Force coach blasts refs

[wholetruth]

Can't get in trouble for telling the truth can you

An angry Michael Foley labelled the refereeing "soft" after the Western Force slumped to a 30-7 defeat at the hands of the Crusaders in Christchurch.

The Force coach was upset with the way the breakdown was controlled by referee Mike Fraser and said one of the two penalty tries awarded late in the game that broke his side was a soft option.

While Foley stopped short of saying decisions had cost the Force the game, he insisted they had a bearing on the contest.

"From a refereeing perspective there were a lot of soft options taken," Foley said.

"At least one of those penalty tries ... and a number of times round the breakdown, there was one side being watched and one side not.

"That didn't have a bearing on the result, but the refereeing may have had a bearing at times."

The three-week Test break in Super Rugby could not have come at a better time for the Force, who lost another player, flanker Angus Cottrell breaking his left leg with just two minutes left in the game.

Cottrell is the 11th player ruled out for a long period this year and will miss the last three games of the season against the Blues, Reds and Brumbies.

The Force could slip to ninth on the ladder this weekend, but will still be well placed for a maiden finals berth when the competition resumes.

The Force allowed the Crusaders to build too much momentum in the first 20 minutes of last night's game and the 16-point break at half-time was too much to claw back.

"Our execution was off in the first 20 minutes and allowed them to get the momentum they probably had not earned," Foley said.

"We were a little off in terms of accuracy early and that gave a very good side some opportunities that they had not necessarily earned.

"Our guys put in a massive effort ... what we've gone through the last four weeks and the injuries, the guys battled on and when we came out at half-time they really launched into it.

"By all rights, our guys could have run out of steam, but they fought right to the end. It was a big effort."

The Force were left to rue the fact they turned in contrasting displays.

They were a different looking side in the second period, but spending the last 10 minutes with only 14 players after second-rower Sam Wykes was sin binned hurt.

The much improved second-half "ended" 14-7 in the hosts' favour courtesy of two penalty tries.

[WFDom]

20 - 7 penalty count didn't help either.

I'm more upset about Angus. How did Stander go?

[.X.]

Being at Club Rugby all day. I have been asking these questions a lot;

If there is a Penalty Try. Where is the corresponding Yellow card? How can you have one without the other?

If a Penalty Try is awarded for Foul play that prevents the scoring of a try shouldn't the player who committed such an offence be sent from the ground with a yellow card for committing such an act?

[andrewg]

First time we've ever heard Michael Foley vent against the ref - and with good reason.

Unfortunately Mike Fraser stopped listening to Captain Matt Hodgson at about the 20 minute mark!!!
From the microphone you could hear that Hodgo continued to be respectful with no effect.
In the last 20 mins Fraser frequently turned his back on Hodgo .

I'm glad that the microphones were put in front of Foley at the post-game presser (which almost nobody attended) as I hear that Hodgo was fuming!!

I agree that Mike Fraser had eyes for only one team at the breakdown.

The Crusaders continually continually off their feet and h0lding onto the Force's defensive players after the clean-out and well beyond the breakdown without penalty.

Thanks for the efforts so far this year. It's already been a fantastic season. We've enjoyed your commitment and effort.

Come on you good things....wins against the Blues and Reds should see us make the top 6 which would be an awesome season.

HEAL - you broken warriors - HEAL!!!

PS SANZAR continues to show that Coaches and Captains CAN "get into trouble for telling the truth".

PPS I thought that SANZAR made some comments a while ago that the top teams can expect the top referees. Mike Fraser has reffed less than 10 Super XV games yet 2 x Top 6 teams get him??????

[SNOB]

Am I the only one that thinks the refs this year have become hopeless ?
The Reds, Brumbies and Blues games were both refed terribly! It seems that the TMO is now the top man by doesn't even have to be very good. The inconsistency has been terrible, there are 4 or of them FGS!
It's enough to turn you right of this game! Get it right SANZAR!

[Alison]

Not the only one by a long way SNOB. Lots of people seem to agree.

My main irritation is with the use of the TMO. At times it feels like the on-field refs and assistant refs have lost their capacity to make 'real time' decisions and the TMO hasn't got a clue either. And boy does it slow down the game. Personally, I'd rather go back to the old days.

And don't even get me started on the abandonment of the neutral refs policy!!

[valzc]

Not the only one by a long way SNOB. Lots of people seem to agree.

My main irritation is with the use of the TMO. At times it feels like the on-field refs and assistant refs have lost their capacity to make 'real time' decisions and the TMO hasn't got a clue either. And boy does it slow down the game. Personally, I'd rather go back to the old days.

And don't even get me started on the abandonment of the neutral refs policy!!

Too right Ali! Line refs have been a complete waste of time - they're either totally myopic or too scared to open their gobs to say anything. It seems that the little Hitler playing TMO is now running the game giving the orders to the ref rather than providing assistance in calls which was the original purpose of the TMO. Hate to admit it but Horwill may have had made some sense in his little tant.
And a message to Mike Fraser - you might want to employ a some bodyguards to look after your tight sorry little arsehole if you ever get to Perth! Karma is a sweet thing.

[WFDom]

Big thanks to the Lions & Tahs (begrudgingly) for keeping the Chiefs & Bulls below us on the ladder.

We could have gone down to 9th! I think 7th after getting teh 'Saders game out of the way is a good outcome for us.

[WF2006]

Big thanks to the Lions & Tahs (begrudgingly) for keeping the Chiefs & Bulls below us on the ladder.

We could have gone down to 9th! I think 7th after getting teh 'Saders game out of the way is a good outcome for us.

Pity the bloody Reds didn't show a bit more spine and not let the Highlanders get 2 bonus points or we'd still be in the 6

[WFDom]

Pity the bloody Reds didn't show a bit more spine and not let the Highlanders get 2 bonus points or we'd still be in the 6

Spine is not a term I associate with Richard Graham. That mofo is so lacking spine he has to get dragged round Ballymore in a wheelybin!

[GAFFA]

Pity the bloody Reds didn't show a bit more spine and not let the Highlanders get 2 bonus points or we'd still be in the 6

Nah I blame the blues for letting the canes score 2 try's in the last 10 mins to get a 4 try bonus point.

[valzc]

I'm still debating all the kicking in that Crusaders game - was it possibly a tactic to save some energy for the team? But then it would've been a lot more exhausting for the forwards to keep defending. And if it was a territorial tactic I think theCrusaders were well onto that game plan. The Force are tending to overwork that idea too much now. I'm so happy they've got to this level anything from now on is icing on the cake. But really want to see some attacking speed once we get more of the guys back.

[shasta]

Pity the bloody Reds didn't show a bit more spine and not let the Highlanders get 2 bonus points or we'd still be in the 6

Pity we didn't rout the Rabble twice. Make your own way is the best way.

[chibi]

I wish we got that bonus point against the Tahs at home!

[Macattack]

A three week break has come at a bloody good time for us, our ranks are a bit depleted and there will be plenty of other niggles that will also benefit. We really need to nail the Blues and Reds and then the Brumbies match will be bloody interesting.

Given some of the aggro we have seen in recent years I reckon the Reds match will be tougher than many might expect - we will definitely need to be up for it and hopefully their individual (shit) attitude will get run over by our team-comes -first approach. I really do not want to lose to those wankers this year.