Peter’s ref plea needs to be heard
20 Aug 2008
The IRB needs to improve the communication between international coaches and referees if the subjective officiating of an ELV-driven game is ever to prosper.
It was inevitable. As soon as the words left Peter de Villiers’s mouth the IRB put the disciplinary knives to the sharpener. The criticism of Matt Goddard was indirect, but it was enough to warrant a backlash from referee chief Paddy O’Brien at the IRB.
The poor performance from the Boks aside, it wasn’t hard to see why they were angry with Goddard. Victor Matfield lost his cool with the ref after he allowed the All Blacks to get away with numerous transgressions at the breakdown. In the post-match press conference, the Boks never attacked Goddard directly, but their disappointment was clear.
On Monday, De Villiers made a valid suggestion that perhaps the IRB should take to heart. Why not give the two opposing coaches and captains access to the referee before the game where they can discuss the specific referee’s understanding of the laws.
The ELVs have become synonymous with controversy, not only for the style of rugby they aim to implement but also for the kind of refereeing needed to manage them. Subjectivity reigns with different officials likely to officiate in different ways. Teams no longer only study the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses before a big game, but the strengths and weaknesses of the appointed referee as well. It may sound bizarre, but it’s a very necessary preparation.
De Villiers’s idea is not without merit, as at the very least it would improve the communication between the coaches and the officials. You’d expect a ref to be consistent as well as clear. The fact that referees may differ in their approach to game management is something Test nations will have to accept, but erratic officiating should never be accepted, nor a lack of clarity.
De Villiers proposed meeting the day before a Test, but that is too late. Teams need time to prepare if they know a referee is going to be particularly strict in some areas, and somewhat lenient in others. If they know referees are going to allow opposition loose forwards more time to contest or kill the ball, they have to work harder at the clean outs or even commit more numbers to the rucks.
This may present a problem given that Test referees are not always in the country or city where the teams are training. But this is no excuse, as a simple phone call should be enough.
O’Brien criticised the Boks for making their grievances public rather than taking the matter up with him by submitting a full report. In this way, De Villiers has missed an opportunity to initiate some change. The IRB need to consider this course of action, as it will eliminate the surprise factor that comes with the current standard of subjective of refereeing.
If a referee is clear in the build up that he is going to be strict in any particular area, both teams know what to expect and so does the media and the public. In that way, the respective sectors can commend or criticise the official according to the own standards set by himself just days before.
By Jon Cardinelli
179 Comments
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20 Aug 2008, 14:23 pm
#150 Rugby_Princess:
I never have trouble getting hold of Paddy – he picks up on the first ring
20 Aug 2008, 14:23 pm
#150 Rugby_Princess:
You mean just a “wee bit” Why do you sound so business-like today?
20 Aug 2008, 14:27 pm
#152 Sheriff:
Had a bash & crash session over budgets – Victor would have fitted right in with the raised voices & desk pounding … after-effects still wearing off perhaps ?
20 Aug 2008, 14:33 pm
#153 Rugby_Princess:
But you were saying here just the other day that your figures balanced?
No VICTORY matfield is actually a very peaceful guy.
I guess the thing that upset him was Goddard’s flirtations with Richie.
20 Aug 2008, 14:39 pm
#154 Sheriff:
Sometimes the whining was so loud I thought George Gregan was in the meeting 
My figures balanced just fine … It was telling others how much money they had to give me (not me personally) that they did not like
He wasn’t on Saturday – he entered the ref’s “personal space” which in itself is a psychologically intimidating move, he was shouting & his arms looked like windmills.
What about your day ? Or were you in my meeting unbeknownst to me ?
& you are saying his problem was jealousy ?
20 Aug 2008, 14:49 pm
#155 Rugby_Princess:
Hope there was a strong business case. If so, then I support the reasons you tabled.
I was having a good chuckle yesterday when I remembered old Vic’s expression. But I think he handled it well, cause I was mad. The Boks were desperate and did not need that.
Of course the highlight of the day was when Richie reminded him of the rules.
No, Goddard is useless. And that little voice of his, irritates the sh*t outta me.
No, Vic is a real SA man.
What are you going to suspect me of next? It’s like people have a need to think: Sheriff is out to get me…Do I portray myself like that over here?
20 Aug 2008, 14:54 pm
Rugby is the only sport where coaches want to speak with refs….. something is rotten in the state of Denmark…
Either other sports have it wrong or rugby has it wrong!!!!
