Bryce Lawrence: Highly unlikely to referee a Test again
Controversial New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence's Test career appears to be a thing of the past.
That is the word from SANZAR referees boss Lyndon Bray, who revealed that Lawrence would not be officiating at Test level in the forseeable future.
"From an IRB perspective he has not been selected in the test," Bray told South Africa's Eyewitness News.
"There's a decision that we as selectors in the IRB made back in March. His time is over at that level."
Lawrence was heavily criticised in South Africa for his officiating during the Springboks' World Cup quarter-final loss to the Wallabies.
He has refereed Super Rugby matches this year, but refuses to travel to South Africa allegedly due fears for his safety following numerous threats from the country's supporters.
Bray said because Lawrence would not travel to South Africa it is highly unlikely that he would referee a Test again.
"At this stage he is clearly not on the team," he explained.
"His challenge would be, if it's possible, to find his way back again.
"And I think given the reality and what he's gone through and the situation he's in at the moment that would be a huge ask," added Bray.
Comments
ruckingkiwi says...
To be fair the state of refereeing in NZ is disgraceful, I believe we don't even have a referee on the top international panel this year? Bryce getting the award lasy year was just the best of a bad bunch.
True he should probably have gone to SA this year, much as Wayne Barnes did when he came to referee in the NPC in 2008. No problems. A couple keyboard eggs (100,000+ in South Africas case) are simply that, eggs. But anyway, whether Bryce went to Africa or not isn't the point. It's the childish overreaction of fans which probably makes this one of the biggest sporting disgraces in recent memory.
Credit to Bray, a Kiwi, for manning up and firing a poor performer, if the South African coaching staff had the same balls and had fired Smit and co, and probably themselves, none of this would be an issue.
FYI, Darthbok and co.. All the Kiwis I know would have preferred to have played South Africa in that semi, they had won 3 of their last 10 3N matches, had a tired old squad with a tired old game plan and coached by an idiot. If there was a conspiracy then Bryce got the wrong memo.
Posted 01:35 27th July 2012
Internationalxv says...
To be fair RSA coughed and spluttered their way through international rugby in the preceding years. Never looked likely to make it out of the RWC quarters and were considered a high risk of not making it out of there pool for the tournament.
Lawrence did not cost RSA the semi. We lost it on competence and...potentially internal selection politics. That?s what hurts and we need to own up to the reality
Posted 00:24 27th July 2012
missionary says...
@ Stellenbosched2 Agree with you about Lawrence not coming to SA after the RWC. I think that is exactly what he should have done asap. Wayned Barnes did after '87 and didn't really cop any flak at all. I was at one of the games he reffed afterwards and things were pretty gentile.
Lawrence has always been an awful ref. Here in NZ, most pundits would agree. He doesn't have a feel for the game and makes some truly horrendous decisions at times - and continues to do so. Some of us have always felt there was a bit of nepotism involved. His old man is/was high up in NZ and SANZAR reffing world and maybe Bryce got a bit of an armchair ride so to speak. His old man was a crap ref as well.
However, the borax thrown his way has been pretty average to say the least. But that is not new. It happens in all sports sadly. Who'd be a ref?
Posted 23:10 26th July 2012
rakavi187 says...
@darthbok...
it's even stevens from my point of view. You had Suzie, French had Wayne Barnes, Australia had Bryce.......
karma is definitely a b!tch, aint it??
Posted 22:17 26th July 2012
Stellenbosched2 says...
My take-
1) What we say on rugby blogs has no bearing on decisions made in rugby. B Lawrence has been found wanting by those in charge of rugby refereeing.
2) The worst thing B Lawrence could have done is not come to SA after the RWC. Why I say this is because it looks as though he is guilty as charged. I remember many years ago how Aussie umpire Darrell Hair was public enemy no.1 in SA. He complained about the death threats he was receiving from upset South Africans via his home phone etc. To his credit he got on a flight a while later and came and officiated a number of times in SA. Nothing happened to him at all. He was forgiven and everyone moved on. You see he had guts(if nothing else).
3) The type of person who telephones a ref at home and threatens him with his life is a coward. Cowards never follow through with their threats, unless there are 40 of them to the one victim. Highly unlikely in this case.
4) I am trying to work out why B Lawrence, who had a pathetic RWC as far as I am concerned, having to apologise on more than one occasion for poor refereeing, was awarded the NZ ref of the year title last year.
5) Fans in NZ and SA will probably always be the worlds most pathetic losers, because both sets of supporters enter all tournaments expecting their team to be crowned champs. When this doesn't happen the fans turn on a victim to try and ease the pain of unmet expectations. That victim is the ref 9/10 times. The modern medias way of looking for an 'angle' to every story sure as hell doesn't help the situation.
