Ex-Irish ref boss: Australia and New Zealand’s officiating ‘virus’ cannot be ‘allowed to spread’
Siya Kolisi talks with referee Angus Gardner and an inset of Karl Dickson.
Former head coach of Irish referee Owen Boyle has slammed the split in how the game is officiated between the two hemispheres.
He believes that Australia and New Zealand officials have a laissez-faire policy when refereeing matches and that cannot be allowed to spread.
The ex-international referee claims that Super Rugby Pacific officials favour the team in possession and it is becoming increasingly more difficult for the defences to get the ball back.
Boyle argues that the union is built on the contests for possession, but the hands-off policy of Australian and New Zealand referees is more akin to rugby league.
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry referee contrast
He came to this conclusion in his review of the referees during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series with Angus Gardner producing a contrasting reading of the laws compared to Nika Amashukeli and Karl Dickson.
“The South Africa v New Zealand series also demonstrated an unwelcome, unacceptable split in how the game is refereed,” Doyle wrote in the Irish Times
“Contests for possession are the unique identity of rugby union, its essential heartbeat. However, Super Rugby Pacific refereeing favours the team in possession to such an extent that it is becoming increasingly difficult to get the ball back.
“Teams must be allowed opportunities to contest for the ball, to regain possession. These are crucial contests, which do not exist in rugby league, where a team must hand it over to their opponents after six tackles, so that the others can “have a go”, so to speak. Is that really what World Rugby wants? Because that’s where it’s heading.
“A core principle of union is being left behind, forgotten: that continuity of play is not, repeat not, continuity of possession. And, unsurprisingly, lineout illegalities continue unabated. Teams flout the law, unhindered by fear of a sanction.”
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Removing the contest for possession
He pointed to Jesse Kriel’s try in the second Test against the All Blacks when Gardner as his ‘case in point.’
“Angus Gardner is not alone in meticulously setting up the lineout, and then ignoring the law completely – it’s an absurd farce,” Doyle wrote.
“Siya Kolisi took up position as receiver, so we knew what was coming. As the ball was thrown, several team-mates immediately left the lineout, which is expressly forbidden. They joined Kolisi to set up a powerful maul, which travelled about 20 metres before the outstanding Jasper Wiese broke off.
“When Wiese was tackled a team-mate straddled on all fours over him, protecting possession. This straddling is not as blatant as a player throwing himself on top of the ball carrier, but is just as effective in preventing a fair contest. There was much the same at the next tackle as South Africa recycled the ball, before Jesse Kriel scored. And, to add insult to injury, there was a South African block on a New Zealand defender.”
He added that the second try, scored by Damian de Allende, followed a similar theme. Doyle also took issue with the All Blacks’ lineout tactics with Dave Rennie’s side routinely throwing to the front of the lineout to ‘avoid a contest’.
“It’s hardly a throw-in, more of a pass, really. In a fully formed lineout it is beyond belief to see how it can be construed as a legitimate, contestable throw. But, heck, who gives a damn?” he continued.
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Doyle also criticised the contrast in the way the scrums were officiated. Gardner reset the set-piece several times during the second Test match while Amashukeli and Dickson adopted sanction based approaches in the third and fourth.
The Irishman added that the Springboks adapted their approach to the breakdown for the match in Soweto with Amashukeli’s reputation for being hot on sealing off preceding him.
“South Africa’s breakdown behaviour was markedly different under his watch, much more compliant in staying upright.”
The virus
He then took aim at the Super Rugby Pacific referees in a scathing manner.
“The laissez-faire policy is widespread down under, a virus which cannot be allowed to spread, despite what Australia and New Zealand might wish. These two unions hold immensely powerful World Rugby positions in chairman Brett Robinson and Mark Robinson (no relation) in a newly created chief-of-rugby role,” he raged.
“Is there any chance that they will work to deliver a game which is played in accordance with its laws and charter?
“Despite the chairman’s reassuring words earlier this year, I remain concerned at what will be proposed after the fast-approaching World Cup. There is every possibility of a boardroom battle royal on the way. The northern hemisphere unions, and South Africa, will not roll over in placid acceptance.”
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