Lawrence: Wary of South Africa
Under fire New Zealand-born referee Bryce Lawrence says he won't officiate in South Africa if he fears for his safety.
This comes after his performance at last month's World Cup quarter-final between the Springboks and Australia.
Lawrence's control of the October 9 quarter-final, won 11-9 by Australia to end South Africa' reign as world champions, was strongly criticised by Springbok players, coaching staff and fans.
Retiring Springbok captain John Smit said "the one positive (of retirement) is that I won't ever have to be reffed by him again" and a South African fan began a Facebook campaign entitled "Petition To Stop Bryce Lawrence Ever Reffing A Rugby Game Again."
Lawrence said in a radio interview on Wednesday he would not referee in South Africa "if there's any personal threat or I have concerns about my safety".
Comments
Dingbat32 says...
Ruckingkiwi,
Remind me, what are you looking for evidence of? Is it
a) that QC receives heaps of abuse from NZ fans
b) that Wayne Barnes has received heaps of abuse from NZ fans
c) NZ people lack self-deprecation
a and b can easily be proven through a simple google search, and from having watched games.
c is subjective admittedly, but based upon personal experience. Sean Fitzpatrick is the only kiwi that seems to have mastered it.
Posted 18:58 08th February 2012
Dingbat32 says...
RuckingKiwi
You dont even realise that your own comments prove the lack of self deprecation.
And please stop about QC - you know what I am talking about.
Posted 23:41 10th December 2011
Dingbat32 says...
@RuckingKiwi, maybe change your name to @ArseneWenger. You have never seen or heard Wayne Barnes abuse, and the treatment of QC is merely "a little Aussie baiting". My comments on NZ and lack of self deprecation stand.
Posted 20:47 26th November 2011
Dingbat32 says...
@ruckingkiwi
"I didn't witness anything untoward regarding that quarter final defeat" reference Wayne Barnes.
As for your question, what are you suggesting? All other teams should just stop and bow to NZ? No, other teams now have World Champions to beat. As for whingeing, NZ have been doing it for 24 years, and conspiracy theories -see Suzie. Nice try, but it seems that despite all their rugby trumphs, NZ has still to learn of self-deprecation.
Posted 21:33 23rd November 2011
isthatrightref says...
@ Dingbat32 says... I strongly suspect that you're trawling (again) but, you got me!
Not too many kiwis believed the AB could win in '91 unless Australia could somehow be avoided. In the end, of course, they couldn't be & proceeded to kick our too-old butts out of the comp. So, no excuse for that one.
In '99 there were 2 very different schools of thought. One held that the traumas of 5 straight losses in '98; the consequent debate over John Hart's fitness to carry on as coach; and the captaincy debacle of early '99 were too much for any side to put behind them. The other camp felt that hammering France & winning the 3N proved that those things were history & all was good, a 21-point hiding from Aus not to the contrary.
So what happened v France at Twickers? France chose the perfect target for their "special" treatment: any other player and there would have been swift retribution & a closing of ranks in traditional AB fashion, but they went after Taine & the Brooke-for-captain faction did nowt (I still remember one of them later mumbling something about not getting paid if he got suspended). From that moment on France were all over us & we had no show.
Who to blame? Probably not so much Brooke who was, it seems, given the captaincy before someone decided that, no, Taine was still captain after all... that's the person many, perhaps most, AB fans held responsible & many of them felt that the bloke's name had to be Hart - hence the disgraceful treatment he & his family received on his return home. Whether it was a case of Hart wanting Brooke & getting over-ruled or the board wanting Brooke & Hart threatening to quit, who knows? I've heard both versions & still don't know which to believe. So, not so much an excuse - France were on fire that day - as an explaination?
Posted 09:19 23rd November 2011
Dingbat32 says...
@Ruckingkiwi
lol. Wayne Barnes reference seems clear to me but never mind.
can you fill a gap in at my knowledge please? What are the official excuses for 1991 and 1999? Is it Whetton and Spencer are secret Australians (like QC)?
Posted 20:47 21st November 2011
Dingbat32 says...
RuckingKiwi,
SA beat NZ in 3N this year? If they can beat them once, they can beat them twice. That is how knock out rugby works, and it is exciting becuase formbook goes out of the window.
As for denying the Wayne Barnes abuse, next you will be telling me that Lawrie Mains isnt still banging on about "Suzie"?
