Revealed: referee's massive penalty-mark blunder in Chiefs' loss to Hurricanes
Chiefs coach Warren Gatland has taken umbrage with Jordie Barrett’s long-range hoof that helped push the Hurricanes to their first Super Rugby Aotearoa victory, claiming it was taken 10 metres off the mark.
Barrett’s 58-metre penalty, which gave the Hurricanes a 17-point halftime lead in their eventual 25-18 victory in Hamilton on Sunday, underlined his superb striking ability that few, if any, in world rugby can match.
After watching his side fall to their fourth straight defeat, despite enjoying a one-man advantage for 25 minutes in the second half after Hurricanes lock Scott Scrafton copped his second yellow card, Gatland complained about where Barrett took his kick.
“The penalty on halftime was probably 10 metres forward from where it should have been but that’s us at the moment. We’ve got to take our opportunities,” Gatland said.
“In those moments we just need to make sure we get some clarity. It’s an easy one to say ‘that’s not the mark it’s 10 metres back’. We saw a situation last night where there was a penalty and try scored from a forward pass. We need to make sure our communication is better.
“It was a great kick and he kicked one in the warm-up from about 60 metres but that wasn’t where the mark was from. We’ve got to make sure we get those things right because they are big moments in the game.”
At the time of the penalty against prop Nepo Laulala Chiefs captain Sam Cane could be seen remonstrating with referee Ben O’Keeffe.
“I’m not going to lie it was disappointing,” Cane said. “I was outside Nepo – I saw he was offside, it was a fair penalty. I can understand two metres but 10 you’re wondering what you’re looking at. At the same time, that’s not the winning and losing of the game right there, it’s just a disappointing moment.
“We’re all singing off the same song sheet and trying our guts out but if we can control a few more things like that 10-minute period before halftime and then it’s a different ball game. It’s a happy camp, it’s a camp that’s fighting for each other, but four losses isn’t pretty.”
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland brushed off the Barrett strike which, in fairness, had minimal bearing on the outcome.
“I haven’t seen that,” Holland said. “That’s the way it goes. If that’s an issue, I’m not sure. It was a good kick anyway. He told me in the warm-up he had 65 metres in him with the breeze and I laughed at him.
“It was massive to get the win tonight. A lot of it was around attitude and ticker. We’ve got a lot of scope to get a lot better. I said to the boys ‘I reckon you’ve got to score 30 points to win these games’ and we’ve got to be a little bit more accurate to do that but I can’t fault the effort. We can build from here nicely.”
After snapping a three-loss run since lockdown Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara was proud of his side’s defensive resilience and happy to welcome Barrett back from a shoulder injury.
“He would kick the ball from anywhere. He likes those kicks, he likes big moments,” Perenara said. “He’s a quality player. It’s not just his kicking ability off the tee – his kicking out of hand, running the ball and organisation has been crucial for us.
“The best thing it gives us is the ability for teams not to give penalties away in that area of the field – they know that we’ll take points from there. I’m not sure he’s missed too many from there so it’s a good weapon for us to have.”
In both tries scored by Hurricanes wing Kobus van Wyk the Chiefs were guilty of rushing the ball carrier without making a spot tackle and leaving far too much space on the outside to exploit. With the bye week to contemplate these costly defensive blunders, Gatland admitted the Chiefs’ title hopes were dashed.
“It’s frustrating at the moment we can’t seem to buy a trick. Everyone realises how tough this competition is and you need a bit of momentum and luck and we need some of that at the moment.
“We’ve got to keep learning from these situations. For us it’s about earning some respect and pride and hurting some other people on the way. We can’t win this competition now if we’re realistic but we want to earn some respect in these last four games and that’s pretty important.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“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
4 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.
6 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
8 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
8 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)
4 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.
6 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.
4 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 comments