Brums not sure they will turn up for game if Walsh not axed.

[travelling_gerry]

Brumbies want referee Walsh axed

JIM MORTON

April 26, 2010 - 5:29PM


AAP
The Brumbies have panned referee Steve Walsh's performance and called for his axing from Saturday night's crucial Super 14 clash with red-hot Queensland.
Still upset about Walsh's controversial handling of the 19-12 loss to NSW, Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau felt it was pointless for the Brumbies to line up at Canberra Stadium if the Sydney-based New Zealander was officiating.
Brumbies coach Andy Friend on Monday remained hopeful Walsh would be dropped from the pivotal match by SANZAR referees convenor Lyndon Bray following the weekly review of officials on Tuesday
"We'll wait and see whether he's the referee," Friend said in Canberra.
"They have a review tomorrow and they have got a promotion and relegation system and hopefully you would like to see that in place and working.
"That's up to the selectors to give their view and we can only deal with what we see and I thought the first 30 minutes it wasn't a very even contest."
It's understood the ACT-based outfit completed a scathing report of the refereeing at ANZ Stadium last Saturday night where they were unhappy with numerous areas, especially a disallowed try to Adam Ashley-Cooper and countless scrum resets and penalties.
Brumbies skipper Stephen Hoiles and Walsh had some heated verbal exchanges during the match.
Giteau was frank when asked whether he was hoping Walsh would be relegated.
"I think everyone is," the frustrated five-eighth said. "Mate I don't know if we will turn up - what's the point?"
Giteau also failed to suppress his opinion about the dubious "double-movement" ruling against Ashley-Cooper in the first half.
"Like anyone that knows rugby, that was a try," he said.
New Zealand-based Bray was not contactable on Monday but both the Brumbies, who are seven points outside the top four, and Reds will have their eyes on refereeing appointment confirmations on Tuesday.
Australian whistleblower Paul Marks was dumped from a round five appointment after being deemed to have delivered a crucial wrong call by not awarding the Sharks a match-winning penalty try against the Waratahs from an illegal Kurtley Beale knockdown.
Giteau has more to be concerned about than Walsh with Reds five-eighth Quade Cooper stealing a march on his claims to be the Wallabies No.10 again this season.
Outside in-form Test halfback Will Genia, Cooper has been superb for the resurgent Reds who need to win two of their final three matches to guarantee a first finals campaign in nine years.
"It's going to be a big challenge but like any Australian side, the 10 is always measured by how the team is performing so hopefully our side wins and that's all I care about," Giteau said.
"The Wallabies is the furthest thing from my mind, I'm just worrying about the Brumbies."
Friend ruled veteran flanker George Smith out of making a return from a lingering nerve problem against the Reds but was hopeful of having both Julian Huxley (hamstring) and Stirling Mortlock (back).
"We'll know more on Thursday but we're literally on the bones of our backside at the moment so hopefully those two will be okay," he said.
The Brumbies starting 15 was spared from training on Monday due to the physicality of the Waratahs clash.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie reported lock Van Humphries (ankle) and wing Rod Davies (hamstring) were on the improve after missing the 16-13 win over the Stormers while he's also hopeful Laurie Weeks (foot) can pack down in the front-row.


http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...0426-tn1i.html

[jono]

leave him in there now they have asked for a new one!
send the message that they wont bow to pressure.
and dont be a bitch mat.

[AndyS]

Well, that's the Brumbies well talked into a corner! If I'm Robbie Deans and hear supposedly senior players talking about "not turning up" just because of the ref, and those players then play like they didn't show up, I'm pretty much sticking a line through their names for the year...

[jargan83]

Bunch of sooks who must have read their own pre-season hype

[blueandblack]

Thats fine. Let the Reds get higher on the table. Hopefully reduces the chance of Brumbies or Tahds turning up in the final.

[welshrugbyfan]

It was a try but Matt get over yourself and tell your team mates to do the same.

I might start a link on facebook to get a million people to hate the brumbies.

[Burgs]

"Real Dummy Spit"

They better hope there is a change, but I can't see there was enough to warrant it, especially for an all Australian match. He may have had a couple of bad calls but they weren't outright clangers like supper Ref Kaplan (Pek knock on...) and no one is calling for his whistle.

I would question the planning of any team having the same Ref in consecutive weeks though, you would think common sense would dictate a cooling off week or two. The flipside could be argued if the match this weekend was Reds v Tahs in the Reds questioning the "favouritism" to the Tahs the week before.

[Timbo]

WRF - what? - you want to reduce the number of people who hate the Ponies??

[force addict]

the brumbies need to get a life. they lost, get over it, move on

[.X.]

Dear Mr Giteau,

Hows that move back to the Brumbies working out for you?

Do you think you will make the Wallabies this year?

If there is an injury, you might just make the squad.

have a nice day,

Exile

[James]

I've had another prophetic vision. Brumbies to win by lots in Canberra. No seriously.

[Burgs]

"prophetic" or "pathetic"???

[shasta]

MATCH COMMITTEE TO APPOINT REFEREES.

Canberra, Monday.

Self appointed players' spokesman Git Matto has announced that referee appointments for future S14 matches will be made by the ACT Brumbies' match committee of which he is also the self appointed chairman. "Walsh robbed us last week and we're worried he might do the same next week."

Asked whether he thought other teams should have some input, Matto said "Don't be ridiculous! Other teams don't have a match committee. I had one at the Western Force but they ignored it and look where that has got me. A colleague from last years committee was supposed to start one at NSW, but he's gone and got a man's haircut and started to concentrate on playing Rugby FFS. No, this issue should be resolved by our committee. We have all the highest paid players, so we must be the best. We can't afford to play under referees we don't like. Particularly me. My test spot is under real pressure and I need things going MY way. That's just the way it's supposed to be."

[WF1964]

[MI5_Dog]

Lots of teams have complained about the dodgy decisions when playing against the 'Tards. No other team has made the extraordinary decision to take the ball and go home to cry to their mother.