We Need To Talk About The Pro12 Refs
The Pro12 wants to be taken as seriously as the Aviva Premiership but is too often let down by shoddy, uneven, below-standard officiating, writes Lee Calvert.
Refereeing is a crap job that very few people want to do.
Players make mistakes all the time but are generally forgiven for their errors: the forward passes, handling errors and poor kicking options. Referees, on the other hand, have every peep of the whistle pored over with CSI-level scrutiny. It really is very unfair. It is in this context that the Pro12 referees are being judged, but even if we are being at our most fair-minded, the unfortunate fact is they are often not up to scratch.
The issue has become a talking point once again after Irish referee Dudley Phillips awarded a Rhys Ruddock try for Leinster vs Cardiff recently that looked a clear double movement, before then adding insult to the Welsh side by sin-binning flanker Josh Navidi for what looked instead like accidental offside. Cardiff lost the game narrowly and these decisions were pivotal.
The quality of refereeing in the Pro12 has been an issue for quite a while. Last season saw a number of dodgy calls including Sam Davies of Ospreys having a try ludicrously ruled out for double movement vs Connacht and Duncan Weir of Edinburgh having a last minute try allowed despite a clear forward pass vs Dragons. Pat Lam completely lost his shit after one decision from a Welsh touch judge cost his team Connacht a result at Cardiff, to such an extent that he forced journalists to gather round his laptop so he could prove the linesman wrong, then actually said the words “I’ve had texts from quite influential people agreeing that the decision is wrong.”
Everyone can point to poor decisions made by officials in any league or tournament. Is the standard in the Pro12 really that much worse? They do have the world’s best Nigel Owens on their panel after all. Owens aside, the panel is an issue. The highest profile refs after him are John Lacey, who permanently has the on-field demeanour of a man who has accidentally wandered into shot behind a live news report, and George Clancy, who likes to referee the scrum like it’s a new game called “BAFFLE!”
But the problem with refereeing in the Pro12 goes beyond individuals. There are fundamental structural and practical issues that remain unaddressed. For starters, the Pro12 league, the elite competition for four tier one nations, does not have the TMO for every match. Yes, you read that correctly. Decisions that can be referred in one match cannot be referred in another. It makes the league look like some ramshackle garage band that has to share one amplifier between all the members.
The make-up of the panel is also skewed towards Wales and Ireland. There are 17 refs on the panel, with only two from Scotland and one Italian. This makes it impossible to have neutral officials for every match, thus any error is often judged through a prism of bias or conspiracy. For the record, there is no suggestion that refs are biased in any way, but the league creates this problem by not having a full spread of officials from each member nation. Italy has plenty of problems to deal with aside from referee appointment, but Scotland in particular need to take a long hard look at their ref development program.
Finally, the consistency with which the refs interact with players and their other officials, including the TMO, is often questionable. Often rulings are not effectively explained or worse, clarity is not sought from TMO when a decision has been made that is marginal.
The Pro12 is constantly fighting to enhance its reputation to be up there with the likes of the Aviva Premiership. The idea that the Pro12 is a second rate competition may be unfair, but with so many question marks around something as fundamental as officiating the league is not doing itself any favours.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar 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.
10 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.
37 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.
3 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
37 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
37 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.
37 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.
37 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.
37 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 comments