Venter’s fury not misplaced
29 Oct 2010
RYAN VREDE writes it is ludicrous that Brendan Venter will face a misconduct charge for saying what most astute observers know is true.
It seems to have become fashionable to lash the Saracens director of rugby into line in Europe. In the past two years the former Springbok centre has faced a battery of charges and been slapped with various sanctions, the most serious of those coming after he allegedly struck a female Leicester supporter and made provocative and insulting gestures to the home fans, whom he was surrounded by thanks to some questionable seating planning.
He vehemently denied all charges, accepting only that at the final whistle he stood up, bowed at the enraged fans, blew them a kiss and cried: ‘I love you all!’ Venter heard the verdict while chomping on an oatmeal biscuit which he had grabbed during recess, and it was duly interpreted as an act of defiance from the judge, who handed down a 14-game ban which included the Premiership final.
Now Venter has been pinned once more, this time by European Rugby Cup [ERC] officials for comments relating to the manner in which French referee Christophe Berdos managed the breakdown in Saracens’ 25-23 European Cup defeat to Leinster earlier this month. He also expressed concerns about the future of the game if referees’ interpretations at that facet of play continue to vary as greatly as they do.
He said: ‘Before the European Cup began, I asked if we would have a conference so all the officials from abroad were in tune as to the new interpretations of the laws.
‘Instead, we got some European referees in the Premiership, but there is a real danger that if we don’t take action going into a World Cup year, the game of rugby is going to die, be killed stone dead because the public won’t come to watch.
‘We will end up playing one type of rugby in the league, another in Europe and when you get to the World Cup, wait and see which referee you get. Last season we won 10 games in a row playing a kicking game, a horrible game to watch, but necessary because the breakdown regulations favoured defending teams.’
Anyone who watched the tense but dull affair will agree that Berdos’ performance was diabolical. It appeared that he had no understanding of the new breakdown law interpretations. Venter’s fury wasn’t misplaced. In fact, Berdos deserved more scathing criticism.
Instead it will be Venter who faces punitive action, not Berdos. A Frenchman chairs the three-man independent disciplinary committee who will decide Venter’s fate in Dublin next week. No prizes for predicting the outcome then.
Venter didn’t bring the game into disrepute, as the ERC allege. Berdos, through his utter incompetence, did. The law interpretations were introduced to promote a more free-flowing and ultimately more attractive brand of rugby. When applied correctly they achieve that purpose, while still allowing skilled poachers opportunities to pilfer.
However, Berdos is not alone in his failings. A number of southern hemisphere officials still struggle to accurately apply the laws in a manner that results in the fluid contest we all desire. But, in the professional era, we can no longer tolerate mediocrity from referees and we certainly cannot continue to shield them from legitimate criticism, which is precisely what Venter offered.
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110 Comments
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29 Oct 2010, 23:38 pm
@pierre(pierre) : Top refs have every game pored over by a review panel comprised of qualified refs. Of course all refs make mistakes — just as how all players fumble a pass or miss a tackle on occasion.
But when you’re out there on the field, there is only one judge of fact — the referee.
NOT the captains. NOT the coaches. NOT Paddy O’Brien. NOT the assembled TV-watching couch-potatoes of the planet.
Just one man.
The referee.
What he sees, goes. If he says the pass was forward, it was forward. Even if a thousand hawk-eyes and mathematicians say it wasn’t.
It was.
That’s how it is. That’s how it ought to be.
Respect the ref.
29 Oct 2010, 23:39 pm
Mana1
ouch, I feel a little scolded ?!
Can’t say I’d noticed him before. But anyone who features on the same thread as BlueAligator seems positively sane and friendly.
Who you pickin for the CC fella ? I’m hoping Hoops come thru.
29 Oct 2010, 23:48 pm
Mana1
actually now I see his comments at 75 I suspect you may be on to something. Seems an over-desperation at d*ck-measuring competitions ? The only thing missing from the NPC knockouts are the wonderfully large crowds that seem to be the norm in SA. Always adds to the occasion ! It was quite noticeable that with the ABs extracted at this late stage that new combinations struggle both on D and Offense. Otherwise the Canty vs Welly game was enjoyable with both aides showing a positive attitude in possession. Savea looks a star of the future and I can’t understand why Maitland hasn’t had a chance at higher levels either.
