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, 22:21 pm
@Hurricane-498: ag it was sanzar pel, not the irb.
good riddance to the cheat i say.
17 Oct 2012, 22:22 pm
“I had four really good [group] 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 with some people kicking up a massive stink.”
He had outside pressure from “pretty senior people from rugby countries”.
He needs to be ordered to expand on this statement. In Pakistan they (quite rightly) send you to jail for stuff that smells like this statement.
17 Oct 2012, 22:24 pm
Where did the IRB tell him not to go to South Africa?
17 Oct 2012, 22:27 pm
@Hurricane-498: You’ have to ask them, mate, as I am also baffled. PArticularly when you spend 5 minutes perusing your beloved Bebo site and see the amount of hate and vitriol still floating around 5 years on. Like this charming thread succinctly entitled “Kill Wayne Barnes”.
http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=4843946048&TUUID=d28128a3-1238-4391-8ab9-ac813c0bb9e7
And there are many more like that. No South African protest came close to this level of hatred, so you’d have to ask the people who hid Brycie’s passport why they did so. Perhaps they’re suffering from the same “Africa is a dangerous shithole” prejudice as so many others here? Just thinking out loud…
17 Oct 2012, 22:27 pm
@katman-502:
Yet the kiwis reward him with a nice cosy sinecure.
Jawellnofine.
17 Oct 2012, 22:27 pm
@gunther-489:
Childish post at best.
@rangerman-499:
Told to lay of cos he blew the Ireland and Ozzie game as a stop start whislte game. IRB did not want that.
I have asked you guys a simple question.
Why is it Bryce was canceled and told not to go to SA yet Barnes toured NZ reffing and as a linesman?
Fact is on this very page i have been called a racist,a cheat and now being accused of writing hate mail to Barnes…. *** me does it get any better.
Anyway later Ranger
17 Oct 2012, 22:32 pm
@gunther-505: Ja, he’s set for life. And so he should be. The pressure the poor man was put under by “pretty senior people from rugby countries” must have been immense. Poor lad. Let him play golf and fish from the jetty in peace.
17 Oct 2012, 22:38 pm
@rangerman-501:
aaghhh yes you could be right here.
Reasons to why IRB canceled Bryce as a ref as he couldnt do his full job.
@katman-504:
Yeah i just dont know either.
Maybe your last line is correct….which would be terrible.
I have never said we did not threaten Barnes. And there are some sick people about that continue on with something that happened 5 years ago. This is not me at all, as if i would threaten a life over a rugby game no matter what Gunther thinks.
@gunther-505:
I asked the question in another thread.
What has NZRU see in Bryce that the need to look after the guy?
Alot you guys think cos he was awraded ref of the year thats what the Kiwi public wanted…..so far from the truth. NZRU is a pain in the a$$ with some of the outrageous calls or decisions they do….this is just another one.
17 Oct 2012, 22:38 pm
@katman-507:
I’m not sure anyone would play golf with him either.
Hurricane will probably tell us that the PGA has stopped him over fears for his safety.
17 Oct 2012, 22:39 pm
Just a few more gems from the Bebo site, taken from four different threads, and there are dozens more like this:
PRIK
BARNES IS A WANKER!!!!!!LETS KILL HIM!!
Revolution Baby
Shut ya face he should burn in hell
Should be fukn shot
******
That Guy
omg im guna poke his eyez out cuz he most definatly dusnt no how ta use em!cof forwad pass!cof cof
amien Garrett
Waynes Barnes is such dumb *** ****.Who robed NZ big time that ref should be sent to Iraq or put in shark infeasted waters.I would watch that.If Waynes Barnes steeps foot in NZ . I would be all that surprised if DUMB *** BARNES got his ugly thick *** kicked over.Waney Barnes is very high on my list as you Wayne Barnes you can take your whisle turn it side ways and stick it up your *** you dumb ulgy **** head.
