Tappe’s last dance
23 May 2006
Veteran South African referee Tappe Henning has been given the unique opportunity of officiating the Springboks in an international match.
Henning will be the whistle blower for the Springbok XV vs World XV game on June 3 at Ellis Park Stadium. SA Rugby Manager for Referees, Andre Watson, says it is a way of rewarding a man who has paid his dues in his field of expertise.
Watson says the stature of the game was befitting of a man who has dedicated so much time and effort to refereeing in South Africa. At the end of last year Henning announced his retirement from Test rugby.
In the modern professional era referees are never appointed for Tests involving their own countrymen. Although the match is an unofficial Test it is nevertheless the closest anyone will get.
“From the point of view of SA Rugby Referees, the match will be a testimonial game for Tappe,” said Watson. “The IRB gave us the opportunity to appoint the match officials, and we picked Tappe. It’s a way of saying ‘thank you’ for services rendered to the profession in our country.”
The referee was asked to pick his own team of match officials. For touch judges, he chose Jonathan Kaplan and JC Fortuin. As Television Match Official he opted for Watson. Fourth and fifth officials are Mark Lawrence and Willie Roos. Henning chose Dr Louis Wessels as referee’s assessor.
Henning says he is thrilled. “It’s a wonderful opportunity. Not many referees end their careers on such a note. It’s a fine gesture from SA Rugby.”
Here is a brief overview of Tappe’s refereeing career:
- Started in 1987 with the then Northern Transvaal
- In 1993 he became a provincial referee
- In 1995 joined the Bankfin Currie Cup panels; he was the referee in the Currie Cup final between Natal and Western Province in Durban in his debut year
- Refereed first Test in 1995, Scotland versus Samoa at Edinburgh
- Touch Judge at 1999 Rugby World Cup
- Total of 240 first class games; among them 87 Absa Currie Cup, 53 Vodacom Super Series; 18 Tests, including Six Nations and Vodacom Tri-Nations
40 Comments
23 May 2006, 15:14 pm
“You lied to me Tappe, you lied…”
23 May 2006, 15:16 pm
tappe is a **** ref!
23 May 2006, 15:18 pm
Why can’t Linston Manuals retire
23 May 2006, 15:19 pm
so bluebulls fans wouldnt mind Linston retireing but ditto for the ref who gave that shaky Habana try.
23 May 2006, 15:21 pm
The men without moustaches! Tappe and Andre were the icons of Magnum PI in their day!
23 May 2006, 15:21 pm
Tappe is n legend…
23 May 2006, 15:24 pm
Now now WPW – Tappe is my step father, please refrain from insulting my second Dad
23 May 2006, 15:25 pm
tappe is a tappit. only joking!
23 May 2006, 15:26 pm
hey Vinnie what was that you lied to me Tappe thing again?
23 May 2006, 15:28 pm
tappe always has great haircuts, not a great ref tho, Kaplan and Lawrence way better.
23 May 2006, 15:33 pm
Rugby gaan jou mis Tappe…
23 May 2006, 15:34 pm
Tappe is a tappit. But at least he’s better than kaplan,ask ewan.
23 May 2006, 15:36 pm
JUSM,
It was Bob Skinstad that said it when Tappe told him there was only enough time for one more lineout but then played on for another 3 set pieces.
23 May 2006, 15:37 pm
I miss nancy
23 May 2006, 15:40 pm
Tappe is van Nigel…is maar bietjie tappit daar
23 May 2006, 15:41 pm
If my memory serves me correctly the last “local” to officiate the bokke was Johan Meuweson in the mid-1990′s. Johan was then still associated with the Namibian Union and blew SA against Tonga or South America (?).
After that match Meuweson moved to Port Elizabeth where he teaches at Otto du Plessis. A much underrrated referee who deserved to get further on the IRB ladder.
23 May 2006, 15:41 pm
I think Bob lost count after two.
23 May 2006, 15:53 pm
are there no real news out there today, keo. please make some news. you can always say jw is stupid and dont know what he’s doing
23 May 2006, 15:56 pm
Cheers Tappe, hope its as fitting a send of as you deserve.
