Johnson: Lack of tries worry Scotland's interim head coach
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Scotland interim head coach Scott Johnson refused to blame referee Craig Joubert after losing to Wales 28-18 at Murrayfield.
The Scots defied rugby logic in conceding territory, possession and the only try of the match last time out yet still enjoying a 12-8 home win over Ireland.
That victory stirred title hopes but it was Wales who remained leaders England's closest challengers after a Murrayfield encounter dominated by referee Joubert's whistle.
The South African awarded a remarkable 28 penalties, with a Test match record 18 of those aimed at the posts.
Greig Laidlaw, who kicked all Scotland's points against Ireland was again their lone scorer, with the scrum-half landing six out of eight penalty efforts.
Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny enjoyed a 23-point return but, significantly, the visitors scored the only try of the match through hooker Richard Hibbard.
Scotland were often on the wrong end of decisions by the 2011 World Cup final referee, but Johnson didn't want to point the finger at Joubert.
"It didn't make for a great spectacle but I don't want to be a guy who talks about the referee," said the Australian.
"Wales took the most of their opportunities...but there is nothing much between those two sides. That bodes well for us because they are world-class."
Asked about the lack of tries, Johnson - promoted from within the Scotland set-up after Andy Robinson resigned as head coach following the shock loss to Tonga in November - said the team only had themselves to blame.
"It's shown you score more tries off set-piece. We're not getting set-piece to play off. It's simple mathematics," Johnson, briefly Wales' caretaker coach in 2006, explained.
"We had a scrum before half-time, five metres from the line. What happens? We finish up 60 metres back down the track. You can talk about try-scoring but that's the ending, let's talk about what's causing it.
"What we're showing is great resolve, we're defending like mad men, we're having a crack. It would be nice to have it where we could actually play a bit."
The time taken over scrums, and the number of resets, has been a major talking point within rugby union for several years now.
IRB chiefs have experimented with various 'engagement' sequences but a solution to the problem still appears elusive.
"We are struggling with the fact 'set' (the referee's final instruction before the packs engage) means 'go' and some sides are getting half-cute and they are not going at all," Johnson said.
"There's an illusion you're going early when the other mob are not going. We don't coach that but we've been caught with our pants down with that.
"What frustrates us is that we have a world-class front row. We try to scrum square. But we are getting nothing from it - and we haven't been for three weeks."
Nevertheless Scotland, who last enjoyed a Championship victory in Paris in 1999 when they also won the final Five Nations, will fancy their chances away to a France side who only managed their first point of this season's tournament in a 13-13 draw away to Ireland on Saturday.
But they are set to travel to the Stade de France for their tournament finale this coming Saturday without Richie Gray after the giant lock was taken off in the first half against Wales with a hamstring injury.
"He's in a pretty bad way," said Johnson. "He'll play again this season but it's major time away from the game."
Comments
Spartacus says...
@Ramage - you do NOT know much about Scott Johnson do you?
@jamesliveinhope - agree re IRB, but on a few occasions Joubert called set, Scotland went and Wales didnt, Scotland got penalised. He was also woeful at reffing Wales for offside (great line speed according to moronic squeaky commentator JD).
I dont mind Joubert, I have seen him have good games, but this was bad. I think if you are going to use SH refs in 6 Nations then they need to have empathy for the fact that the game is played differently from Super Rugby.
Posted 14:35 11th March 2013
foxrock says...
It isn't coincidental that when Joubert is referee the post-match focus is invariably on the refereeing - which, in itself, makes rational observers question Joubert's competence - but his isolated apologists then, again invariably, attempt to excuse his woeful refereeing by blaming players, laws, weather, movement of the planets, etc. If it always waddles and quacks perhaps it is actually a duck.
Posted 09:09 11th March 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
@spartacus - my sentiments exactly, Johnson must have said that he wasn't blaming the ref about six times in a 30 second TV interview (note not "it wasn't the ref's fault").
Personally I would echo the comments that other have made in that the penalties were correct, its up to the players not to infringe. As an aside, Clancy was heard to say in the England game that he'd had the discussion before the match and that he had no choice but to hold the "set" command for longer, which suggests that its not the refs but the IRB who are causing this nonsense.
One thing that started to happen in the second half was that England were getting shoved back a half-yard then driving the Italian scrum back. New tactics perhaps?
Posted 08:44 11th March 2013
porridge_time says...
LondonWasp says...
Agree with you there. Yes sometimes officials get things wrong, just like players, coaches and selectors.