Posted 14:04 21st November 2011
Bron62 says...
I cannot defend the performance by Lawrence but I am stunned at the public comments of SA Referee boss Andre Watson. His reported comments that Lawrence would never referee a world cup again would attract disciplinary action if they were made by a coach or active player. This guy is a serving rugby official. Every coach in the world should demand why action has not been taken against Watson.
Posted 19:48 20th November 2011
nefari says...
He shouldn't be officiating even a club game anywhere much less superrugby
Posted 15:27 20th November 2011
isthatrightref says...
@ Trinats... who ref'd the 2011 S15 Final and did he do a good job?
Posted 06:37 20th November 2011
isthatrightref says...
@ Trinats... Wobblies are 9 from 14 (64%) v SA over last 5 years, last defeat in 2008, so htf could they have "been on the recieving end of him for years and mostly againt [SA]"?
It's a fact that Barnes gave 0 penalties v France in 2nd half at Cardiff. Many, like me, are of the opinion that he was therefore inept; others that he was biased. Both opinions are supported by the initial fact. Geddit?
Posted 23:36 19th November 2011
athenrylad says...
In July 2009, as a Lions supporter in Durban, I found Bryce Lawrence very frustrating because of the huge amount of penalties conceded in the front row, when the "Beast" at loosehead was lifting P.Vickery.
So if SA fans are annoyed, they have short memories. What goes around, comes around.
Posted 20:39 18th November 2011
KiwiLad says...
Scavenger, PR do not need to make Bok supporters look bad, A Few do a good enough Job on their own. Perhaps all of the refs at Eden Park have had it in for the Boks, since 1937?
Trinats, I have an Aussie mate living down the road, and during the RWC we discussed at great length the Aussie bashing/hatred stirred up by the media here.
Sadly there is a large percentile of Kiwis. that carry a hatred/intense dislike for our Aussie neighbours, but we are not all guilty. It is actually quite sad.
Posted 19:51 18th November 2011
sshkboy says...
BVD...irrespective of what calls have or have not been made, can you honestly say that your team would have gone on to win the RWC even though your lot have failed to score ONE try in the last 240 minutes of rugby against the tri nations teams.....nothing short of embarassing and pathetic (very similar to your posts)
Posted 17:07 18th November 2011
Dingbat32 says...
RuckingKiwi,
Interesting response. It seems maybe NZ'ers are behaving better than their expats?
Do you mean "turn it on" as in run the ball? That does not win the World Cup, but the pity is that SA were showing signs of turning it on in this tournament. Hougaard was surely one of the most exciting players at the World Cup? Hopefully SA's next coach will unleash their backs a bit more.
Posted 21:38 17th November 2011
Golden_statenba says...
That's a great attitude to take BVD
Intimidation threats himmmm
Makes you think
Maybe if you put your energy into ideas to help you team play better then you might make a good coach but putting the blame one others will always leave you blind to what the real problem is.
Posted 16:15 17th November 2011
BokVanDam says...
Bingin and all you antipodean clowns revelling in your Bryce Lawrence mateship. Every time Australia's props popped out of the scrum Lawrence ignored it, every time David Pockock played the ball on the ground or had his hands in the ruck, Lawrence ignored it. Every time an Aussie player flew into a ruck from the side or high tackled a Bok player, Lawrence ignored it. Every time SA broke the Aussie line Lawrence suddenly discovered his whistle and penalised us. No wonder you guys are supporting the ref. Even Phil Cairns said during the commentary, what a good New Zealander he is while Lawrence was reffing...little wonder you clowns support him. I hope he does visit SA. We'll give him the welcome he deserves
Posted 12:43 17th November 2011
bingin says...
South Africa had 70% possession, 80% territory and couldn't score a try. Their lineout ruled and got something like 6 or 7 turnovers. Every time Australia had the ball they dropped it or kicked it back. And still SA could not score.
No wonder the coaches and players blame the ref.
Posted 11:53 17th November 2011
GoWalesGo says...
If i was a player who had to listen to his whiney voice i'd feel like punching him in the face
Posted 11:09 17th November 2011
Golden_statenba says...
Agree with Trinats
NZ Aussie banter is all good it's part of the big brother little brother relationship between the two countries that as far as I know only relates to sport. I have many good friends from Australia but spitting? That's an embarrassment.
I hope that rugby does not take on the football mentality.
Posted 11:07 17th November 2011