29 Oct 2010, 23:54 pm
And how on Earth does Robbie Fruen NOT get the nod in an AB squad of 30 ?! Bin that ex-leaguie and let’s rock’n'roll with this young monster ! Undoubtedly NH clubs must be licking their lips at the leftover Kiwi youngsters that can be lured oop north for a few extra pesos in the pay-packet.
30 Oct 2010, 02:12 am
I watched a French top 14 game between Stade de France versus Toulon and the ref cheated. This was not your run of the mill missed a foward pass here and there, this was wholesale cheating.
The quality of the rugby was poor but the ref was shocking. The Stade palyer were blantantly tring to injure Jonny Wilko. Not the bit late kind of stuff but grabbing his leg and twisting it. I could not belive my eye.
The current french hooker head butted his opposite number in full view of the ref and the linesmens. Full view. He gave Toulon the penalty and made tehm shake hands. FFS that was a red card and at least 1 month ban.
He failed to hand a second yellow to Stade as their discipline went out the window and they shoulder charged players as well as played the ball on the ground.
The diving by the Stade player not even been touched and the subsequest penalty was bizarre.
This was disgraceful. We now see a few more players in the French top 14 on you tube with ourtageous dangerous play. Hell the make Bakkies look like Earl Rose.
30 Oct 2010, 02:16 am
Stade Francais hooker Dimitri Szarzewski is facing a potentially costly ban after being cited for allegedly head-butting Toulon’s Jean-Philippe Genevois last weekend.
But his possible ban would perhaps be more keenly felt at Stade Francais, however, who are already without the suspended Argentine international Juan Manuel Leguizamon, due to an eye-gouging ban.
Fight after the whistle:Montpellier’s Georgian back-rower Mamuka Gorgodze and Bourgoin counterpart Alex Tulou, following a flare of tempers between the pair last weekend.
Perpignan, meanwhile, have decided not to appeal against the 50-day ban handed out to Samoan Henry Tuilagi. The LNR disciplinary committee imposed the suspension on Tuilagi after international back-rower was cited for a dangerous “spear” tackle in a Top 14 match.
30 Oct 2010, 09:09 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler) :
That would be fine Tackler, if there was no British referee, cocking up the RWC, and etc. Did you know that every game that your All Blacks have ever lost at the RWC was refereed by Home Nation whistlers?
What about the crazy antics we saw that prevented the Springboks getting beaten, and the All Blacks winning, at the last shower?
A New Zealander was responsible for one of the worst performances ever, when he sent a Fijian off, instead of a Frenchman. The next week the French beat the All Blacks at Twotters. They should never have got past Fiji!
Have you ever wondered why Jonah never scored against the Bokke? He should have got four in the Suzy Final but the Bokke were allowed to be so far off-side that they had to turn around and tackle him from behind, before he got the ball.
The names Morrison (twice), Barnes, and O’Brien will forever live in infamy!
30 Oct 2010, 16:32 pm
@KevinRack(KevinRack) :
What a welcome relief to hear you actually concentrate on the rugby, for once. Welcome.
30 Oct 2010, 16:38 pm
@AiDoc(AiDoc) :
Have the ABs ever won under Alain Rolland ? He literally killed the scrums in HK today, where the ABs held a massive advantage.
I dont remember the 1999 Fiji vs France match. Who/what happened there exactly ? what a strange irony that was then. Would have prevented a classic match tho, I was in the stands that day at HQ and Lamaison/France were magnificent. That AB team wasnt the best either. But, gee, the French were allowed to get away with filth that day, outrageous gouging on Kronfeld directly in front of me.
30 Oct 2010, 20:53 pm
I cannot believ some NZ’ders are whining about refs. You’ve maybe had one inconsistent bit of reffing in the 2007 RWC but that’s it. The rest of the time you’ve either had the ref nicely in your pocket or lost properly. Just sit queitly and smugly. This thread has nothing for you.
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