For instance Hamilton choose to transgress with his team in front going into the break... result his team are down at half time, his fault and most certainly not that of the ref. Warburton excellent in the tackle area gets his hands on the ball legally... Scots slow to cleanout...results in penalty Wales. The Scots tactic was not to flood the breakdown, but spread across the field... this worked against Italy and you could argue Ireland as well. Wales have genuine fetch in Warburton, tactics should have been altered accordingly.
Posted 08:23 11th March 2013
Ramage says...
Amazing the coach says the ref is NOT to blame and yet there are people who wish to twist his words and say that what the coach said is code for HE WAS. Still when it comes to comments on here it is par for the course. I wonder what that dilusional poster doesnt understand about the word "NOT."
Posted 23:28 10th March 2013
suntzu says...
I didn't pick up on the moment the referee repeatedly pushed players off their feet at rucks not the time he nudged them forward into an offside position or poked the props to make sure that their bind slipped...
Some errors you should not be making at this level, maybe the referee could have done without blowing all the penalties but the level of skills on show was not of international level... sometimes I have the impression that by trying to add more force, more speed and trying to outsmart the ref modern rugby is not improving...
Posted 22:06 10th March 2013
jaycee_111 says...
The ref was far too anal he penalise where he did not need to that is what killed the game as a spectacle. He felt honour bound to free kick or penalise practically every scrum jsut as he did in the England France game. The other refs this weekend managed the scrum rest it occasionally etc he was whistle happy. In the loose he was the same the penalty against Scotland for sealing off under their posts whislt technically correct would not be given by the vast majority of refs as Scotland had clearly won the ball the contest was over by the time a Welshman got there so to give 3 points to Wales in that position was match effecting again something a ref should not do he is there to judge materiality not penalise everything he sees like a new ref who has just read the lawbook. Very poor refereeing ruined the game as a spectacle.
Posted 17:23 10th March 2013
Spartacus says...
I love it! "I'm not blaming the ref" is clearly code for "the ref was rubbish". Very clever Johnson
Posted 17:07 10th March 2013
melkdave says...
Despite everyone and his mother blaming Jourbert for a whistle happy game.Lets remember its the teams / players who give away the penalties.Both teams gave away alot of stupid needless penalties yesterday,thats just bad disapline ,and not Jourberts fault.He really was left with no option but to blow up.Also again those saying it was a poor game ,please remember that unlike S15 rugby,,rugby in the NH is usualy played on heavy pitches in the rain on cold /freezing days.Not the firm pitches or warm dry days S15 rugby is usually played in ..That makes a huge differance as anyone whos played the game knows..As to the actual teams ,both where poor in every dept except defence,and Scotland actually looked scared to run with the ball,and kicked away to much possesion.If they are going to build on this season,that needs to change,and they have to compete at the breakdown.Scotland are just to passive ,and have been slightly lucky that they have been in touch, in this and their last game.Also Scotland have to start passing the ball further than the the FH and use their centers,iirc they didnt make one pass all game to M.Scott or S.Lamount,no wonder they failed to get Hogg,Maitland and Vissier into the game ,in any worth while way.As to Wales got an edge in the scrum ,though the scots consistently going early,and then totally frustrated ,so they didnt go at all.,where solid in defence,but really lacking in attack,i can only recollect one real break by Cuthbert i think all game.Wales disapline was also poor,and gave away stupid needless penalties like Scotland,and also kicked to much,and a bit aimlessly imo.Both will have to improve for next week imo.
Posted 13:09 10th March 2013
LondonWasp says...
the ref is never to blame, only the players that gave away penalties. the scottish constantly did silly mistakes right in front of the ref, which ultimately cost them a try.
Posted 12:36 10th March 2013
les_bleus says...
I did not see the game, but apparently Joubert did his show again? If so, any sanctions? I guess not....
Posted 12:25 10th March 2013
Heathy says...
It's true, the ref was not to blame for Scotland's loss as much as he wasn't influential in Wales' win. Both sides were poor which pretty typifies both of their campaigns. The ref was dreadful for both sides and the game as a whole. He just didn't seem to get a grip with any aspect of the game. The scrums were a mess and penalties given add hock. The breakdown was not consistent and the line outs were also a bit of a lottery in places. It really wasn't what we hope to see from a World Cup Final referee. Joubert will look back on this game with embarrassment. This tournament started really well and has petered out into poor rugby. If Wales are England's closest rivals then that says a lot about the rest as Wales (by their standard) have not been good at all. They will pull out all the stops for the England game which is all very well but too little too late. England will win this Championship and possibly the Grand Slam but I don't think they have really been tested. Overall a poor tournament this year in my opinion.
Posted 11:25 10th March 2013
passtheball says...
Is it just the look or has the quality of life diminished for Craig Johnson since taking over Scotland?
Posted 11:24 10th March 2013