Bryce hangs up whistle
16 Oct 2012
New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence has retired after officiating his 200th first-class match.
Lawrence, who faced mass criticism from the South African rugby fraternity after his poor performance during the Wallabies’ victory over the Springboks in the 2011 World Cup quarter-finals, became the fourth Kiwi official to reach the 200-match mark. He follows Paddy O’Brien (221 matches), Paul Honiss (220) and Steve Walsh (210).
Lawrence also refereed 25 Tests and 60 Super Rugby games.
He told the Bay of Plenty Times that he was forced into retirement because of the threats he received after the World Cup.
‘It got pretty bad,’ said Lawrence. \Not really threats on my family as such, there was a concern, but it was mainly aimed at me through social media. On Facebook they launched a ‘get rid of Bryce Lawrence’ site and it was pretty nasty.
‘That was absolutely the reason for my career change. I got told at the end of the World Cup that I would have a break from Test rugby for the Six Nations and I could totally accept that as there has to be a consequence for poor performance.
‘I was told I would be brought back in the middle of this year, as I was ranked in the top three or four referees in the world. But because of the political reaction from rugby unions like Australia and South Africa behind the scenes, they dropped me.
‘Sanzar used me but not in South Africa, so eventually they said it was getting tough having you in the draw, because we have to keep making changes to keep you in the system when you are not going to South Africa, so see you later. So I knew I was not able to referee at the level I needed to be re-contracted, really – all because of that one game.’
Lawrence also admitted that there was outside influence going into the Wallabies-Springbok quarter-final clash.
‘I went into the game knowing it was a massive match and I didn’t want to overly influence the outcome and that was in the back of my mind. The way that transpired was I didn’t make decisions and if I had my time again I would just go out there and do what I normally do, which is just referee and back myself.
‘I had four really good games at the World Cup and then I had that. I had outside pressure from pretty senior people from rugby countries behind the scenes that really created my mindset of lacking confidence to deliver what I normally do.
‘There was some pretty nasty political stuff going on about that appointment. I refereed Australia versus Ireland and Ireland had won but behind the scenes guys like [Australian CEO] John O’Neill were kicking up a massive stink. I knew a bit about that and it was enough to affect me, and it probably made me freeze on the biggest stage.’
Lawrence take on a new post as the NZRU High Performance referee reviewer.
Kiwi referees Vinny Munro and Keith Brown will also retire at the end of the New Zealand Cup.
576 Comments
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17 Oct 2012, 13:58 pm
@Hurricane-449: Come on, Huricane. For once don’t try to squirm and twist the ethics to suit yourself. You came out firing (today and yesterday) about so-called death threats, knowing full well that the Kiwis did the same thing 4 years earlier. There’s no shame in just saying okay, I forgot about that – my bad. But no, you must try and twist the untwistable to somehow come out looking like you’ve scored some kind of moral victory, while it’s plain to see you’re just being daft.
17 Oct 2012, 14:03 pm
@katman-451:
I cant recall saying its ok for death threats.
I know some Kiwis have done exactly what South Africans have done. But Barnes toured NZ
only a couple of years later. IRB or NZRU didnt once think Barnes would be harmed.
But Bryce in SA was a different story.
All i know is i didnt threaten his life once or his wife and family.
I know there is no victory here at all but it seems a few South Africans have marked it down
as a win that Bryce has left.
Really him leaving does not bother me. I have said it time and time again the Bryce
completly trashed that game.
17 Oct 2012, 14:15 pm
@Hurricane-452: No, it’s not a victory at all. It’s a complete cop-out. He gets to retire with a little tut-tut from the IRB because he’s admitted to bowing to pressure from O’Neil and “various rugby countries”. We’re not after a victory, we want justice. And justice here would involve an independent inquiry into who applied pressure and how this happened, as well as how this affected the way he blew his WC games. And it it is found that there was any wrongdoing such as matchfixing, then he should be tried in court, along with his co-conspirators.
