Smit blows whistle on bad boy Bryce
11 Oct 2011
Retired Springbok captain John Smit had a pop at New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence on the team’s arrival back in South Africa.
The 2007 World Cup-winning captain told local media what he told the world media after the Boks’ defeat against Australia, which was that Lawrence took no notice of his complaints about illegal Wallabies play.
”Bryce is not difficult to communicate with, he just doesn’t seem to listen very well,’ said Smit. ‘The one positive (of retirement) is that I won’t ever have to be reffed by him again.’
Smit will play for two years with English club Saracens and retires from the international game having won a World Cup and lost in the quarter-finals in 2003 and 2011 against New Zealand and Australia respectively.
He said he was proud of the effort and acknowledged the warm reception the Boks got on arrival, when thousands greeted their home-coming.
Smit also said the future of South African rugby was bright and added he expected to see the core of the 2011 World Cup squad playing for the Boks in 2012.
210 Comments
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12 Oct 2011, 01:41 am
@jeest(jeest)-200:
I was merely referring to your permanent state of mind.
12 Oct 2011, 02:25 am
@JEZ(DEE DAH)-85: Absolutely correct, well said.
Surely if a ref apologises – and is then appointed to ref a game featuring the side he apologised too, straight away, you know its not going to be a fair contest.
Aus have run out of lucky cards, played em all, and will get whumped on Sunday
12 Oct 2011, 02:26 am
@Airwell(Airwell)-178: Didn’t you watch the 2007 1/4 finals?
12 Oct 2011, 02:37 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-157: NO, no, no, the SA game plan is one we know how to counter, we do. Aus are far more unpredictable, and therefore a greater threat with Genia, Cooper, Ione and possibly Qade. With Oconnor taking the kicks, and nailing them, they are a bigger threat. Pocock is also a genuine threat, and targets the capture of the ball at ruck time as opposed to even tackling, he lets others tackle, then goes for the swoop, its very calculated.
This is not about who’s got the biggest ****, its about who we genuinely know presents a bigger threat. Most NZers would prefer to have faced SA in the semi, not Australia.
Having said that, we back ourselves 1000% to knock Aus over on Sunday, we have waited along time for this payback. Expect to see a brutal effort by the All Blacks.
Expect alot.
12 Oct 2011, 06:07 am
@zoo cleaner(zoo cleaner)-171:
If there were 2 refs at the 2007 WC, the AB’s would have gone through and then blown you guys off the park.
Would have, should have, could have – words in the wind.
When the Boks learn to score tries they will be a force again.
12 Oct 2011, 08:34 am
@Inevitable(Inevitable)-205:
Agreed.
I have always felt the Boks got an easy ride to the 2007 title. NZ, Australia and France would have beaten the Boks. All we had to do was beat England and Argentina. 2007 did not feel like 1995 when we beat Aus, France and NZ – that was a “real” world title.
There certainly is no doubt NZ would have smacked the Boks in 2007. JW was a very limited coach whose sides could not live with NZ or even Aus.
I think the time has come for 2 refs – maybe even 4 linesmen in RWC so that nothing is missed. We all want the correct decision and IRB has to ensure that the correct decision is made.
NFL, League make high-paced decisions with teams of refs.
Why the heck is Union not waking the hell up?
PS: Behind the ABs all the way from now on.
12 Oct 2011, 08:49 am
Hmmmm Smitty, not a good look for a man retiring. At least the Samoans had the balls to do it while they were still playing…and I dont believe we heard you crying about that ref either. Sour grapes from a man once he has left the building is a bit weak eh…possibly why so many Saffas were calling for your change. You were the Captain mate so front up and be responsible for your ship hitting the reef.
12 Oct 2011, 08:51 am
On the reffing:
The two assistant refs become full refs. 2 other people on each side, no qualification required, can just watch for where the ball goes out and mark it.
The 3 refs already have comms so no change needed there. They just have to keep talking to each other. If a ref on the side calls: ” blue tackler not releasing” the ref in the middle parrots the call to the players and plays advantage if necessary.
Easy. But just don’t expect the dinosaurs of the IRB, who are happily ruining the game at the current rate, to pick up on such advanced thoughts.
And don’t expect any journalist to ask the IRB the tough questions. Seems the journalists are just way too scared of the IRB.
12 Oct 2011, 09:02 am
I did watch the 2007 1/4 the French won the first half and the ABs won the 2nd half. In this game the bokke dominated the whole game different story. If the fix is on lots of money flows to the team that is going to win therefore the odds shorten
12 Oct 2011, 21:26 pm
@Airwell(Airwell)-209:
Strange.
NZ owned them in the first half. Reasons as to why France were behind 13-3.
You really didnt watch the game did you?
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