Didn’T You No Idonthaveaname
this ****** should be castrated killed and then fed to the ******* fish
Clarkie
***** letsfind this **** and then kill the ****** he needs to ******* die the stupid ***** hes under protection from all the good **** NZ in france trying to find the prick
Scream.
rip the fuckers unsides out and hang him with it, then beat him shitless witha baseball bat and send him the **** back to england and hang him again off the london bridge
17 Oct 2012, 22:41 pm
But maybe when you say some of that stuff with a Kiwi accent it sounds lighthearted and fun. Who knows.
17 Oct 2012, 22:44 pm
@gunther-509:
Is that what you think Hurricane would say.
I think Gunther again would say something childish and stupid……… oh i was right
17 Oct 2012, 22:45 pm
@katman-510:
Are we posting hate threats to Barnes and Bryce to see who has the worst one??
I don’t even need to go to facebook or bebo, i have seen alot on here
17 Oct 2012, 22:48 pm
@Hurricane-512:
Don’t start talking childish to me my little apologist.
You are the gibbon that has spent the last two days trying to tell us that South African death threats ( which you say are so numerous) are somehow more deadly than kiwi banter.
It’s not looking good for you.
17 Oct 2012, 22:51 pm
@Hurricane-513: I would never defend those low-life characters ranger,gunths and katman,but you started it and open up yourself for abuse with that barnes-brycie comparison,mate.
17 Oct 2012, 22:55 pm
@gunther-514:
hahaha
You are an impossible person to even talk too.
Show me where i said our threats were just banter?
I recall having a joke with Katman but don’t recall caling it banter.
Maybe you can refresh my memory
17 Oct 2012, 22:58 pm
faaaarking one eyed keewee t wats!
butter would not melt…………..what me? ……………….we don’t eye gouge……………we never off sides…………………..we play fair……………never pull players back ………..we inocent………………………..we would never threaten a ref if we lost……………….yeah faaaarking right!!
17 Oct 2012, 23:00 pm
@whatever-517:
and here he is….yawn.
You guys make so many comment about what us kiwis have said.
Here is one from you… We would never threaten a ref if we lost…..
Soooo where on Keo did we say that?
17 Oct 2012, 23:00 pm
@Hurricane-516: When did we share this joke? Because clearly I either didn’t get it, or you forgot to deliver the punchline.
No mate, you’ve been staging a 48 hour song and dance about how the SA Facebook page warranted the IRB (or SANZAR) to protect Bryce from the murderous thugs in sub-Saharan Africa, while Barnes just had to wait a year or two before buying the whole of NZ a round of beers and laughing the whole thing off.
But I see now this has been a joke all along. Silly me. Where is my stupid sense of humour when I need it?
17 Oct 2012, 23:02 pm
@whatever-517: Your writing style is worse than Bryce’s reffing.
17 Oct 2012, 23:02 pm
@wnbb-515: Don’t even mention my name in one of your posts. You haven’t had your rabies shot for years now. Stay away. Good boy.
17 Oct 2012, 23:03 pm
@wnbb-515:
lol
I asked a question and then accused of racism, a cheater and sending threatening e-mails to barnes…. i really do not know where its coming from.
All this is because i suggested that IRB or lets say SARU thought it better Bryce does not go to SA for safety reasons. I asked why did they allow Barnes into NZ when according to these guys our threats were worse. Seems a bit odd.
17 Oct 2012, 23:03 pm
@Hurricane-518:
hehehe……………remember what I said yesterday about fishing? It’s like taking candy from a baby dude……….
17 Oct 2012, 23:05 pm
@wnbb-520:
And you should know??? My writting style??………….p isssoff
17 Oct 2012, 23:05 pm
“It got pretty bad,” Lawrence said. “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.
There goes another myth.
Your cupboard is looking pretty bare Hurri.
17 Oct 2012, 23:06 pm
@Hurricane-522:
4 years had elapsed and most keewees had moved on……………same will happen with Brycie…………except he is a soft c ock and threw in the towel
spineless git!
17 Oct 2012, 23:07 pm
@katman-521: You are what you are….a low life,bottomfeeding pondlife scum.
17 Oct 2012, 23:07 pm
@Hurricane-522: What was the name of that Iraq war spin doctor? Ali? Comical Ali? You’re worse than him. I see what you’re doing there: “when according to these guys our threats were worse”. No mate, we never even had an opinion on whose threats were worse. YOU had the opinion, remember? YOU seemed to think Barnsie was safe as houses while Bryce was a dead man walking. Remember? Because that’s how it happened. Don’t be slithery snake now.
17 Oct 2012, 23:09 pm
I heard that Brycie, his dad and O’neil have gone into business together on the gold coast………..??
17 Oct 2012, 23:10 pm
@wnbb-527:
and we know who you are……………….f uk off doos!
17 Oct 2012, 23:10 pm
@gunther-525: By the way, here’s a link to a piece written by the guy who started the anti-Bryce Facebook page.
http://www.pharside.co.uk/rugby/bryce-lawrence-throws-in-the-towel-on-his-career-and-retires/
From there you can follow a link to the actual FB page. Read some of that, and then compare it to this stuff:
http://www.bebo.com/c/search?SearchTerm=wayne+barnes&search-profile-id=
Ja well no fine.
17 Oct 2012, 23:10 pm
sorry forgot
17 Oct 2012, 23:11 pm
@katman-528:
Don’t mention Ali, wnbb might think you’re referring to Ali G or more precisely Bruno
You don’t want him to get al hot and bothered and to start rubbing the scratch marks on his chest…
17 Oct 2012, 23:13 pm
Johannesburg – Controversial New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence will undergo a “rehabilitation” and reports that he will not referee in South Africa this year are simply not true.
SANZAR Referees boss Lyndon Bray says there is “absolutely no truth” in reports that Lawrence will not referee in South Africa this year as a counter to the backlash from his poor refereeing performance in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final where the Springboks lost against the Wallabies.
Lawrence has been the subject of much anger for his handling of the game, failing to penalise Australian indiscretions at the breakdown and allowing Wallaby flank the freedom of the park in the crucial World Cup game.
While Lawrence himself has said he fears for his safety in South Africa, after receiving threats, Bray said there was “absolutely no policy” by SANZAR that Lawrence shouldn’t ref in South Africa this year.
However, he did say that Lawrence would be rehabilitated and given the time and support he needs to get back to the top, as the fallout from the game certainly had an effect on him.
Lawrence wouldn’t therefore be given any big Super Rugby games until he gets his confidence back, and only then will he referee big games, whether they are in South Africa or not.
“It isn’t true that he (Bryce) won’t go to South Africa,” Bray said, “That may have been an interpretation but it certainly isn’t a policy and to be honest, it isn’t about whether Bryce goes to South Africa or not. It is about whether he gets back up to where he needs to be for Super Rugby.”
Bray said for this reason Lawrence would not ref the opening round Blues v Crusaders clash, even though he was named New Zealand’s referee of the year last year, an award that reignited the anger in South Africa.
“He won’t do Blues v Crusaders on day one and that is deliberate,” Bray explained, “At the moment Bryce is going to have to build himself back up to the point where we and teams have confidence in him performing in a big match situation.
“That is a fair reflection of where he is at and he will have to perform well in the early rounds to be in contention for whatever big games there are in the competition, whether they are in South Africa or not.”
Bray said Lawrence had been very “honest” in his assessment of his own performance on the day, and he respected him for that. What was important now for SANZAR is that Lawrence gets over the situation and becomes a top referee again.
“If you put it into context he has been incredibly honest about the game, and when he came off the field he probably had a different view of his performance than when he sat back in the cold light of day. We’ve all been prone to that situation and the middle of the battle you don’t recognise that things aren’t going that well,” Bray said.
“It was one of those days where he didn’t quite connect with the impact his decisions were having on the tackle area and to his credit he has been honest about it. What is considerable now is how he gets over it – that is what is really important and we will use the first part of Super Rugby to try and restore his own confidence, it is no different than you would do with any rugby player.
“He has got to get his confidence back and he has to put in some good performances and that is his challenge right now. We have been clear with him and he knows it is very important that his ongoing involvement in Super Rugby involves the major challenge of getting back up there and staying true to his performance on the field.”
