Bray: ‘Referees have improved’
16 Mar 2012
Sanzar head of referees Lyndon Bray says there has been an improvement in the quality of officiating in Super Rugby this season compared to 2011.
Referees have been crictised on all platforms in recent weeks – in media reports and social media, and by coaches, players and the public. This comes after the strict application of the law at the breakdowns, tackle points and scrums and several controversial calls, which have had an influence on results in some cases. The latest saga comes after the Brumbies’ 24-23 win over the Cheetahs in Canberra last weekend, which saw the hosts surpass a 13-point deficit in the second half after the Bloemfontein franchise was heavily penalised by Kiwi referee Keith Brown in the final quarter.
However, Bray didn’t believe referees have had a negative impact on the game. Speaking on SuperSport’s weekly rugby programme Boots & All , he provided stats which suggested that the quality of officiating has improved compared to last season’s records.
According to Bray, the average penalty count per match in 2011 was 24. After three rounds this year, it is 23. He noted that the success rate of a ball reaching the No 8 in the scrum was 45% last season. That percentage has increased to 62.5% so far in 2012. He also acknowledged that there have been less tries scored this year compared to the same stage in 2011 (there were 87 tries scored after three rounds in 2011, and 80 after three rounds in 2012), but he didn’t believe this was because of the referees.
‘We can see that some of the stats show that there has been an improvement compared to last year. The increased percentage of clean scrums is a success story. It was a frustrating part of the game last season, especially for the spectators,’ said Bray.
‘There has been a decrease of tries compared to 2011, but there are certain reasons for this. Teams have been defensively well organised this season. I think defence is winning the battle so far. We are also seeing coaches and players taking the decision to kick for posts more often too.’
Bray went on to admit that there were occasions where referees have made the wrong decisions, but said there were post-match procedures in place to try and minimise these errors.
‘The reality is that we’re never going to be able to stop mistakes from happening. Referees are no different to players,’ said Bray. ‘But refereeing is a part of the game we are working hard on. We are trying to achieve a better consistency. We also want to ensure that if we do make mistakes, it has a smaller impact on the game.
‘There is a review procedure that referees follow after the match too. They have the best technology made available to them, and they carry out a self-review, which gets handed over to me. I then read through it and discuss the different points with the respective referee. We talk about his mistakes, strengths and what he needs to do to improve.
‘People also believe that referees don’t get dropped. This is not true. We had 18 referee changes last season because some lost form while others performed really well. This is a job that comes with a lot of pressure and we want to do it well. We take accountability for our actions.’
Other topics discussed were the role of the TMOs and what was being done to regulate the law interpretations in the southern and northern hemisphere. Bray said Sanzar has been discussing this with his ERC counterpart Donal Courtney and IRB head of referees Paddy O’Brien.
‘I’ve been in regular discussions with Donal and Paddy about the law interpretations and we are working hard to ensure that the application of the law is the same in all professional rugby. We especially want to drive this at Test level,’ said Bray.
‘There have been issues around the TMO. People must realise that it’s not the referee or TMO’s fault for the limitations on communication. This is because of the IRB’s protocol and we’ve [Sanzar] have been discussing about the chances of extending the TMO’s role. But we also have to respect the IRB, who is the council that controls this game.’
43 Comments
15 Mar 2012, 22:59 pm
Since when have they improved?
15 Mar 2012, 23:44 pm
All I read in this is that “they” acknowledge how k@k the refs did in 2011
16 Mar 2012, 00:43 am
cue more whinging and moaning from the Yappies
16 Mar 2012, 00:53 am
rugby is the only sport that changes its rules like we change our onderbroeks, why? EELVs, no ELVs, new scrum laws, new breakdown laws, world cup year breakdown laws, next year’s breakdown laws WTF!!!!
16 Mar 2012, 00:58 am
Improved or not, refs interpretations and personal taste (like/dislike) has too big say on the outcome of the game.
Can’t think of any other +/- major team sport where that could happen every day.
16 Mar 2012, 01:09 am
The fact is that referees shouldn’t even be discussed. They should be doing their job well enough that they are irrelevant to the outcome of the game.
It’s obvious that this isn’t happening.
The only country who doesn’t really have any cause to complain is NZ. But we even see them whinging. Apparently the refs are not allowing them to cheat enough!!
Start by getting rid of Paddy and then remove the refs “interpretation” allowance. Just make them police the laws as they are written. If they don’t….drop them.
May not solve every problem but it’s a good start
16 Mar 2012, 02:16 am
@jeest(jeest)-6: Funny how NZ have such poor refs, but they have their guys in the top positions doing the reviews (Lyndon Bray & Paddy OB). No coincidence they always get the calls their way me thinks.
16 Mar 2012, 02:20 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-3: Kiwis have no reason to moan, they have the refs playing for them.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/dwyers-view-all-blacks-2010/
16 Mar 2012, 02:38 am
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/video-analysis-all-blacks-at-the-breakdown/
16 Mar 2012, 02:58 am
It’s a no-brainer Paddy O’Brien should be long gone…
16 Mar 2012, 03:37 am
@Schalk is Pote Fouries daughter(richardmarais)-7:
Mark lawrence is probably the worst ref in rugby….he must have his own set of laws. Craig joubert closely behind him.
16 Mar 2012, 03:45 am
@Schalk is Pote Fouries daughter(richardmarais)-8:
I couldnt give a sh*t about the Kiwis, theyre a bunch of thieves and bludgers. But theyre made to look like rugby-angels compared to the whinging Yappies.
Funny how all the refs “play for” the opposition of all Yappie teams however. All these insurmountable hurdles the whinging Yappies have to overcome whether its the ref or weather or flight times or your own amateur administrators or self-serving political agendas – are we supposed to feign sympathy ? perhaps ridding your teams of gougers and thugs might be a good place to start before you go pointing the finger – so to speak – elsewhere.
16 Mar 2012, 04:40 am
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-11:
Yeah Mark Lawrence is an A hole of the highest order. Jonkers is on P(meth). Joubert has come out of the closet, friggin pansy whilst Brycie is a meglomaniac and Keith Brown all of the above. T
16 Mar 2012, 04:42 am
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-11:
Yeah Mark Lawrence is an A hole of the highest order. Jonkers is on P(meth). Joubert has come out of the closet, friggin pansy whilst Brycie is a meglomaniac and Keith Brown all of the above. The rest are just plain useless.
16 Mar 2012, 06:03 am
Kaplan ask the ozzie about his performance he lost so many games for the Wallabies Phil Kearns dreams about him befor any test that Kaplan officiate panic Kearnsy go into a cold sweat not again.
So Bryce Lawrence has a twinn we moan groan and Yes the game cant start without them no matter who they pick and your team comes second its the ref thats going to cop it. Some times folks you have to take that black patch off your eye and get real you can always use the northern hemisphere Refs and we no how fit they are and they will blow that whistle just to anoy both fans and players.
16 Mar 2012, 06:09 am
Could the refs actually get any worse? They may have improved on one or two stats, but the reality is referees are absolutely terrible in this day and age. There isn’t a single referee who consistently performs well in either hemisphere, which is absolutely disgraceful in a professional sport the size of rugby.
@Transformation(Transformation)-4: Absolutely spot on mate….
16 Mar 2012, 06:43 am
I was watching three games last week, from past Tri-Nations. Namely the 2000 ‘Greatest Test of All-Time’ between Australia and New Zealand, the 1998 away win over NZ and the 2004 away loss to NZ. What a world of difference! The game was much less stop/start with ref interference. Granted things were not perfect back then, we definitely had some very bad calls against us, but the game was MUCH better! The problem is this:
#1.The game is not governed by rules, rather guidelines. No matter how much they might insist they are laws, when backed into a corner the IRB admit as much. This opens the door for ‘interpretation’. Thus there are as many ‘interpretations’ as there are refs on planet Earth! This also opens the door very nicely for corruption. Rugby is actually making football look squeeky clean; this is utterly disgraceful.
#2.These guidelines allow refs to offset their bias and control the game. Remember Juan Smith bent over, on his feet and about to pinch a legal ball against Scotland in 2010? Yes, he was penalised and it was a turning point in that game. Had the refs mandate been to police the game by the letter of the law, they would never be allowed to get away with it.