20 Aug 2008, 15:00 pm
#156 Sheriff:
Business Case is I have control of the purse strings … so it is put out or sod off
He did mime “outrage” extremely well
Yes, I must admit I enjoyed RM saying “scuse me ref but …” & then MG saying “Oh yes, thanks” … made me laugh out loud actually. The Saffa commentators made a joke about RM coaching MG in the finer points of the game. Vic should watch that bit over & over until he can manage the same conciliatory tone
I have trouble understanding “real SA men”, I am quite binary … yes /no … doesn’t seem to be working for me at the moment though – you are a moody lot
Yes, I do think you would be sneaky & enjoy being sneaky !
20 Aug 2008, 15:04 pm
#158 Rugby_Princess: your posts are so colourful when you speak to sheriff.
mostly yellow.
20 Aug 2008, 15:09 pm
#159 rangerman:
Nature Man … just for you :
Cinderella is now 95 years old. After a fulfilling life with the now dead prince, she happily sits upon her rocking chair, watching the world go by from her front porch, with a cat named Bob for companionship. One sunny afternoon out of nowhere, appeared the fairy godmother. Cinderella said, “Fairy Godmother, what are you doing here after all these years”? The fairy godmother replied, “Cinderella, you have lived an exemplary life since I last saw you. Is there anything for which your heart still yearns?” Cinderella was taken aback, overjoyed, and after some thoughtful consideration, she uttered her first wish: “The prince was wonderful, but not much of an investor. I’m living hand to mouth on my disability checks, and I wish I were wealthy beyond comprehension. Instantly her rocking chair turned into solid gold Cinderella said, “Ooh, thank you, Fairy Godmother”. The fairy godmother replied “it is the least that I can do. What do you want for your second wish?” Cinderella looked down at her frail body, and said, “I wish I were young and full of the beauty and youth I once had.” At once, her wish became reality, and her beautiful young visage returned. Cinderella felt stirrings inside of her that had been dormant for years. And then the fairy godmother spoke once more: “You have one more wish; what shall it be?” Cinderella looks over to the frightened cat in the corner and says, “I wish for you to transform Bob, my old cat, into a kind and handsome young man.” Magically, Bob suddenly underwent so fundamental a change in his biological make-up that, when he stood before her, he was a man so beautiful the likes of him neither she nor the world had ever seen. The fairy godmother said, “Congratulations, Cinderella, enjoy your new life. With a blazing shock of bright blue electricity, the fairy godmother was gone as suddenly as she appeared. For a few eerie moments, Bob and Cinderella looked into each other’s eyes. Cinderella sat, breathless, gazing at the most beautiful, stunningly perfect man she had ever seen. Then Bob walked over to Cinderella, who sat transfixed in her rocking chair, & held her close in his young muscular arms. He leaned in close, blowing her golden hair with his warm breath as he whispered … “Bet you’re sorry you had me neutered.”
20 Aug 2008, 15:13 pm
#158 Rugby_Princess:
Re binary. See the first word of my 4th paragraph.
If Richie is that good, why did he not use his talents during the RWC07 with Barnes (I forget his name) No the ABs deserved the victory but Goddard brought the game of rugby into disrepute.
Go back and see how the SA refs handled their games. What a pleasure!
No I’m not sneaky. I checked with Dawn yesterday. Do you still believe that I was in CT this weekend?
20 Aug 2008, 15:14 pm
#160 Rugby_Princess:
maybe that should be posted on every feminist website.
20 Aug 2008, 15:17 pm
#157 Keyser Soze: My dear, apparently naive friend, have you ever been involved in a serious game of rugby? I’m not talking about your school’s first team, but rather Currie Cup or above. If you had, you’d know why I’m calling you naive.
Sorry, pal, no insult intended. Just that your comment made me laugh.
20 Aug 2008, 15:18 pm
#162 rangerman:
How is the Ranger?
I need to leave soon; have to attend something in Pta.
20 Aug 2008, 15:19 pm
#164 Sheriff: schweet!!
ja, i am a happy man.
hows things with the sheriff?
20 Aug 2008, 15:20 pm
#162 rangerman:
Then again there are those days when we would happily “clip your bits” sans anesthetic !
#161 Sheriff:
No ?
MG did not do a good job but I have seen Kaplan walk a penalty 10 metres because a Capt was having tanty about the ref’s ruling !
Hey, I have always been a fan of Kaplan !
You checked with Dawn if you were sneaky ? & she would know how ? I don’t know where you were on the weekend – let me talk to your wife for confirmation !
20 Aug 2008, 15:22 pm
Nature Man & Sheriff
Nigh-night … I have had a tough day & need some time with candles, a bath & smelly bubbles to help me relax before bed.
20 Aug 2008, 15:25 pm
#165 rangerman:
Things are rather hectic on this side. Wish I could elaborate but have to stay 1 step ahead of the Pta bloggers
I will to step up (like the Boks) to keep my output at acceptable levels. Here on keo I mean.
