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'Not a single guy and England has got four': Ex-Bok coaches give raw views on RWC referees
Two former Springbok coaches have given their differing views on the 12 referees appointed to officiate the Rugby World Cup later this year in France.
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The list of selected whistle blowers include four England referees, two Australian, two New Zealanders, one Frenchman, one South African, one Irishman and one Georgian.
Former Bok head coach Nick Mallett didn’t have any problems with the list saying that many of them have previous World Cup experience to fall back on.
“No not all, I think those are very experienced referees,” Mallett said.
“I see there are five from the Southern Hemisphere and seven from the Northern Hemisphere.
“The World Cup is in the Northern Hemisphere. That’s probably not favouritism, that’s the state of referees at the moment.
“I think we’ve got four or five who were there last time. Wayne Barnes, Nic Berry was there, Andrew Brace was there, I think Angus Gardner was there, Luke Pearce and Jaco Peyper.
“There is a lot of experience.”
However, former Springbok assistant and Lions head coach Swys de Bruin had a stronger view that there wasn’t enough of a spread among the playing nations.
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The experienced Jaco Peyper was the only South African referee selected while nations like Scotland, Wales and Italy received none.
“It’s very important to know it works, how they select these guys,” de Bruin said.
“There is a guy called Joel Judge, he’s the convenor of selectors and he’s assisted by Bryce Lawrence from New Zealand and then Tony Spreadbury from England.
“There’s more on the panel but these three, according to my sources, they dictate who is doing what.
“So that’s why there is four guys from England in this 12, they might be the best, but I’ll come to that.
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“There is four guys from New Zealand and Australia, and we all know Bryce Lawerence, you know the experience we had in this country with him.
“In saying that the favouritism is definitely not with some of the sides.
“The URC coaches, there is only three of them in that panel. Scotland, Italy and Wales got nothing. Not a single guy and England has got four.
“My concern is if you had 20 teams in the World Cup and you ranked them [referees] one through 12, surely it’s everyone’s game.
“Let one guy be from each of these countries on merit, so that you involve everyone.
“For me it is distorted picture slightly, the spread at the World Cup is not so well.”
Despite only having one referee selected, Bruin viewed it as a success for the programme with other South Africans involved as assistants and in the Sevens programme.
“From our point of view, from Mark Lawrence [SARU referee manager] and Rassie and our guys who control it in South Africa, they’ve done very well,” he said.
“They’ve got Jaco Peyper up there, they’ve got Marius Jonker as the TMO, Aimee Barrett and two Sevens guys.
“So our picture, being a small little country in rugby in their opinion, on the southern end of Africa, we are not too shabby.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments