NZ Rugby to blame for blunder ref

[Burgs]

NZ Rugby to blame for blunder ref

Jim Kayes in Marseilles | September 13, 2007 - 8:43AM

Paul Honiss' blunder during Samoa's loss to South Africa in the first round of the World Cup can be blamed on a policy decision made in New Zealand.

Honiss, after consulting touch judge and fellow New Zealander Lyndon Bray, refused to award Samoa a second-half try to Joe Tekori, ruling he was off-side at a ruck.

Tekori was not bound to the ruck, was behind the ball and did not use any player as a screen in his burst to the line.

In similar instances in New Zealand those tries were being allowed, with Auckland's Bradley Mika a dab hand at them, while Ross Filipo also scored in that manner for the Crusaders against the Hurricanes.

Honiss was the referee in Christchurch that night and the Hurricanes were incensed by his performance, especially in the latitude they felt he allowed Richie McCaw.

A meeting was held between coach Hurricanes Colin Cooper and the New Zealand Rugby Union's referees boss, Keith Lawrence, where Cooper aired his concerns.

Among them was the legality of the Filipo try.

It is understood a decision was made that such tries were illegal, a stance the IRB disagrees with but Honiss' decision was in line with how such incidents are now ruled in New Zealand.

He also erred in not sending Springbok flanker Schalk Burger to the sinbin for a high tackle on halfback Steven So'oialo as the citing of Burger shows.

IRB referees boss Paddy O'Brien would not comment on Honiss' performance except to say that all referees were reviewed after each game.

"The selectors will take all performances in to account when determining who will referee the quarter finals. The decisions will be made on form and neutrality."

The selectors are former referees Bob Francis [New Zealand], Tappe Henning [South Africa], Michel Lamoulie [France ], David Pickering [Wales] and Stephen Hilditch [Ireland], and former Wales coach Kevin Bowring.

The appointments have been made for the pool games with a group of 12 referees, from seven countries, controlling the games, with another group of 13 acting as touch judges.

The touch judges leave the World Cup after the pool games with the referee's panel used as the referee, touch judges and video referee for the playoffs.

Three referees performed well in the first round New Zealand's Steve Walsh, England's Warne Barnes, and Ireland 's Alain Rolland.

Walsh refereed Scotland's match against Portugal, while Barnes was in charge when New Zealand thrashed Italy and Rolland controlled Wales in their win against Canada.

Behind them were France's Joel Jutge, South Africa's Jonathan Kaplan, and Ireland's Alan Lewis.

Walsh was suspended for a game at the 2003 World Cup after a sideline altercation with England official Dave Reddin, but has a chance to redeem himself in France.

He will referee Wales against Australia in Cardiff on September 15 and Georgia against Namibia in Lens 11 days later. If he performs well, he should get a quarterfinal.

Honiss will control the lightweight game between Romania and Portugal in Toulouse on September 25, but his hopes of getting a quarter final match will rest on his performance in the crunch pool D game between Ireland and Argentina in Paris on September 30.

Fairfax Media

[JediKnight]

It is understood a decision was made that such tries were illegal, a stance the IRB disagrees with but Honiss' decision was in line with how such incidents are now ruled in New Zealand.

Ok, I'm confused.....either it's a try or it's not based on IRB regulations......or do NZ suddenly have the right to make up the rules as they see fit.

Sack the sheep-shaggint tw*t!!!

[Thequeerone]

Ok, I'm confused.....either it's a try or it's not based on IRB regulations......or do NZ suddenly have the right to make up the rules as they see fit.

Sack the sheep-shaggint tw*t!!!

LOL did you watch the same S14 as the rest of us

[AndyS]

Shame he's controlling Arg v Ire, as that will be the definitive pool match of this world cup.

[JediKnight]

Shame he's controlling Arg v Ire, as that will be the definitive pool match of this world cup.

Not on current form......Argentina's a definite on this one (sorry Ireland).

For me, Scotland v Italy is the definitive pool match of this RWC.

[tragic]

I am still angry on Samoa's behalf. Honiss is back on my sh!t list.

[Jethro]

Ah another day another mention of McCaw in terms of infringements, sorry boys get over it, your lads weren't exactly playing the games by the rules when they took on the Japanese Check the games thus far, no one seems to give a toss to interpretations of the scrum laws least of all the Refs.

Honiss had a bad day at the office, did it affect the game ... no, should he get a knock out match ... no. Nice to see the "journos" managing to bitch and moan about all things World Cup related while reaching climax over the NRL finals series.

[The EnForcer]

Ah another day another mention of McCaw in terms of infringements, sorry boys get over it, your lads weren't exactly playing the games by the rules when they took on the Japanese Check the games thus far, no one seems to give a toss to interpretations of the scrum laws least of all the Refs.

Honiss had a bad day at the office, did it affect the game ... no, should he get a knock out match ... no. Nice to see the "journos" managing to bitch and moan about all things World Cup related while reaching climax over the NRL finals series.

I actually feel it did have an impact on the game but we'll never actually know.

It does seem that refs are getting more flak than ever and in a lot of cases well deserved. There is no doubt the game is faster now and teams are playing the game, more often than not, on the edge of legal play. I have no problem with that. However, I assume the IRB will be taking some action on this and ensuring refing standards keep up with the games development.

[Burgs]

Ah another day another Kiwi McCaw apologist

Of course the decision had an effect on the game, how could it not, it was a ten to fourteen point decision at a critical time in the match.
Would Samoa have won, who knows, possibly not, but that decision certainly didn't help their mindset as they knew outright that the had been robbed.
He got it plain wrong and has (to my knowledge) yet to apologise for his error.

[zimeric]

just a thought who was reffing that horrendus game for the Force against the Blues. It wasnt Honiss was it?
Aaaah thats right it was Kaplan...
well all the same, its little moments like these that can turn a game on its head. I have no doubt that both those moments were turning points in both matches.

[gustafsl]

So what exactly happened? I haven't seen the play in question so can someone explain to me how it went down. Obviously wasn't something we see everyday.

[hopep]

I'm not so much worried about the poor decision, all refs have bad days too.
I'm still annoyed about the aparrent indecisiveness, across several games, in handing out cards. Taking a firm stance can set the tone of a match early, by seemingly avoiding making the hard decision (to card someone) beacuse its the "RWC - an entertainment spectaular" the Refs are doing the game a discervice.

It also irks me that a player - who has not broken any IRB laws of the games - can have a try disallowed on the basis of " Thuts houw we do ut beck home - eh bro!".
Referee the laws and the spirit of the game. Refs who can't do their job should be cited and sent home - dead easy.

[Burgs]

Trouble is, it wasn't a poor interpretation of events, it was an outright incorrect application of a Law the IRB has not approved.
It is no different to suddenly in hypothetically Australia we decide to make tries worth six points and then Stuart Dickenson applying that to an All Black v Springbok match.

Gustafl, memory is getting hazy now as to if it was a ruck or disintegrating scrum (the latter I think) but a player detached, picked up the ball and dived for the line and clearly grounded the ball.
Someone with a match copy may be able to give a better account...