Rugby Championship to continue use of non-neutral referees for Wallabies versus the All Blacks
World Rugby has announced the match official appointments for the Tri-Nations 2020, which kicks off in Australia on 31 October. The three-nation championship featuring Argentina, Australia and New Zealand will be played across six weekends, starting in Sydney with the third Bledisloe Cup match between Australia and New Zealand and concluding with Australia versus Argentina on 5 December.
Across both hemispheres, appointments for the October to December temporary window have been made on a regional basis, recognising the challenges of ongoing national Covid-19 travel and quarantine measures.
In the case of Tri-Nations, the quarantining measures and need to maintain a bubble means that nation neutrality is not possible, and the team of match officials will come from Australia and New Zealand with Ben O’Keeffe, Paul Williams, Angus Gardner and Nic Berry refereeing. All coaches are supportive of this necessary position.
Chair of the World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee Graham Mourie said: “The Tri-Nations will be a fantastic spectacle and full credit to everyone from the respective unions and SANZAAR for tackling a tricky environment to make it happen.
“As with the tests in the northern hemisphere, we have selected a regional team of match officials in recognition of ongoing and necessary restrictions in relation to Covid-19. The team will be subject to regular testing and hygiene measures in line with World Rugby’s return-to-play protocols.
? 11 carries
? 102 run metres@beaudenbarrett was a handful at @edenparknz.?: @skysportnz #BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/SpA6zvDf1Y
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 21, 2020
“The lockdown period provided an opportunity to further focus on key game management areas while maintaining fitness standards and the team selected for the Tri-Nations are in excellent shape and looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP REFEREES
Oct 31 – Australia v New Zealand (Ben O’Keeffe, NZR)
Nov 7 – Australia v New Zealand (Nic Berry, RA)
Nov 14 – New Zealand v Argentina (Angus Gardner, RA)
Nov 21 – Argentina v Australia (Paul Williams, NZR)
Nov 28 – Argentina v New Zealand (Nic Berry, RA)
Dec 5 – Australia v Argentina (Ben O’Keeffe, NZR)
Sunday’s Bledisloe Cup encounter at Eden Park answered several questions and raised a few others.https://t.co/oEyctYpAsE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments