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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16 Oct 2012, 21:51 pm
@I am a stormer-245:
I am correct. Unless you are saying that SA is the safest place to travel then i will back down.
Anyways its not stopping me and my wife. We are looking to travel SA next year.
16 Oct 2012, 21:51 pm
it’s the whole SA entitlement thing Hurri
how such an ordinary rugby nation thinks it is the best is beyond me. they’ve beaten us 12 times in 20 years but would have won in NZ. a place they’ve won twice in the last 12 years hahahaha
16 Oct 2012, 21:51 pm
@poppa69-248: Comparing sweeping water of the pitch for a game to continue and Bryce’s blatant cheating. I rest my case!
16 Oct 2012, 21:52 pm
@poppa69-252: Ok, but why did you feel the need to cheat.
16 Oct 2012, 21:52 pm
@Horings-243: Horings, I don’t know. But the fact is the AB’s only interest is beating whoever is in front of them, there is NOTHING to suggest that the AB’s would have preferred to play Aus rather than South Africa, and PLENTY to suggest we would have prefered playing the Boks.
Who knows who the other officials were, and how they were trying to influence him. Certainly the officials from South Africa would have been putting pressure on him, they were concerned by his appointment.
Let’s be clear here. Bryce has not said that he was under pressure to make Aus win or SA lose. He was under pressure from O’Neill not to officiate the breakdown so strictly, and no doubt from the SA’s to officiate tightly given what had happend it the Ireland game. Were there other officials putting pressure on him? Only he can say, at the moment you are putting 2 and 2 together and getting 11.
16 Oct 2012, 21:54 pm
horings
what was your opinion of Barnes in 07? one forward pass was it?
hahahaha. SA dropped the ball with the tryline open on more than one occasion. as we have seen repeatedly, SAs backs cost you that game, like they did the Dunedin game this year
suck it up crybabies.
16 Oct 2012, 21:54 pm
@Horings-237:
So are you sure about that?
Have you heard Barnes say anything like that?
Have you even heard Barnes admit his crappy game….nope.
Typical Pom wont man up.
All i heard at the times was Barnes is the best ref… until he robbed you guys of a win in Ozzie a few years later…he was also in the bad ref books.
16 Oct 2012, 21:55 pm
@poppa69-252: I honestly do not think we would have won the game against NZ in the semis.
But there was a chance of losing and risk management is about minimizing the risks. You applied good risk management by knocking us out of the way.
To ask why on earth would you do it. Economically, what would have hapenned in NZ on the Monday if you were knocked out? This was after all the last chance you got to host such a big event.
16 Oct 2012, 21:57 pm
@corporal punishment-246:
That is when we still had tours. Great memories.
If Waikato want the Bok head next time we’re in NZ, they will have to bid for it.
That’s professional rugby for you.
16 Oct 2012, 21:58 pm
Hurri
seriously. fck. hope you have hired security guards and got yourself a Kevlar vest.
16 Oct 2012, 21:58 pm
@Hurricane-244:
You are a liar trying to insinuate that South African threats were any more serious than those of kiwi supporters.
Don’t try and change your tune now.
Barnsey just had more balls than that enuch kiwi.
16 Oct 2012, 22:00 pm
@Horings-258: Horings, is we were that worried about the Boks (which we weren’t, we would have preferred to play you than Aus) we would have thrown our game against France in the pool games.
No, your loss to the Aussies was a major fly in the ointment for the AB’s. Forced us to bring our A game to the semi, rather than saving it for the final.
16 Oct 2012, 22:00 pm
@poppa69-260:
Seriously **** you are an ignorant pig.
16 Oct 2012, 22:02 pm
@I am a stormer-259: Lol, you are so right! I loved that tour, and I really admired the way the Boks behaved. The only blemish was the ear biter, but to the Bok’s credit they dealt with him quickly and hard, as he had brought shame on the Bok team.
16 Oct 2012, 22:02 pm
@gunther-261:
His family were threatened. Barnseys was not.
A facebook pages with thousands upon thousands of threats were made against Bryce. IRB even knew that his life was in danger. Barnes was in NZ a few years later.
As i stated threats are threats but i am not lying when it comes down to how dirty some of you are….his family?? **** me what next, cook his rabbit in the pot.
16 Oct 2012, 22:02 pm
Bryce the cheating Kiwi…
This wretched, scum. The NZ ref of the year.
How farken disgraceful these twats gave him this award.
But not strange in a Nation that definitely regards rugby as a function of bending the laws… Manipulating them.
To most other nations this is cheating…
To Kiwis this is just playing the game
This will catch up to them… Where there once was respect there will be scorn… Worldwide.
16 Oct 2012, 22:02 pm
‘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 was bought.. simple as.. no ifs or buts about it.
2011 RWC was fixed.. even Joubert in the final was bought.. and RWC is a setup competition.. too much favoritism sentiment and who knows how much money riding on the outcome.? Not that dissimilar to SA win in at home in ’95 .. which was a huge occasion for the new rainbow nation to get a home result … similar type of sentiment riding on AB’s winning in 2011..
and SA going out the quarters .. and Joubert shutting France out in the final.. the deed was neatly done by the powers that were sitting pretty snugly pulling the strings behind the scenes.. make no bones about it.. absolutely that is how it panned out..
16 Oct 2012, 22:02 pm
@Hurricane-257: Did Paddy not congratulate him after reviewing his performance? That is one Kiwi that thought Barnes had a good game.
@corporal punishment-255: Ok, but we also knew the history of Bryce’s dad and SA rugby. Together with the fact that the head of the IRB refereeing panel was best friends with this same father. I am starting to build a multi factor model that leads to the same answer.
If this however is not true, then we can at least say it was a huge PR kock up to appoint Bryce for this game.
Interesting that Bryce does not refer to the penalty for dangerous play against the Beast in the Sharks playoff game against the Crusaders as one of the times he froze. Dangerous play before the scrum engage.
16 Oct 2012, 22:03 pm
Horings
the same could be applied to 95 couldn’t it? Benazzis disallowed try could also be seen as risk management ? or to 07 also with France?
16 Oct 2012, 22:04 pm
@Hurricane-251:
Nothing wrong with travelling in SA. Don’t let people put you off. But take care when travelling in any country. And I come and go in one of the so-called dangerous cities in the world. And, Soweto was a blast 2 weeks ago!
16 Oct 2012, 22:04 pm
The best thing I can think of for Brycie the pakeha piglet is to shove a stake from mouth to ar.sehole
And turn the farker over a slowly burning fire…
Cannibal Holocaust mofo.
16 Oct 2012, 22:05 pm
@Heavens Game-266: get off your high kiwi hatred soap box already.. you think by trying to bring them down you build yourself up.?. it don’t work that way… mud in your eye.. so who you going to impress with all that anti Kiwi antichrist antithesis .. the mayor of kingdom come?. you just as debauched as anyone else.. if not worse.
16 Oct 2012, 22:06 pm
@poppa69-260:
you’re such a big girl!
16 Oct 2012, 22:07 pm
Gunther.
just concerned for Hurri’s safety.
I thought Kevlar vests were standard issue when going through customs?
16 Oct 2012, 22:10 pm
@ahasaid theclown-272: Farkoff you self righteous imbecile… Go farken gurgle somewhere else if you dont want to land up with a bloggingPK…
I dont hate Kiwi’s… I just scorn most of their farken absurd rugby fans.
16 Oct 2012, 22:11 pm
@ahasaid theclown-267: @ahasaid theclown-267: Actually, I felt Joubert was under pressure to have the French win, to secure a first win for them and to secure a second WC for a Northern Hemishphere team.
Thankfully, despite failing to blow up France’s cheating at the breakdown, their dirty play (eye gouging by Rougerie etc) and the constant offside play, he baulked at overly penalising the AB’s in the second half and the fair result was arrived at.
You Saffa’s need to understand that the IRB is dominated by the NH unions, and they don’t like the dominance that the SH team enjoy at the WC and over rugby generally. They particularly don’t like the dominance the All Blacks have over them, and they would have rejoiced if the AB’s had been reffed out of the game in the final.
16 Oct 2012, 22:13 pm
@poppa69-274:
> I thought Kevlar vests were standard issue
Bring your own, make sure it’s got ceramic plate inserts
AK rounds whistle through kevlar (only) clad Kiwi’s
Get some stain resistant underwear too, if you plan to drive in SA
Colour coordinate it to match your socks and sandals
16 Oct 2012, 22:13 pm
@corporal punishment-276: Their dislike of the AB’s is followed closely by their dislike of the Boks. The Aussies they tolerate, partly cos the likes of John O’Neill manages them well, but also because the NH teams beat the Aussies fairly regularly (tho not so much at World Cups).
16 Oct 2012, 22:14 pm
@corporal punishment-276: This post is evidence you have got no idea what you are talking about…
Naive or stupid…
Probably both…
“despite failing to blow up France’s cheating at the breakdown”… Joubert?
Craigie, handed your godforsaken team the Rigged World Cup on a platter…
If you weren’t so obvious I would laugh… But you’re not, dunce.
16 Oct 2012, 22:14 pm
@ahasaid theclown-272: Well said Skop.
16 Oct 2012, 22:14 pm
@poppa69-274:
Why don’t you ask the millions of people who visit this country.
You ignorant bonehead.
16 Oct 2012, 22:16 pm
@poppa69-274: And what do we need to do to get through NZ customes? Sing a verse from the Australian anthem to show the needed respect to your ruler.
16 Oct 2012, 22:16 pm
@victoriabok-277: Howzit VB… Fark me you were on form last night….
Haven’t chuckled like that since Skop last wet his pants proper…
16 Oct 2012, 22:17 pm
@corporal punishment-280: Keep licking… Crusty Caprivi ars.ehole taste nice?
16 Oct 2012, 22:18 pm
@Heavens Game-279: Sorry, but I do know what I am talking about and you obviously don’t. The French only managed to stay in that game due to constant infringing at at the breakdown and through offside defending. Joubert was too weak to blow it up, was this due to pressure of the occassion or due to pressure from senior IRB officials? One way or the other, he kept the French in the match and this gave them a chance in the second half.
