'We took some pretty hard decisions at the end of last season and moved a few referees on'
Greg Garner is viewing this weekend’s European action as another encouraging win for the often maligned PRO14. Not the results on the pitch in the games involving clubs from the Guinness-sponsored league. It’s the number of refereeing appointments compared to the rival Premiership and Top 14 leagues that has him excited.
Flick through the list for the 20 games across the Heineken Champions and Challenge Cups and it reveals ten PRO14 referees were on the whistle, considerably more than the five from France and the four provided by England (the remaining ref was a Georgian).
There is still a long road to travel. Just two PRO14 referees (Nigel Owens and Andrew Brace) have made the cut for refereeing duty in an upcoming Guinness Six Nations, a tournament with a southern hemisphere/Anglo-French flavour – there are a half-dozen refs from south of the equator along with four French and three English.
Nevertheless, Garner believes the recognition enjoyed by his league in Europe is reflective of what he insists are improving PRO14 refereeing standards, something that can go some way towards fulfilling the league’s ambition to provide four referees for 2023’s World Cup in France (Owens was their sole Japan 2019 rep).
For quite some time the tournament has been criticised for inconsistent decision making but the Englishman – who succeeded fellow countryman Ed Morrison, the famed 1995 World Cup final referee – is confident standards are genuinely on the up despite headline-making criticism in November from Edinburgh boss Richard Cockerill.
(Continue reading below…)
Jim Hamilton discusses the quality of players currently playing in Japan’s Top League
What gives is having all their referees – bar South Africa Stuart Berry – working full-time (Berry, in essence, is full-time as he runs his own events company where time is his own). It means they are constantly on the job collectively, constantly trying to improve collectively. A weekly school-like timetable covers everything. From forensic start-of-the-week reviews to Thursday conference calls where hot spots to focus on in the next round of games are emphasised.
Catapult, Sportscode and Footprint are the IT abetting this evolution, while another development is every referee’s supplementary team of officials – TMO and touch judges – hail from the same country in order to build better rapport. “It’s like anything,” explained Garner to RugbyPass. “If you give people clear objectives as a group on what we are trying to achieve going on a pitch, and if everybody is consistent about what the message is and what they are trying to achieve, we have got a much better chance of getting better outcomes.”
They need to. The old proverb about giving a dog a bad name is something difficult for the PRO14 to shake off. Even though Garner now has multiple league table-like metrics at his disposal for every decision every single one of his referees makes, convincing the sceptics that standards are collectively on an upward curve can be a thankless task.
“PRO14 rugby is much more exciting than Premiership rugby, has been for years."
– Michael Bradley talks Prem v PRO14 with @heagneyl ???https://t.co/iTlvoOlb8y
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 29, 2019
Coaches, in particular, are traditionally not shy airing grievances to media over the level of officiating, but those outbursts are seemingly in decline despite outbursts such as Cockerill’s early-season criticism of Ben Whitehouse. “People don’t understand how hard the referees work,” claimed Garner, who earned his stripes on the Premiership circuit in England before taking up with the PRO14 where he bases himself out of Cardiff.
“It’s difficult but we have just got to focus on what we are trying to do on the pitch as referees. The best way we can do that is to produce better referees, which we are doing at the moment. We have reduced the amount of referees we use in the PRO14. Last year we used 18. We took some pretty hard decisions at the end of last season and moved a few people on. We have now got nine referees on our main panel, seven on our development panel, so we have got 16. The nine referees in the main panel, they will referee the majority of games. If you reduce the amount of referees, you can then get consistency.
“How many coaches phone me upset in a week? Look, there are games this year where the referees could have done better and we want them to do better, but that is the nature of rugby. There are always going to be occasions where people make mistakes. But I can guarantee you that this year fewer coaches are coming out week-on-week unhappy with the refereeing performances, so that is really good.
Watch your mouth! Referee Greg Garner puts @scarlets_rugby's James Davies in his place. #ChampionsCup https://t.co/slbOVjPzXX
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) December 11, 2016
“Another difference is we’re collecting data from the coaches now. After a game, they give the referee a mark out for 10 for his overall performance and then give them a mark out of ten for the five key areas that we focus on – breakdown (fair contest/quick ball), scrum (fair contest/positive outcomes), lineout/maul (fair contest/positive outcomes), space (room to play in) and foul play (player safety). If we can collect that data over the season then we have evidence. If the coaches are unhappy, we can find out why. If the coaches are happy, here is evidence the referees are getting better.
“Another thing we did was workshopped a day with all the coaches with the referees in the room during pre-season… so we are all going in the same direction. I guess refereeing is by its nature going to be controversial at times. If we can just keep working hard and focus on clear objectives, get more referees into the international level, into the European Cup, then that speaks in itself how well we are doing compared to other competitions.”
The 39-year-old never envisaged winding up in a referee management role. Only when Morrison planted the seed did he see its potential and the former maths and geography teacher is glad of the change of scenery. “I do this to develop people. I’m an educator. I was a teacher in my first profession and I do this because I want to see people develop. I love rugby but I don’t do this job because I love rugby. That is the bonus. I do it because I want to see people develop.
In a new series in association with @BigRedCloud ? ?? highlighting #GuinnessPRO14 Officials, we caught up with Elite Referee Manager Greg Garner to find out about improved high-tackle processes, better consistency, and TMOs.
Full Story ?? https://t.co/oTVWQaTdnu
— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) September 11, 2019
“This is the thing with all our referees, I want to make them better people. I want them to be successful in their refereeing career and in life. If they’re not successful in their refereeing career I want them to be successful in their career after. We put in a leadership, personal development programme centrally for all our referees, so we’re making them into coaches, training them to be leaders. We want them to be better people because better people make better referees.”
Garner’s advice to his officials is simple: be yourself. “Nigel Owens is a very extrovert person. Fantastic for the game. Fantastic for PRO14. Fantastic for refereeing. So many people have got into refereeing because of Nigel, so I encourage people to be themselves. I cannot speak highly enough of Nigel. He has been a wonderful referee for the PRO14, is still one of our top referees and we want him to continue doing the job for as long as he wants to.
“People are more comfortable being their own person. George Clancy for example, is quite a private individual. That’s fantastic, too. He’s one of our best referees this year and had been for the past decade. There are different personalties and I encourage people to be themselves.”
Referee Jaco Peyper posing with Welsh fans today… ????? #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/cl0JnhLgVm
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2019
If this all sounds rosy, it isn’t. Ask Garner if he had the power to change three laws in rugby and there is no hesitation. He has bugbears he wants sorting out. “Opposition scrum-halves at the scrum, they shouldn’t be allowed go past the halfway line at the scrum so therefore the attacking scrum should be able to play ball if it is available. That is one thing I’d change. Another is I really like the 50-20 trial rule, so if you kick the ball in your own half and it bounces into touch in the opposition 22 you get the lineout.
“That would make it a bit more open. It would mean wingers would have to drop back so potentially you would get a bit more space in the middle of the pitch. The other thing I would change is at the breakdown. At the moment, when we have a ruck we have two players over the ball, players wrestle each other to the floor and another player can’t go in and play that ball.
“Once we have a ruck if there is nobody on their feet over the ball, someone should be able to go and pick that up. At the moment you get two players competing, they wrestle each other, the defenders aren’t allowed so they just spread out across the pitch and you then have 13 players defending. If you allowed more of a competition at the breakdown you’d have ten players across the pitch, you’d have more space.”
More space, more potential for entertainment and, who knows, maybe more appreciated levels of refereeing.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’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.
8 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.
9 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
16 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
16 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?
5 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.
8 Go to comments