Hansen seeks rugby referee review

[The InnFORCEr]

Daniel Gilhooly
November 10, 2014, 6:24 am


All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says the concept of being able to challenge a Test referee has stalled in the offices of the International Rugby Board.

Hansen voiced the benefits of introducing such a system after several contentious decisions were made during New Zealand's 24-21 win over England at Twickenham.

The methodology would be similar to that used in cricket and tennis, whereby the coach or captain of a side could contest a decision and would lose the chance of another challenge if they got it wrong.

That scenario would be preferable to what Hansen describes as a blight on the modern Test game - the constant replays on big screens which are prompting referees to review decisions.

He says home country television producers are repeating incidents that favour their side.

At Twickenham, Welsh referee Nigel Owens revisited at least two incidents after the 82,000-strong crowd was whipped into a frenzy by the replays.

Hansen told NZ Newswire on Sunday that he and other leading lights in New Zealand had collaborated three years ago to devise a challenge system that was more in keeping with the spirit of rugby.

"I think it would be a great idea ... but the wheel's turned slowly," he said.

"I don't know where it is at this stage, it's with the IRB."

Hansen nominated the apparent forward pass which led to France's try when they beat the All Blacks in the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final as a prime example of what could be achieved.

"That's a clear and obvious case for the coach to say: `I want to challenge that try'.

"There's been too many occasions that have been missed."

Hansen doesn't believe it would slow the game significantly and believes in big Tests it is better to get a key decision right rather than rush it.

He wants a challenge law introduced next year, but can't see it happening.

"They (IRB) don't seem to want to bring anything in until after World Cups, which is a shame."

Meanwhile, experienced All Blacks loose forwards Richie McCaw and Kieran Read both backed their coach in voicing dismay at the apparent sway being held by Test broadcasters.

Captain McCaw says their loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg last month only came when English referee Wayne Barnes was alerted by replays to an All Blacks offence in the final minute.

"You just hope the guy in the middle isn't being influenced by the crowd noise," he said.

Read says it is obvious that the broadcasters are favouring one side only.

"There's only one reason why they put the replay up on the big screen I guess - is to make sure the ref sees it."

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...eferee-review/



I wonder why Steve didn't have these concerns earlier in the year when the Kiwi television producers did exactly the same thing.........that's right, where is the RWC next year?

[Tazzmania]

Interestingly enough in his book "Call it like it is". Jonathan Kaplan who is right up there with some of the best whistle blowers over the past decade or two advocates a similar referral system. He mentions only one challenge per match per team to make sure it is used wisely.

[palitu]

for example, the player who was on the ground in an offside position tackling our player, which 30s later was a try to Wales?

[UNCLE BOOG]

for example, the player who was on the ground in an offside position tackling our player, which 30s later was a try to Wales?

Exxxxxactly.

[jargan83]

Have to say I don't like the on field referee watching the big screen to make his mind up, If a replay is needed to make a decision delegate it to the TMO.

Palitu's suggested example make more sense than Hanson's. Yes sometimes you can see a blatent forward pass on TV but the camera angle can also make passes look worse then what they are in some instances.

[GIGS20]

I just wonder if anybody has a link to any statement by Steve Hansen which doesn't make him look like a petulant whinger?

[palitu]

Have to say I don't like the on field referee watching the big screen to make his mind up, If a replay is needed to make a decision delegate it to the TMO.

Palitu's suggested example make more sense than Hanson's. Yes sometimes you can see a blatent forward pass on TV but the camera angle can also make passes look worse then what they are in some instances.

and also running things in slo-mo really changes how bad things look.

[chibi]

They're both at fault here, unfortunately Hansen's reputation as a smarmy whinger is counting against him, but it's true, Twickenham has a rather unfortunate sense of self-entitled superiority and partisan parochialism about it, they were definitely pushing an agenda. To be honest, I found the place unpleasant. I used to think the stories you hear from English RL fans and soccer fans about clichéd English rugby fans were just that- a cliché. Unfortunately, when I went there, there was plenty of them around, all drinking from the "Stephen Jones rugby column" kool-aid.

So yeah, I think they were most definitely pushing an agenda.

[jono]

They're both at fault here, unfortunately Hansen's reputation as a smarmy whinger is counting against him, but it's true, Twickenham has a rather unfortunate sense of self-entitled superiority and partisan parochialism about it, they were definitely pushing an agenda. To be honest, I found the place unpleasant. I used to think the stories you hear from English RL fans and soccer fans about clichéd English rugby fans were just that- a cliché. Unfortunately, when I went there, there was plenty of them around, all drinking from the "Stephen Jones rugby column" kool-aid.

So yeah, I think they were most definitely pushing an agenda.

sounds like hansen should coach the poms...
they'd be suited to each other

[jargan83]

sounds like hansen should coach the poms...
they'd be suited to each other

There would be so much whinging that a black hole would open up and consume the planet.

[bunter]

I'll wait to see the posts after the 29th November on this.

[jono]

There would be so much whinging that a black hole would open up and consume the planet.

Until then though I'd only have to ignore the English rugby team. As opposed to them and Hansen.

[Hohepa]

A simple homeground advantage is not so simple anymore

[shasta]

Hansen nominated the apparent forward pass which led to France's try when they beat the All Blacks in the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final as a prime example of what could be achieved.

Glad to see he's finally gotten over that.

FFS!

[westies man]

Hansen makes some very valid point's otherwise we may as well not bother with refs at all and just wire all the players up.