If Joubert had reffed the game correctly, the All Blacks would have been out of touch by half time.
16 Oct 2012, 22:19 pm
@Heavens Game-283:
Good and you?
I’ve got a few more left…;-)
16 Oct 2012, 22:20 pm
@Heavens Game-275: come try your luck fckface .. whats all this kiwi scum bravado business doing the rounds here.. the majority of them don’t send that kind of garbage self righteous tirade toward you.. they treat you like proper human kind.. and you go on a fckng kiwi antichrist rampage with your mind bent inside out upside down.. moron.
@corporal punishment-276: you gotta be kidding yourself.. even the neutral rugby commentators in TV studios around the world were aghast at the numerous fckups that Joubert made inside AB’s strike zone with penalties begging to get punished in that last 20 minutes, and Joubert turned a blind eye for either the sake of somebody’s poor over awed sentiment or otherwise for a whole lotta cash riding on it.. but more likely that AB’s simply would never have lived that one down if France had taken that game.. that situation was simply too big for Joubert to handle .. he was not going to be the one that sent AB’s out the WC without the crown.. that was simply too big a disaster to come crashing down around his mortal head.. so he didn’t allow it .. he turned a blind eye and kept France out as best he could.. which they managed to avert the cataclysm that would have erupted had AB’s lost.
16 Oct 2012, 22:20 pm
@Heavens Game-284: Jealousy much?
16 Oct 2012, 22:21 pm
@corporal punishment-285: “Joubert was too weak to blow it up, was this due to pressure of the occassion or due to pressure from senior IRB officials?” Speculation about Joubert’s officiating and speculation on Barnes refereeing. Do we need to speculate whether Bryce, son of Keith friend of Paddy, blew it. No, he admitted it.
16 Oct 2012, 22:21 pm
@I am a stormer-270:
Yeah Stormer , i will be studying on where we will go in SA.
Undertstand all countries have there bad streets and areas.
It was funny, i wanted to go to Egypt at first. Wife said that the way things are over in the middle east that we should not go. I said then lets go SA, she said that she was worried for my safety over there…..lol. I asked why, she said cos i am Maori.
I said if the All Blacks can go so can we.
16 Oct 2012, 22:22 pm
@corporal punishment-285: Sorry, but you don’t…
No idea whatsoever… Nothing as ignorant as an AB fanboy spouting forth about the rugby world outside of a Haka or a Kapo…
I am convinced a lot of you fools don’t even like the game itself… Just AB’s, mascara and challenges… Farkall else.
Dunce.
Craigie handed it to you on a platter… Farken Paddy’s little bottom.
16 Oct 2012, 22:22 pm
@poppa69-274:
I saw a few AB supporters at Soccer City last weekend. Not the Mitchells Plain variety, you understand.
And they all survived to tell the tale.
The only blood noses were on the Mitchells plain variety. Which is fair enough.
16 Oct 2012, 22:24 pm
@Heavens Game-284: what are you some kind of over grown delinquent .. when were you born… 1992?
16 Oct 2012, 22:25 pm
@Hurricane-290:
No worries, they’ll ask you to do the Haka at customs to prove you’re real Kiwis, lot’s of fake passports and Capesaders doing the rounds
Then you’ll have to sign a letter of restraint promising not to eat the locals
16 Oct 2012, 22:26 pm
@ahasaid theclown-287: Now you acting like a hypocrite wrapped up in a bad magic mushroom ego trip… How dare you even think of passing judgement on me…
16 Oct 2012, 22:26 pm
@I am a stormer-292: they must have had a great security firm…
16 Oct 2012, 22:27 pm
@gunther-281: millions visit but only thousands leave I bet
16 Oct 2012, 22:28 pm
@Horings-282: why dont you ask the many Sethfricans who now call NZ home… any coincidence our countrys crime stats have gone up exponentially in direct correlation to the number of Saffas living there?
strange coincidence perhaps?
16 Oct 2012, 22:29 pm
@Heavens Game-266:
Us fans did not give Bryce the award. NZRU did.
You will find alot of Kiwis are agreeing with you about Bryce wrecking what could have been a good game.
But you are intent on thinking all Kiwis are scum and bent , no hope in you at all.
16 Oct 2012, 22:29 pm
@ahasaid theclown-287: Skop, you’ve got to look at the ref’s perfomance over the whole 80 minutes, not just the last 20. The AB’s simply just adapted to his interpretations, which had seen the French get away with murder to stay in the game for the first 60.
You are also exaggerating, because Joubert did award the French a kickable penalty with about 15 minutes to go, which would have put them in front and which could well have won the game for them. If Joubert had been frozen or determined to rig the outcome, why would he have done that?
I’ve watched the game about 10 times, and analysed the infringements by both sides, and in my opinion (and I accept this is only opinion given the difficulty of interpretation and application of rugby’s laws) I think Joubert’s reffing strongly favoured the French for the first 50 or so minutes, and favoured the Ab’s over the last 20. Overall, favoured the French.
Anyway, even if we did get something of a lucky packet, we were cheated out of the WC by the French in 1999 and 2007 so this would only be Karma.
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