Should IRB referees be held accountable for their own performances?

Judging from this weeks nuclear refereeing fallout, it would seem as if it’s about time the IRB seek new sponsorship with one of the major cotton wool manufacturers, because at the rate that they keep wrapping their referees in a cotton wool protective cocoon, it might become expensive.

This whole debacle with the state of refereeing in this year’s competition is reaching boiling point after the latest incident involving Steve Walsh’s refereeing display during round 11 of the 2010 Super 14, in the game between the Waratahs and the Brumbies.

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past few days, the whole issue revolves around the Brumbies being extremely dissatisfied with the way in which Steve Walsh refereed the match between the two Australian franchises, in which the Brumbies lost.

The Brumbies were particularly unhappy about Steve Walsh not awarding a try to Adam Ashley-Cooper, in which Walsh ruled there was a double movement.

Referees make these types of calls on a game to game basis, sometimes they are questionable, sometimes spot on. In the case of the questionable decisions, sometimes they will be for you, sometimes against. The law of averages might suggest that these for/against calls will balance out in the end and that should be the end of it.

But in a competition as closely contested as this year’s Super 14, where about 10 of the 14 teams still have at least an outside chance of making the playoffs, one questionable decision could mean the end of the season for you.

Adam Ashley-Cooper’s disalowed try: [s14twentyten]

I thought it was clear as daylight, but you be the judge?

One could also take into consideration the substantial financial implications in making the playoffs vs not making the playoffs, probably something that is impossible to calculate, but you get the point.

This is bullsh*t, he was KAK man...

Where the whole debate flared up though, was when Brumbies and Wallaby #10, Matt Giteau publicly bemoaned Walsh’s refereeing display in a post match interview, where, when asked about how he felt about the incident and whether he was hoping Walsh would be relegated he said:

“I think everyone is,” Giteau commented. “Mate, I don’t know if we will turn up, what’s the point?”

He continued by airing his feeling about the disallowed try,

“Like anyone that knows rugby, that was a try,” he said

The IRB has since fined Giteau $5000.00 for the public criticism of Walsh, after Giteau pleaded guilty to a code of conduct breach, in line with SANZAR’s proclaimed zero tolerance policy in terms of criticism of referees. There is a clause in players’ contracts which states that they may not publicly criticise a referee or an assistant referee’s handling of a match.

Accountability VS Sweet-blow-all:

This isn’t the first time that the IRB has wrapped their referees in cotton wool, there is a growing trend of sub-standard refereeing here, and with the amount of sub-standard refereeing displays in 2010, it’s becoming something of a worrying point.

Walsh is not the first referee to be stood down this year, in fact he is the third referee stood down/moved this season. Paul Marks of Australia and Pro Legoete of South Africa were both stood down earlier in the season. There have also been two assistant referees stood down, Garratt Williamson and Josh Noonan, both of New Zealand.

The assistant referees have had a short-term absence from the game but both Marks and Legoete have yet to make their comeback as referees in the Super 14, though they have acted as assistant referees, which is something that baffles me.

The IRB claim that the process of standing down is not a suspension or demotion but seen as an opportunity for an out-of-form referee to regain form.

My argument is this, a referee is a professional, and as with any other professionals, be they doctors, lawyers, whatever, should be held accountable for their professional performances. Now I do agree that this should be handled in the correct manner, and I do realise that it is the nature of sport that there will always be one side that is unhappy, and the way in which Matt Giteau went about it is not the correct manner, but what do you do when there is clearly something wrong and the governing body controlling it is doing nothing to rectify the situation, especially when, which is the case for the players involved, your career is at stake week-in and week-out?

In a recent Exclusive Q&A sesh with Jonathan Kaplan, we posed this very question to him. Here is what JK had to say:

Dooley: I’m the 1st to scream at the ref during a game, but also the 1st to appreciate what a difficult job you guys do, and admit I couldn’t do it better. Do you think ref’s should be evaluated on their individual performances and the results made public?

JK: Referees are assessed after every game, in minute detail. (also by teams who can contribute to the assessment). It is tough to get everything right but we do aim for zero defect! I do not believe it is in the interests of the game to make these results public as the public are often not qualified to make judgments on referees whose positions are already under huge pressure and scrutiny. Some things are better left unknown to the public, eg. nuclear secrets!

I understand Kaplan’s point too, and like I said, I will be the first to admit that I probably couldn’t do much better. What I do want to know though, is that if the IRB and SANZAR want to dictate all that is allowed and all that is not, in this game that we all love, what are they going to do to fix this problem, and it is clear now that there is a problem?

What do you think about this whole situation? Should Giteau have been fined? What about fining Walsh for a sub-standard performance? Have a Castle lite, it’ll make you feel better…

Comments

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com Matt Gagger

Technically wasn’t a try, although usually would have been given – you can’t propel yourself with your legs while held in a tackle on the ground.