South African fans might not be keen to see Lawrence again, but a dearth of top class referees means that he will be seen again reffing SA teams in the near future, with SANZAR’s backing.
Looking dumber.
17 Oct 2012, 23:14 pm
@wnbb-515:
Back in your box Poodlefucker.
17 Oct 2012, 23:17 pm
@gunther-534: Oops, there goes another Hurricane theory, like an almighty burst of Sodastream flatulence.
PPPHHHHWWWWWAAARRRRTTTTTSSSTTT… PPPHHHT
17 Oct 2012, 23:18 pm
@gunther-535:
What about calling him Picklefucker?
Have you seen Clerks?
17 Oct 2012, 23:20 pm
@wnbb-527: What is wnbb by the way? I assume it’s something from the doggy dating site you use. Maybe something to indicate your ideal partner?
woolly neutered big breed?
17 Oct 2012, 23:21 pm
@katman-536:
Corporal Katemba strikes again.
@victoriabok-537:
Look poodles are his forte.
But I’m sure he would abuse a pickle if given a chance.
17 Oct 2012, 23:27 pm
@Hurricane-522: No worries bru.We all know how they operate on this site.The repeat it as often as they can ,get a few chaps to agree with it ….and wolla it becomes fact.Katman an gunther are acting like typical loner control freaks on this website.If we had to run a profile on them ,it would look like this:
caucasian males in their mid twenties to thirties.
at least a high school education with a possibility of college or university.
iq above average
firstborn
childhood trauma
dominant mother
possibly illegitimate
showed interest in law enforcement as teeagers
expressed,as teenagers,early enthusiam for sadomasochistic pornography,voyeurism and torturing of small animals
17 Oct 2012, 23:27 pm
@gunther-534:
From the Australian this morning:
On his return to South Africa, retiring captain John Smit, normally one of the most diplomatic figures in the game, lashed Lawrence’s performance. “I suppose one of the positives is that I will never have to be reffed by Bryce Lawrence again,” Smit said.
Within days of the match, a Facebook petition to stop Lawrence refereeing another match had attracted 60,000 hits and such was the volatility of the emotion against him in South Africa SANZAR this year decided not to appoint him to matches in the republic.
hmmmm so which is it?
17 Oct 2012, 23:28 pm
@wnbb-540:
lol
True
17 Oct 2012, 23:31 pm
@Hurricane-542: Ha ha, at this stage you’d take Idi Amin on your side.
17 Oct 2012, 23:31 pm
@Hurricane-541:
I’ll take Lyndon Brays word over yours if its all the same.
The article is very clear.
And you are looking more than a little stupid.
17 Oct 2012, 23:32 pm
@wnbb-540:
See now my little doggie fiddler.
It’s not like you even know who your progenitors are.
17 Oct 2012, 23:34 pm
@katman-538:
Wiks Net Bang Brakke
Weldon N.aai Bassets en Boxers
17 Oct 2012, 23:36 pm
@gunther-544:
It is not my word. If you can read it was taken from the Australian this morning.
17 Oct 2012, 23:40 pm
@Hurricane-547:
While Lawrence himself has said he fears for his safety in South Africa, after receiving threats, Bray said there was “absolutely no policy” by SANZAR that Lawrence shouldn’t ref in South Africa this year. However, he did say that Lawrence would be rehabilitated and given the time and support he needs to get back to the top, as the fallout from the game certainly had an effect on him. Lawrence wouldn’t therefore be given any big Super Rugby games until he gets his confidence back, and only then will he referee big games, whether they are in South Africa or not. “It isn’t true that he (Bryce) won’t go to South Africa,” Bray said, “That may have been an interpretation but it certainly isn’t a policy and to be honest, it isn’t about whether Bryce goes to South Africa or not. It is about whether he gets back up to where he needs to be for Super Rugby.”
From the horses mouth.
I don’t know how I can make it any clearer for you.
You are clearly too thick to know when you’ve been done like a kipper.
17 Oct 2012, 23:41 pm
@gunther-545: the profile hit a raw nerve my pink little wonder.
17 Oct 2012, 23:42 pm
@wnbb-549:
Have you managed to find them yet?
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