17 Oct 2012, 14:26 pm
@katman-453:
Yep and i understand that Kat.
Match fixing could have happened. I wont say it never would. As i said to Grant
we can look through most the RWCs and find some in justice against teams.
Some things look really odd.Bryce is the only one that has said anything like this.
What i find odd is that NZRU have give him another job…. i cant see why.
NZRU are ididots, they were the ones that gave him ref of the year.
NZ fans did not and are more intelligent than to accept that as being the correct call.
17 Oct 2012, 14:30 pm
By the way, i looked at some of the comments during that fateful day on keo.
It was interesting to see alot of you bloggers were actually talking about the bad
ref but also were blaming your own players for not finishing and taking
opportunities. Even saying ref was cr@p for both teams but the Boks should have won that no matter what. And thats what i believe as well.
17 Oct 2012, 14:34 pm
@Hurricane-452:
Why was Bryce a different story?
Because Barnes had balls and he didn’t?
You seem to have appointed yourselves as the sole arbiter on what constitutes a dangerous threat.
Here is a hint for your thick noggin;
how long did Barnes wait to ref in New Zealand?
Bryce is a crooked coward just like his pappy.
17 Oct 2012, 14:51 pm
@Hurricane-452: A death threat is a death threat. You can’t okay the one because the target chose to ignore it and jump all over the other one because the target chose to pee himself.
I’m really intrigued as to how you set your moral compass. Because for someone who feels so strongly about issues, your criteria is all over the place.
17 Oct 2012, 14:56 pm
@katman-457: ja, they shouldn’t have threatened. Just executed…
17 Oct 2012, 15:11 pm
@katman-447:
Just go and compare the wikipedia articles for both, and you’ll see the NZ response to Barnes was much, much worse.
17 Oct 2012, 15:20 pm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/7034858.stm
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=10468594
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/newzealand/2323033/English-ref-Wayne-Barnes-backed-after-NZ-slur.html
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=10468757
And just to show what a fair sport Graham Henry is:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/7370102/How-Henry-became-sick-of-referee-Barnes
17 Oct 2012, 15:22 pm
@katman-457:
What you said.@WP-Forever-459:
And you.
17 Oct 2012, 15:24 pm
@gunther-461:
They’re so precious at times, these Kiwis.
17 Oct 2012, 15:36 pm
@Hurricane-452: “Angry All Black fans have struck out hard on the internet, posting on a site dedicated to the “hatred” of referee Wayne Barnes. A page on the social networking site Bebo is dedicated to criticism of Mr Barnes.”
So this is okay, but a Facebook page is not acceptable? Where do you get your material? Fcken hilarious.
17 Oct 2012, 15:37 pm
@WP-Forever-462:
Indeed.
The high ground can be a muthafucka.
17 Oct 2012, 15:39 pm
@katman-463: @gunther-464:
We must excuse them, they tend to have extremely short memories, sometimes forgetting that World Cups even took place in certain years.
17 Oct 2012, 15:40 pm
@WP-Forever-459: Hurricane is trying to make the point that when a death threat comes from SA, the IRB deems it to be a real and present danger, but when it’s from NZ it’s just frustrated banter. Well, that was his point at one stage, but he’s trying to obfuscate that now having realised how mildly racist this is. I suspect he’ll make an about turn on the Facebook page point as well.
17 Oct 2012, 15:45 pm
@katman-466:
indeed.
the kiwis did theirs on something called beebo.
sounds like it invloves dwarves.
17 Oct 2012, 15:51 pm
@gunther-467:
Gunth the Lions are really stepping up to the plate (not the rugby team).
Bodi suprised me yesterday.
But I’m looking forward to Quinton De Kock’s next innings. I think he’ll be the next long term Protea keeper.
17 Oct 2012, 16:01 pm
@gunther-467: hobbits, but close enough.