Posted 19:59 26th July 2012
Ramage says...
darthbok you are a lowlife to suggest that the award should be posthumous is exactly what I am complaining about. You just dont see it and your moronic posts are helping to downgrade the game of rugby with evil people having the right to threaten to kill referees they do not like including your own moronic suggestion. For God sake lighten up its a game not some war as you suggest. Your suggestion about posthumous awards is downright despicable and I would like to see how you would explain your views to the Lawrence family.
Posted 16:47 26th July 2012
philipjfry says...
He always came across as neurotic and impulsive, not a good combination. I won't miss him, but I don't think he was responsible for the Springboks loss in the World Cup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KPP0k1GQVM - fast forward to 00.40.
Posted 15:11 26th July 2012
darthbok says...
ramage et al ---
but this is war !-- brice ended his career by falling on his whistle -- new zealand should salute a proud warrior for giving his career up for the all blacks --and Ive looked it up-- the highest award for this sort of thing is the `victoria cross of new zealand ` --
I hereby nominate bryce for this award - only wish it was posthumous-- not post-humorous!
Posted 15:04 26th July 2012
NHsaints says...
@leebok I believe terry was calling the boks the better team on the night (as I would have) but as he pointed out so aptly the boks wasted faaaar too many chances.
Anywho, SA's reaction to his bad day reffing was atrocious, threats should be treated with 0 tolerance by the IRB as the people which make such threats are not just a disgrace to our sport but are also common criminals!
Posted 14:50 26th July 2012
Trinats2 says...
darthbok:
Maybe you should have a cup of tea with suzie !!! and move on. Saffas for the first time had the wrong rub of the green, as an Aussie we cop it on a regular basis.
Posted 14:09 26th July 2012
bliksem says...
To be fair, Bryce's performances have been atrocious from the RWC quarter final onwards. He's had numerous shockers during the S15, so purely blaming his 'retirement' on the fact that he doesn't feel safe to officiate in SA is crap. Maybe he should look in the mirror and realise he's no longer good enough to be a test or S15 level referee and that's why his test career is over.
Posted 13:52 26th July 2012
Ramage says...
It says much that bigots can have so much influence. I do not accept that a referee can have his career terminated because of death threats by such bigots. I do not expect him to get away without any criticism when it is felt he has had a poor game but to have his life threatened making it impossible for him to referee in South Africa is the pits. To the darthboks, leeboks and georgesmith's of this world you and your ilk stand condemned. You just don't accept that the your own Bok team also contributed to their own downfall by their own inept play in the game. that caused so many of the lowlife of rugby fans in South Africa to crawl out and make death threats. I refer you all to the sane post made by one of your countrymen Zachris who has hit the nail on the head with what he has said. The result of this opens the door for any nation now who is upset with the display of a referee to make thse death threats in such numbers as to make it impossible for the referee to continue. This is now the second International referee who has had their International career terminated by those violent fans who seem to have so much to say both by running on to the field and assaulting referees and now heaving so many death threats at a referee her fears for his safety. This is indeed a sad day for rugby and I ask people like the darthboks and leeboks to regain control of the proud Soiuth African rugby culture and not pander to these bigots by making the smart comments you have posted. This has now opened a new low in International Rugby and is indeed a sad day for rugby.
Interesting darthbok that your attempt to score points the medals you refers to only apply to war. The Victoria Cross is the highest war medal a NZ armed forces member can gain and the George Cross the highest war medal a civilian can earn. Quite inappropriate but it does explain your own warped mentality.
Posted 13:35 26th July 2012
startledwombat says...
@ ZAChris
thank you for saying that, very well said.
Posted 13:25 26th July 2012
Trinats2 says...
Another Saffa retires !
Posted 11:30 26th July 2012
ZAChris says...
As a Bok fan and mindfull of the fact that his inept reffing on the day most likely cost us a semi final berth however this day brings me no joy at all and I think it is sad for rugby and for South Africa.As already mentioned in previous posts - yes a referee will have good and bad days - clearly Lawrence had a bad day - but I am horrified by the threats he recieved from mindless South Africans and am not in any way happy that it has come to this. Everyone deserves a chance at redemption and the fact that this man is scared to come to South Africa in response to the threats he has recieved and this has put paid to his carreer is not something I celebrate in the least. Something dies inside when we are unable to respond to misfortunate events with dignity and grace . Sport is the loser.
Posted 11:29 26th July 2012
georgesmith says...
All bad referees who make mistakes like B.Lawrence should get the same treatment. zero tolerance for poor performance of referees.
Posted 11:28 26th July 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
"Justice for Bryce"
Posted 11:25 26th July 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Didn't hear many complaints about our good friend Bryce during the Lions series.
Posted 11:07 26th July 2012
PTplayer says...
@ leebok, darthbok,
I am sorry to say this but your comments represent everything that is wrong with rugby today. Get over it!
Posted 09:13 26th July 2012
startledwombat says...
@darthbok
I've done some research on awards, gifts and gratuities to rugby referees. Unfortunately almost every reference led me back to Louis Luyt.
Can you drop him a line please? I think he's just up the road from you. There may be a gold watch in it.
Posted 09:07 26th July 2012