Rugby bosses get it right
by Tony Johnson | 12 March 2010 (09:58)
We are quick to criticise rugby bosses when they get things wrong, so let’s give credit where it’s due.
As well as implementing some bold and effective ways that are making the game more attractive to watch and easier to understand, referee bosses are also living up to their stated intention of demanding higher standards from their own.
The decision to stand Paul Marks down indefinitely from Super 14 duty will not have been taken lightly.
Not for a minute do I think Paul Marks is a cheat. Having met him a few times I would say he is a pretty decent fellow, trying hard to be a good referee, but one who seems to battle under extreme pressure and has consequently made some big mistakes at key moments.
We had a good look at his performance on Reunion this week, and in doing so drew the following conclusions on the three biggest calls.
1) There was absolutely nothing wrong with Ryan Kankowskis try from the lineout. It was a brilliant piece of timing and anticipation. It may have looked suspect, and Phil Kearns certainly thought so, but after watching on replay Rod Kafer endorsed Marks decision. So a brilliant try and a pretty good piece of reffing.
2) Marks should have awarded a penalty try late in the game. You will never convince me Kurtley Beale was trying for an intercept and Kankowski probably would have scored had the pass found its target. As in Wellington two years ago, Marks showed a lack of conviction under pressure. This time it cost the Sharks.
3) As for the lineout obstruction late in the game (which we didn’t talk about on ReUnion, but which I looked at in the context of the game). Well, he made absolutely the right call. The lifters stepped in behind the jumper and that is something the refs have been told to crack down on. Trouble was it had been going on all game and he’d done nothing about it, so to suddenly penalise the Sharks at such a crucial time was badly inconsistent.
So for that, and other reasons no doubt, he has been stood down. So too, has Pro Legoete regardless of how Andre Watson wants to sugar coat it. Pro gave one of the strangest calls I have ever seen when he ruled an accidental off-side against the Cheetahs when Juan Smith, by “pre-binding” onto the ball carrier was guilty of blatant obstruction.
And don’t forget New Zealander Josh Noonan was stood for a week from flag waving duties after a bad touchline call in the Crusaders Highlanders game.
My info is that Steve Walsh was also under some consideration, but has been given the benefit of the doubt, having admitted he made a mistake in awarding the Brumbies a penalty try against the Lions. The Lions were guilty of repeat infringements, but instead of going to the posts, Walsh should have kept going for his pocket...or should that be his sock, where for some strange reason he keeps his cards.
We don’t want witch hunts but we do want accountability, and we are starting to get it, although there still seems to be a degree of immunity for the top tier, and that has to change.
And finally, enough of this rubbish about Walsh winking at the Brumbies. As we have seen from TMO calls, freeze frames are often misleading, and this claim is the work of conspiracy theorists.
I happen to have known Walsh for a long time, since before he became a prominent ref. At his best he is world class, but his career has been hampered by personal issues.
Despite being urged not to, he used alcohol to try and deal with the pressures of the job and clearly that is a recipe for trouble. Rather than be ridiculed, he should be commended for admitting his problems so publically, getting over his drinking issues and rebuilding his career. He is not a cheat, either, but I do think he was guilty of losing his rag with the Lions, and made a bad call.
He will be on notice this weekend and he knows that.
Just to cap the week, we’ve had two Highlanders stood down for breaking curfew.
It seems they didn’t get into any trouble, they just stayed out past the time agreed to by the team, and have been censured by protocols they would have been part of establishing.
One of the reasons teams have such rules is to help them stay out of the sort of trouble that will inevitably find high profile rugby players late at night.
Ask Sione Lauaki, whose career is on thin ice after a late night incident in Hamilton.
Hopefully next week we will be talking about the rugby, but in the meantime, just for your amusement here are my picks, having got a barely acceptable 4 out of 6 last week.
Crusaders to edge the Chiefs. Could be spectacular.
Waratahs to beat the Lions, may not be pretty.
Brumbies to hold off a fired up Sharks. Expect more controversy.
Bulls to run rough shod over Highlanders.
Stormers, just, over Hurricanes, but don’t be surprised if it goes the other way.
Reds to beat Force. Worth a watch because they don’t like each other much.