And anyway – that was the Assistant Refs call, not Walsh’s

In the end, Walsh did have a shocker with player management and has been stood down for this weekend, so he was held accountable?

As captain though, Hoiles’ behaviour was rediculous – calling a refs decision “rubbish” after 15mins of play. Stupid.
http://www.blogspotrugby.com Dooley

@Matt Gagger, one could also say that the tackler was also responsible for the momentum enabling him to cross the line. It is down to the wire though.

To be honest, I stopped watching the game, was just too mind numbing. Watched the highlights after and didn’t catch Hoiles’ comments, but they are definately out of line. The last thing we need in the game, is for players to start acting the way they do in footy, toward the match officials.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com Matt Gagger

Precisely, you can’t say for certain whether it was his established momentum, the momentum of the tackler, or the momentum of his scrambling feet and knees that got him over the line, which is why technically it’s a penalty.

Was a fucking awful game though, agreed.
Ron Berrington

Sir,
I am ashamed to be a NZ resident.
The All Black thugs strike again.

1. Pre-match – a primitive display of raw stone age barbarous thuggery – as far removed from sport as it can conceivably get to wind your bloodthirsty mob up to a murderous fever pitch.
2. Arch-thug Mcaw playing in his usual off-side position is penalised but, in the most blatant case of pathetic refereeing I’ve seen in a while, the ref reverses his decision because a South African pushed Mcaw. To make it worse – he bins the SA player – a totally unwarranted sending-off which completely ruined the match – how sick is that? Mcaw’s been getting away with murder for so long that, if I was playing against him, I’d find it difficult to refrain from kicking his grubby cheating head in.
3. AB 11 – who viciously and belatedly bashes his shoulder into an already tackled SA player – gets a very polite admonishment from the ref and a reluctantly awarded penalty to SA. The stupid ref was so blinkered he didn’t even see it – the linesman had to wake him up to it. THAT WAS AN “OFF FOR THE MATCH” OFFENCE!
4. Time and again the AB thugs are miles off-side – interfere with their opponents while off-side – fail to retire behind the ball before re-entering play and blatantly run interference between would-be defenders and their mates.
5. I do not know how NZRU manage to so totally dominate and subdue the ref’s – perhaps they are simply bought.
6. What I do know is that it is no wonder that the public is being turned-off and turning to soccer – and that is despite all that game’s faults.

R Berrington (rugby player up to the age of 36)
CC

Ron Berrington, we are ashamed you are a NZ resident as well,is there any way we can convince you to pack it all in and return to from whence you came?

Youre obviously so blinded by your hatred for the no1 ranked team in the world,the All Blacks that your whole comment focuses soley on this.

Just a reminder for you also that Richie McCaw has just been awarded IRB player of the year for the 3rd time but hey if you say hes a cheating thug then he must be and everyone else is wrong.

I think youll find guys like Andy Powell from Wales are thugs with their dirty play and McCaw is one of the cleanest players in the game so thug is definitely not the word to use when speaking of McCaw.

To summarise your comment is nothing but bitter and twisted rubbish and should be acknowledge as such.

Good day.

ps let me know if I can give you a ride to the airport!
R Berrington

Who the heck’s CC? Some sissy I guess hiding behind a tree.
Whatever – I do wish he’d address my criticisms rather than engaging in a crude ad hominem attack.
CC

Because what you are saying is absolute bollocks!

Comments such as ‘I do not know how NZRU manage to so totally dominate and subdue the ref’s – perhaps they are simply bought.’

What a ridiculous thing to say!
Ron Berrington

Your debative powers and soaring intellect are quite overpowering – rather like the thuggery of those you attempt to defend.
CC

Im not here to debate with you clown.

Your rant was so emotional and delusional that I merely posted to call you a twat.

If you think the All Blacks are a more thuggish team than any of the other top 5 teams you’re obviously too blinkered to see sense.
Ron Berrington

CC – just who is ranting and emotional – don’t you think you’re getting dangerously close to blowing your top – diddums (to quote your one-time dominatrix)?
CC

Im calm as anything, just laughing at you and all your hating.
Pire

Momentum guys…from both Cooper & the tackler.
Tnefdt

The refs are not looking at the attacking teams clearing out the approaching defenders during rucks and mauls. They should at least enter the contact area parallel to the side line. Sometimes people are taken out two meters from the the ruck. paralell to the goal line. Ridiculous.
The second issue is if the ref can check upstairs whether a player when out of touch in the corner. surely he can check for the forward pass upstairs. Especially since the advancing player sometimes go out at the touch line meters from the gaol line.
Its is also notable that in some games some teams are coached and guided by the refs while he would go to the whistle immediately for the opposing team.
Last point. Refs ofter shift the resonsibility for the imortant decisions to the assistant refs while the assistant naturally expect the ref to take the lead and make the call. This is often when things goes wrong in a game.