#3.The IRB are using these guidelines and interpretations to FORCE a desired style of play on ALL teams. One of the most appealing things about rugby when I was growing up was that each nation had their own distinct playing style. It was very exciting watching how the various match-ups and playing philosophies took each other on. Now? Everyone is being squeezed into a run-at-all-cost sloppy joe game. The Super XV has most sides playing the same. It’s faster, but sloppier and overall less entertaining. Why should everyone be forced to play like New Zealand? Why should New Zealand have such influence in all this? (Think back to 2008 when the NH were completely opposed to the ELVs! Yes, hardly anyone was in favour of them, but NZ spat their dummy out and it was all over). And each year when the IRB doesn’t get it’s way, or teams adapt to play their own way, they change the rules. 2009 the Boks found their way. Solution? Change the laws. 2010? Back on track for New Zealand, throw some leeway so they have a definite edge. 2011? New Zealand are not looking so convincing, we’ll have to throw the kitchen sink here to get them what they want and fine-tune things for 2012. Nice one. I can’t imagine why anybody would think rugby union was a farce! *rolls eyes*
16 Mar 2012, 06:53 am
what’s this – yet another monster whinge from the Yappies ?!
woe is me
16 Mar 2012, 06:59 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-18: Ha! Just leave little boy, you talk of whinging, yet look at yourself. We’ve pointed out emphatically fatal flaws in the game and backed it up. You have offered nothing. A fair reflection of your credibility and character I would say. Why do you feel the need to be on here attacking those you supposedly don’t regard? Now that’s something I would like to know.
16 Mar 2012, 07:03 am
@18 – I’m sure its spelled – Yarpies.
Who is your team if you have Yarpies and Kiwis?
16 Mar 2012, 07:15 am
actually, I believe you’ll find it’s spelled ‘Japies’. That is before they start whinging about rugby and all you can hear is
yap yap yap
go the whinging Yappies.
16 Mar 2012, 07:26 am
@Alucard(Alucard)-17:
nicely put.
my personal feelings on this is that we should break away from the irb and just play in a local comp structure amongst ourselves. we could organise internationals or series against anyone brave enough to risk the irb’s sanction.
why should we care, they’re the one’s with no credibility.
16 Mar 2012, 07:40 am
Convict scum.
16 Mar 2012, 09:45 am
The consistent efforts by the coats to ‘sanitize’ the game of rugby to make it a ‘acceptable commercial product’ has slowly but surely eroded the game of union of it’s appeal.
Laws of the game are consistently changed or adopted not to improve it, but to make it ‘prettier’ for people watching on TV.
16 Mar 2012, 10:36 am
The Braying Ref “Emperor” truly has no clothes…
In the land of these refs, absolutely blinded to the spirit of the game played in heaven, any one-eyed ref with half an instinct for the game, is King.
And generally these refs may not be one-eyed, but hellsteeth they are as blind as fcking bats.
16 Mar 2012, 10:40 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-12: You’re not the sharpest tool in the box.
16 Mar 2012, 11:34 am
When questioning ones intelligence, try to avoid the use of all cliches.
16 Mar 2012, 11:39 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-27: If you can’t run with the big dogs, you better stay on the porch.
16 Mar 2012, 11:42 am
The refs are OK.
16 Mar 2012, 11:47 am
The overuse of cliches not only highlights your obvious limitations in communication but it also suggests acute limitations in the trouser department. I’ve met lesbians with bigger dciks than you, shorty.
16 Mar 2012, 11:49 am
Sheepshaggingcnuts
16 Mar 2012, 11:50 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-30: My point made.
16 Mar 2012, 11:52 am
‘point’ is about the extent of your point’ential, Dcikless van der ****.
16 Mar 2012, 11:53 am
Dcikless van der Dike
16 Mar 2012, 11:59 am
Definitely a merino lover…
Sheep on the brain…
…and on thePrick
16 Mar 2012, 11:59 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-35:… No doubt
16 Mar 2012, 12:00 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-34: You’re actually quite funny. Keep it up.
16 Mar 2012, 12:11 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-33: Do Kiwis get a stiffy when they wear Uug Boots? Similar concept those vibrating eggs girls walk around with.
16 Mar 2012, 13:24 pm
What really cracks us up is how every time the whinging Yappies feel their rugby-manhood is threatened, they diss the Kiwis. It reveals a total lack of self worth.
Everyone knows your cricket team is sheet when push comes to shove. Is there any team sport that Yappies actually excel at ?
No wonder whinging Yappies are always blaming the ref. it prevents them having to acknowledge how sheet they are.
16 Mar 2012, 13:35 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-39: Nope, Sheepshaggers are dissed cos they wurf it… “Bro”
16 Mar 2012, 13:47 pm
@Schalk is Pote Fouries daughter(richardmarais)-38:
I can’t speak for the moral majority Ricky,
but I certainly do.
16 Mar 2012, 16:13 pm
Old Donkey Bray shouldn’t believe everything he hears in the *** clubs.
The referees might have improved in bed but not on the playing field.
16 Mar 2012, 16:41 pm
@cane(cane)-41: I’m going to get a pair.
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