Referee Retirement

First topic message reminder :

Following a fairly ordinary performance in the RWC, NZ referee Bryce Lawrence had the dignity to step down as an international referee amongst stinging criticism of his performance.

Will other referees who have made game changing gaffes have the same dignity?

"Because having games turned dramatically by abhorrent and obvious refereeing errors is getting worse rather than better.

It's not fair on any one."

Another whinging NZer. Jeez they don't like it up 'em do they!

On another thread GE hated it when people complain about refs when things don't go their way. I haven't stopped laughing ever since I saw it.

He can't be a real person can he? I bet the rest of the NZ fraternity are pretty embarrassed by him.

"Wouldn't you rather have won fair and square and have no nagging detractions?"

Why would we? NZ never do.

Nice to see an England fan admit the win was hardly meritorious!!

GloriousEmpire wrote:Nice to see an England fan admit the win was hardly meritorious!!

  

MrsP wrote:

aucklandlaurie wrote:
I wouldnt be too quick to point the finger at the refs.

After the disaster that Poite made (Bismark dP) in the Springbok All black game, its obvious that referees are being appointed too fixtures well beyond their ability, the IRB just shouldnt be putting them in that position.

When teams ranked 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the World are playing each other then a referee of similar ranking should be appointed to officiate.... Linesmen and TMOs should also be similarly ranked.

This confuses me a bit.

I understand that some refs will never be ready for top flight rugby. I understand that internationals are played at a higher pace and so the ref has to be physically fit enough for that. I undersatnd that experience will help when dealing with crafty old experienced players.

But, the rules are the same no matter what level of match is being reffed.

If someone is able to ref the HEC he should be "able" enough for internationals so long as he is physically capable.

Each ref has their own style and you might not like that style but that doesn't necessarily mean they are not "able". Neither does getting the odd call wrong. All refs will get calls wrong. They can only call it as they see it.

There are a number of criteria which show some referees to be more competant then others, yes the rules are the same in both hemispheres , but that doesnt standardise the game if the referee doesnt know the rules, doesnt know what a shoulder charge is, doesnt know what obstruction is etc etc.

Some International referees have an empathy for the game and what the players are trying to achieve sadly others dont.

Some referees manage two 40 minute instalments of play, others cant they just hop from technical fault to the next suffocating any opportunity of life out of a game,etc etc.

Its fine to say that referees that officiate at Heineken Cup level are able to referee at International, however that stateent falls down if the likes of Poite and Clancy are allowed to referee in the Heineken Cup.

Personally Ithink that Nigel Oens is the best referee in Europe.

aucklandlaurie wrote:

Personally I think that Nigel Owens is the best referee in Europe.

But he happens to be just one man. So, unless he's cloned.......................

The real truth about all these reffing controversies. The only difference between those who want a ref to let the game roll along and those who want him to stop the constant little infringemnts that are giving an unfair advantage to one team over another, is those words at the beginning of the sentence that I quoted; - "Personally I think".