of control let the players administer discipline
Harry Jones
Expert
all teams "cheat" but NZ is smarter in red zone
Statistic Skeptic
Roar Pro
Just watched that part of the game.... and TBH both the high tackle and taking in the air were penalties... but didn't deserve to be conflated into a yellow.
Yeah, cumulative as in one high tackle 5 minutes before. You do it ince, accident, you do it twice coincidence, you do it again, now it is no more coincidence. I think cumulative is stretching it, but anyway, Poite is still a plonker.
Elk
Guest
He made contact with the man in the air that in and of itself is not a yellow. But the Yellow was given for cumulative infringements - the ref mentioned someone else making contact with a player in the air. Basically what was wrong with the decision was that the ref was losing his patience with a team under pressure but instead of issuing a warning just went straight for a yellow. Don't ref's have to fill out some sort of self-assessment after each match outlining why decisions were made? Maybe these could be published?
egg on my face :D
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
That would've been Ben Smith BB. Jane's gone home injured.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
"Why didn’t Kaplan make this much sense when he was reffing" spot on kia :) He and Dickinson were the 2 refs I couldn't stand in the early-mid 2000s. Now it seems Kaplan enjoys lecturing other refs (did the same after SR's final). I wish he had been that competent and partial when he was reffing!
Watching the England All Black match. At 64 minutes and 25 seconds Corey Jane goes up with Owen Farrell to contest a high ball, Jane raps his arms around Farrell and brings him down, he doesn't even get close to the ball, Farrell falls and stays down. No mention by the referee, the touch judge, the commentators or anyone. Compare that to the incense and insanity of the Strauss carding. Earlier on the Coles incident. the carding of Coles is pathetic. English commentator is quick to say Coles is stupid, but it is a reactionary act, not pre meditated. I fear common sense is leaving rugby, I understand we want to protect players, but there has to be some common sense about things. It is a nothing reaction, and to be truthful Hartley deserved to be sent off as well. Those who instigate is at least as guilty as the player reacting Also what has happened to looking at the severity of the reaction? Kicking someone in the face is a lot worse than hacking at a boot. Rugby is getting too soft.