I recon he’s one of the best.
23 May 2006, 16:01 pm
apparently he will be officiating in a Gold sequined jumpsuit? any truth to that?
23 May 2006, 16:02 pm
he will be taking up a career as an Elvis impersonator at u-Shaka marine world.
23 May 2006, 16:06 pm
So Tappe has never Refed a Currie Cup Final??
23 May 2006, 16:06 pm
A comment once made on 567 Cape Talk during a Province match.
So on a scale of Tappe to Ten, how do you rate the ref in today’s match……
23 May 2006, 16:07 pm
Eish , as kak praat ‘n siekte moes gewees het hahahaha
Fook , julle is vol jokes vandag
23 May 2006, 16:07 pm
Oh sorry, there i see he was the Referee for the 1995 final. My bad.
23 May 2006, 16:18 pm
23 May 2006, 16:33 pm
lol thanks Vinnie thats a classic.
23 May 2006, 17:18 pm
Tappe het op ‘n stadium baie soos Saddam Hussain gelyk…
23 May 2006, 17:21 pm
Tappe het ook ‘n geleerde skopvoet. Vra maar vir Soekie, sy eks vrou.
En ook ‘n goeie regterhaakhou. Vra maar sy gewese beste pel wat met Soekie gelol het…
23 May 2006, 18:04 pm
I remember him as quite a good ref a gew yeras ago, however in the few last matches in super 14 he has been terrible, i couldn’t believe its our old tappe. If you’re looking for a legend – WATSON was/is a legend – for me the best ref ever!
Glad we have a few new good refs, especially Mark Lawrence, and recently my other favourite Fortuin – if somebody criticises Fortuin then he obviously doesn’t know the laws and the way a ref should handle a match. Kaplan is also ok. and there are still a few young coming.
23 May 2006, 18:33 pm
I wonder how much Ref’s earn?
24 May 2006, 01:20 am
im so glad to see this guy retire. am just tired of hearing his calls and mistakes in games.
good on ya mate for the service you put in!
enjoy reffing the boks, just try not to send burger to the bin
24 May 2006, 08:03 am
Y did he not opt for Linston to do the TV duties
24 May 2006, 08:27 am
Ja Tomsta…..Tappe is likely to make the boks look bad by sending afew okes to the bin on marginal calls.
Im sure he will try to be easy ,but its not his nature. I wish Watson had given this game to himself…..we want to see a great open game. Tappe is pedantic and blows way too much. Defs one of my least favourite refs around. Glad to see him go. im sure he’s worked hard though but heck he’s getting a great reward for being an average ref. There have been way better ones.
24 May 2006, 09:34 am
Thank **** he’s retiring. What a farking plank…
Only problem is that he’s going to be extremely severe on the Boks to proove that he has no bias. Expect about 5 yellow cards to be dished out to the Boks.
24 May 2006, 09:59 am
saturdays ref in the wildebeeste vs valke game was shocking when he did nothing to the wildebeeste no 6 as he trampled a player on the ground
hope watson does something to him
dont think its correct to award a man with a game like this just because he is retiring
i never liked him as a ref
24 May 2006, 10:00 am
Agreed Norm and Fraz
24 May 2006, 13:03 pm
When Tappe refs the scrum, free kick and penalty count just seems to double – the aussies, NZ, and english all think he is dodgy – and he often misses a good game.
24 May 2006, 21:12 pm
Watson was the first ref in SA to wear the ‘mike’ and at end of the game he blow the end and the forgot he had mike on and said ‘ Ok guys lets go and drink those cold beers!!’
Now that’s what it’s all about a good cold Beer!!!
29 May 2006, 14:19 pm
WATSON AND TAPPI
U HEARD OF THE BLU’S BROTHER IN A USA, WE 2 GUYZ NOT RELATED BY BLOOD BUT BY INSTINCT. MEANING WHEN THEY ARE BOTH ON THE SAME FIELD ITS LIKE THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND..
CHEERS FRM THE OPTOM..
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