You won’t get any joy moaning about referees — but there is a gigantic flaw hurting world rugby
MOANING about refereeing decisions is usually a mug’s game. But when a game unfolds like the Crusaders’ two-point win over the Waratahs on Saturday night, suddenly that equation changes, writes IAIN PAYTEN.
Waratahs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Waratahs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MATCH REPORT: Waratahs suffer heartbreaking defeat
MOANING about refereeing decisions is usually a mug’s game.
When you’re talking about a couple of shonky calls in a loss to a Kiwi team, even more so.
Yes, you were legitimately dudded on a couple in the first half and they cost you territory and a later try, but when the scoreboard ends up with a 20 or 30-point loss, forget it mate.
The concept of a sliding door only extends so far, so no-one wants to hear about it.
But when a game unfolds like the Crusaders’ two-point win over the Waratahs on Saturday night, suddenly that equation changes.
Suddenly, each and every one of those dud calls can definitely have a sliding door effect.
Joe Moody’s elbow on Kurtley Beale is the most obvious example. If Moody’s foul play gets picked up, it’s not only a no-try, the big unit goes for an early shower.
And while most will acknowledge the Crusaders are a superb team, even they’d struggle to haul in 29 points to win a game with 14 men in 45 minutes.
Sliding doors don’t come any more obvious than that.
The happy Gwyneth version? The Waratahs get the job done, break the Kiwi curse and Australian rugby gets a dose of much-needed positivity.
The carping naysayers who get their rocks off kicking the game may even take a week off.
But nope, somehow Moody survived and this Super Rugby rom-com ends with unhappy, old-haircut Gwyneth.
How did everyone miss the Moody bruise?
For a fan, it was easy to not immediately spot it. And if we’re generous, maybe even for referee Ben O’Keefe in moving traffic.
Richie Mo’unga’s dummy, step and leaping jump pushed the eye wide, not short.
And with so many block runners clogging up defensive lines these days, we just don’t watch anymore. We ball watch.
But the TMO Aaron Paterson has no such excuse.
It is a gigantic flaw of international rugby that many incidents of foul play are only spotted because the host broadcaster elects to clip them up and run a timely replay. Refs and TMOs spot it, sometimes on the big screen, and call for a check.
Sky Sports NZ didn’t show a replay beyond the wide shot of Moody’s try. Paterson didn’t spot the elbow, still.
And this is maybe the takeaway from this mess.
Why did no-one bother to check why Beale was on the ground? And whether the red-shirted player ahead of the ball had obstructed?
That would seem to be a good baseline box to tick for a TMO. Man on the ground — better check that’s aboveboard.
Some questioned it being an all-Kiwi refereeing team on the job at home, and whether there should be neutral refs. That’s taking it into different territory, and unnecessarily so. Top referees aren’t biased, although it was unfair of SANZAAR to put former Crusaders player Jamie Nutbrown on as a touch judge in that game.
Give him a debut in Pretoria.
The reason people are now blowing up at the refereeing in Christchurch is because of all those sort of shonky calls that may not have counted before — but still happened. And happen all the time.
Kiwi teams are masters of manipulation. They are as brilliant at pushing a referee’s ability as they are at scoring tries, making tackles or pushing scrums.
Such is the relentless pressure, a referee may not even be aware he’s translating their upper-hand into a rub of the green on the 50-50s.
Bafflingly, many won’t call obvious infringements right in front of them.
Only a psychologist could probably tell you why, but as rival coaches in tape reviews everywhere will tell you, they all add up.
Here’s the thing: the New Zealanders are mostly so good they probably don’t need the rub of the green.
But when it gets tight, and a rival like the Waratahs needs an even break to win, that’s when it needs to be honestly addressed by refs bosses.
What of the Waratahs? To blow a 29-0 lead is a “special kind of awful”, according to one pundit who only saw the scoreline.
Perhaps it is the minority view to those who only saw an epic collapse, but this wasn’t a cover-your-eyes, bumbling loss from the Waratahs.
To score 29 unanswered points against the Crusaders, for a start, was impressive.
But there is a certain reality required for the 50 minutes thereafter. Without props in early showers, the Crusaders were always going to come back.
And with over 80 per cent territory in the middle third of the match and playing against 14 Waratahs, the defending champs were always going to score a bucketload of points, too. That’s why they’re the defending champs.
Rugby is a momentum game and the Crusaders had it all in the second half. Stats showed about 35% of the whole game was spent in NSW’s quarter.
That will lead to points. Inescapably.
If you’re a league fan, imagine playing an entire half where all you do is line drop outs and defence. You will concede.
Should the Waratahs have played better and exited better? Without question.
Their kicking was poor, at times, particularly when a man down.
Discipline was weak at times and so too, their scrum.
But when you have reserve prop Harry Johnson-Holmes playing breakaway because of an injury crisis, you’re pretty much stuffed on that front. That’s survival mode.
Bernard Foley kicked a long goal to win in the 2014 final but missed two under pressure on this night. He’ll remember them as long as the one he hit.
Some have taken to shouting from self-assembled pulpits — why won’t someone do something to fix Australian rugby?
Just quietly, there’s an argument one guy already has, and every now and then you can see the progress.
Mick Byrne came back from New Zealand two years ago and set about improving the skills of Aussie rugby, at all levels.
His programs take time and repetition, so it was always going to be a slow burn.
But if you want to have some confidence there is a corner to be turned, hopefully soon, re-watch Cameron Clark’s first try and the hands of the three forwards to make it happen.
You would not have seen it last year.
Or not from an Aussie team, anyway.
Originally published as You won’t get any joy moaning about referees — but there is a gigantic flaw hurting world rugby
Wallabies lock snubs dithering Waratahs for return to the Reds
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has opened up on Melbourne’s axing, says ‘it was just us against everyone else’ as he locks in a return to Queensland, with NSW’s coaching delay costing them their chance.
Rugby faces player rebellion as Rebels opt out of Waratahs rebuild
The Waratahs’ hopes of landing a host of Melbourne Rebels stars are in tatters as key group opt for rival clubs, with some even choosing club rugby over pulling on the NSW colours.