Good to see you’re back to your old self!
20 Aug 2008, 15:28 pm
#166 Rugby_Princess:
No I meant I checked with her and she believes me that I was not in CT.
Dawn believes me. Question is: do you?
20 Aug 2008, 15:30 pm
#169 Sheriff:
Judgement is pending.
20 Aug 2008, 18:36 pm
#6 TheTackler:
Refs are NEVER NEVER neutral!!!!
Newlealand vs South Africa
15 Springboks on the field and 16 All blacks
Australia vs South Africa
15 Springboks and 16 Australians
England vs South Africa
15 Springboks and 16 Englishmen
You get my point!!! We always moan because we are always blown out of the game!!!!! It fustrates the players and messes up our game completely!!!! Its not fair and it should be dealt with!
20 Aug 2008, 19:33 pm
But will the referee understand what Sqeaky Pete is saying? Maybe he will need an interpreter…
20 Aug 2008, 21:51 pm
#171 storm08: Of course the refs are neutral. You get “blown out of the game” only because you just keep on breaking the laws of the game and overstepping the mark. The “unfair” thing is that you think that you somehow ought to allowed to get away with it. Well, you shouldn’t. By all means test the limits of the laws, but once you have plumbed where any particular ref draws the line in his interpretations, you stick scrupulously to your side of the line. You don’t keep on infringing to see if possibly he’ll ease up. He’s going to go for cards. Rightly so.
The refs are intensively performance-reviewed after every game and, if they are found to be cheating or wrong too often, they simply aren’t given more top tests to ref any longer. They are dropped, just like an underperforming player. And, yes, refs will make the odd mistake or two, just as what every player does, but the best refs make the fewest errors.
The Boks appear to be unusually slow to work out where the ref has drawn the line and therefore continue to cross it until a card actually underlines the clear message that only they, for some reason, haven’t yet picked up. The request to check with the ref before the game suggests they are unable to work this simple thing out on the actual field of play and need it drawn for them in crayon before taking the field. This is asking for test rugby to be dumbed down to a level where even the Springboks can understand it. It shouldn’t happen. The Boks need to smarten up, quickly, or continue paying the price for simply being too dumb to compete on equal terms.
And to have a whiny, lazy hothead like Matfield in charge with his zero sense of tact in dealing with the sole judge of fact … Is he really too stupid to realise that hurling venom and abuse at any ref is only going to make his bad situation a whole lot worse?
21 Aug 2008, 06:10 am
Tickler,
You are a slow cretin. Two words for you – Wayne Barnes. Admit he was neutral and theAB’s didn’t work out the lines he drew and maybe I’ll reconsider.
If not – shut up. Oh and, nearly forgot
4 more years of AB tears.
21 Aug 2008, 06:44 am
Of course Wayne Barnes was neutral. No doubt about it.
Also, he was incompetent. No doubt about that too.
21 Aug 2008, 07:50 am
and part 2 – the AB’s didn’t work out the lines he drew, did Barnesy have to draw in crayon, AB’s should have smartened up, paid the price for being too dumb to compete on equal terms?
Whiny lazy hothead hurling abuse at old Barnesy didn’t help?
Oh, and nearly forgot again, silly me, it’s such a small insignificant thing (pineapple storey from GH) – 4 more years NZ.
21 Aug 2008, 13:02 pm
How come there was no outcry after the team won in Dunedin, with Goddard reffing but there is plenty to say about his reffing after the humiliating loss. PDV wasn;t jumping up and down after a win but is after a loss.
Maybe when he can develop a consistent winning game plan then he will have some credibility regarding what could be valid complaints but you don’t just air them when you lose.
22 Aug 2008, 07:08 am
I have to say JC, that this article is utter ****. A ref telling teams what he’s going to be tough on and what he’s going to be lenient on?!? Refs make on-field decisions based on the rule book, not on who is playing, or which day of the week it is! Teams should take the field prepared to play to the rules. Of course some ref’s have a slightly different interpretation of the rules, or just simply see things differently on the pitch. That’s Rugby. That’s up to the team to adjust to the Ref on the day, but don’t expect the Ref to front up telling what you can and can’t get away with, how absurd!
22 Aug 2008, 07:15 am
#173 TheTackler: You’ve nailed it, you’re reading my mind! Why don’t they get it? Are we wasting our time trying to explain it to the Saffas? Do they simply not understand what goes on behind the scenes with refereeing? Do they seriously believe that ref’s just walk off after a game for a pat on the back from Paddy, then go home? I used to think those referee reviews should be made public, but I’m not sure any more – it’ll just give potential ammo to referee haters.
Your thoughts?
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