17 Oct 2012, 16:02 pm
@Jeraldjay-468:
I missed it.
17 Oct 2012, 16:03 pm
@Jeraldjay-468: What do you mean “not the rugby team”? Saturday is going to be pretty miserable if you’re a Province man.
And Bulls, you’re next.
17 Oct 2012, 16:08 pm
@katman-471:
Ek se niks nie.
We lost this fixture last year with a star studded team which included Schalk.
But I think the 12 year wait will make the difference in the end.
17 Oct 2012, 16:12 pm
@Jeraldjay-472: Yoh, that’s almost as long as the ABs go between World Cups.
Was your last Cup in George W Senior or in Clinton’s term?
17 Oct 2012, 16:15 pm
@Jeraldjay-472:
what the hell.
if 12 years is long enough for whisky it’s long enough for anything.
17 Oct 2012, 16:16 pm
@katman-473:
George W.
A month after 9/11. against the Sharks at Newlands.
17 Oct 2012, 16:19 pm
@gunther-474:
Koos Basson was still president.
So Tobie jinxed us. Hopefully Thelo will be our lucky charm.
17 Oct 2012, 16:20 pm
@Jeraldjay-475:
is there a connection there?
17 Oct 2012, 16:20 pm
@Jeraldjay-476:
Lucky charms tend to be small and mobile.
17 Oct 2012, 16:22 pm
@WP-Forever-478:
Not always.
If you rub his tummy on the shiny spot the opposition knocks on on their 22.
17 Oct 2012, 16:25 pm
Thelo in Newlands: The Buddha of Suburbia.
17 Oct 2012, 16:30 pm
@gunther-477:
Terrible coincidence
@WP-Forever-478:
17 Oct 2012, 16:32 pm
@katman-480:
Apparently they are brining out a supersized spicy chocolate peanut and marzipan confection in his honour.
Buddha Bar.
17 Oct 2012, 16:34 pm
@Jeraldjay-481:
Apparently someone told he needed to be acting president.
He misunderstood and had a helipad and medical centre put in his garden in Rondebosch East.
17 Oct 2012, 16:41 pm
@gunther-483:
During this period they canvass till the early hours of the morning phoning all their contacts at different clubs to win their votes.
17 Oct 2012, 16:48 pm
@Jeraldjay-484:
samoosas for votes scandal?
17 Oct 2012, 21:28 pm
@gunther-456:
What are you on about.
You dont even know what its like to be threatened by a country, so shut your mouth. People react differently as you do when you address kiwis with a fuked up attitude.
@katman-457:
Where did i say it was ok to do death threats?? Honestly are you guys to blind and stupid to realise i am actually agreeing with you?
@WP-Forever-459:
Compare something in wikipedia???
That is one of the most dumbest thing i have heard in here. You do know who writes the wikipedia dont you?
@katman-463:
Again where did i say anything of the sort. I just pointed out that the facebook page was full on.
@katman-466:
And to top it off i am now racist….lol
You guys are a pathetic bunch. Katman, cunther two jokes of keo.
17 Oct 2012, 21:34 pm
Fact is clowns, Barnes was back in NZ. IRB never stopped him from doing tests or being a linesman in NZ yet IRB stopped Bryce from going to SA.
These are the facts. Both countries are at blame here with Barnes and bryce.
Somehow you guys saw that i said SA threatened worse than NZ and you all do a big cry baby throw toys out cot and call me racist….yet WP-forever in post 159 said we were worse and that was ok??
Two faced South africans, disgusting.
17 Oct 2012, 21:48 pm
@Hurricane-487: If it’s all the same thing to you (i.e. both threats are equally bad and ominous), then why do you keep on blabbing on (boastfully, I might add) about how Barnes was able to walk a free man in NZ while the IRB insisted on giving Brycie a sexchange and putting him in a witness protection programme? Huh? It’s either the same or it’s not. You clearly want to imply that a death threat from SA loonies carries a far bigger danger than a death threat from those good ol boys from the north island, but you know this makes you look suspiciously prejudiced, so you try to spin it both ways. And you end up looking tremendously confused and conflicted.
17 Oct 2012, 21:58 pm
@Hurricane-486:
Help yourself to some STFU bellend.
Now you are saying death threats from braindesd kiwis are less threatening than those from braindead saffers?
A lot of water flowed under the bridge before Barnes went to kiwi land.
Brucite the gutless mother used it as an excuse to terminate a career that should have been aborted years ago.
Now go and count your Tv’s.
17 Oct 2012, 21:58 pm
@Hurricane-487: wtf are you trying to say hurricane?
that kiwi death threats are not so bad but saffa ones are just oh so hectic?
bs man.
i dount anything would have happened to bryce the cheat much like nothing happened to barnesy the fairest of them all.
thye point is that bryce is a p u s s y and caved once he understood that his vile cheating ways would never be forgiven or forgotten much like norlings.
these names go doen in rugby infamy.
17 Oct 2012, 22:00 pm
bryce is an admitted cheating p us sy.
good riddance.
funny that the nzru give him another job after giving him ref of the year eh?
they better hope bryce stays quiet.
17 Oct 2012, 22:03 pm
@rangerman-491:
He is in charge of a new generation of crooked mofos.
Just reward.
17 Oct 2012, 22:04 pm
bryce has a daddy who is also a cheat though.
handed down through the generations there in nz it seems.
17 Oct 2012, 22:09 pm
@gunther-492: yup, learning from the best they are.
a truly compromised man.
17 Oct 2012, 22:12 pm
Oh boy listen to you guys.
Now tell me, why did IRB cancel Bryce from going over to SA and not Barnes going to NZ….thats all i am saying.
Do you think that they thought that Bryce going anywhere near SA was dangerous?
@rangerman-491:
He did not admit cheating at all.
Where do you guys see this? He sadi and as the english papers have said that he was told to lay off on the whistle and let it flow….. that he did but totally let an unrefed game procede.
17 Oct 2012, 22:14 pm
Just checking out the Bebo site, where are the Barnes hate threads still live and are very much active, and I must say it’s a cultural phenomenon. Anyone who writes like the guy quoted here, should be taken very seriously as he is probably high as a fcken Austrian on crystal meths.
“Thsi year da All Blacks Have been at da top nd da whole world thinkin they would win da world cup…..But On one dae Sundae 7th of october one unexperienced *** stepped in to referee da game nd let 2 mistakes past him one send off nd a critical send off to luke mcalister!!!!Nw dis band is for da All Blacks Nd Every1 Dat H8S DA *** GUY HIMSELF WAYNE BARNES SO I HOPE U LIKE DA SKIN ND EVERYTHING!!!!!!”
And every single post is like that. Or should I say “dat” cuz dats wot dey rite der an i think dey culd b rite.
17 Oct 2012, 22:15 pm
@gunther-489:
Idiot. Bryce was actually told he cannot ref in SA.
So that was test matches and super 15.
How much rugby would he missed?
He had to leave. Its like getting a huge cut in your job, his own doing but he had to leave.
17 Oct 2012, 22:16 pm
@katman-496:
And so?
Threats are threats but tell me why IRB didnt want Bryce to go to SA yet didnt mind Barnes heading to NZ?
Tell me that.
17 Oct 2012, 22:16 pm
@Hurricane-495: he was told to lay off the whistle?
wtf?
he is a ref?
as for your argument about bryce being in more danger than barnesy bud, thats laughable. i wont even bother with your line of “reasoning”
have a pleasant evening but dont ever think for a second we will forget this admission of guilt from bryce.
cheers.
17 Oct 2012, 22:18 pm
@katman-496:
Sounds like our Hurri.
But we can’t take it seriously because he’s a kiwi and its just banter.
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