An Argentinian, an Australian and a South African walk into a bar...

Lyndon Bray, head adjudicator of SANZAR refereeing has wielded the axe, slicing off the careers of Australian James Leckie, Argentinian whistler Francsico Pastrana and South African elite panel referee Lorenz Van De Merwe.

All three had featured in repeated contentious decisions that had match altering implications, with NZ franchises the chief victims. (I posted about some of these calls at the time but the thread was locked for some reason with few posters believing I knew what I was taking about).

Bray has issued a rallying call for all super referees to keep the game moving and enforce breakdown and set piece laws rigorously.

Bray says he intends to continue the tournament with a smaller pool of referees who will get more game time each.

The move also has implications for the upcoming Steinlager series.

Wish the same action would be taken against some of the refs in the Pro12 namely clownshoes Clancey

bedfordwelsh wrote:Wish the same action would be taken against some of the refs in the Pro12 namely clownshoes Clancey

If they did that in the Pro12, only Nigel Owens would be left.

Jimpy wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Wish the same action would be taken against some of the refs in the Pro12 namely clownshoes Clancey

If they did that in the Pro12, only Nigel Owens would be left.

True dat

As bad as the refs are, theres a section of fans these days that are convinced referees are out to get their team. This influences their perception and when that happens they usually find many things to be angry about and so the cycle continues.

Problem is though, the better referees are saved for the higher ranked teams which means the mid-lower ranked teams always get the same cruddy Italian/Irish refs which would tarnish any fan's perception.

Better refs make for better games which can make even poorer teams play better

Munkian I can assure you that the top teams get some right doozies too.

Talking about refs - how is Glen Jackson doing these days?

aucklandlaurie wrote:
Munkian I can assure you that the top teams get some right doozies too.

Trust me, Clown shoes Clancy is King of em all   

beshocked wrote:Talking about refs - how is Glen Jackson doing these days?

I don't like him.

beshocked wrote:Talking about refs - how is Glen Jackson doing these days?

Interesting question that, because a couple of weeks ago I was having a few beers with a couple of referees and they were saying that Glenn Jackson is finding it real hard at the moment because hes been told that he has to ref Internationals as per all the IRB policies and directives and this flies against all of Jacksons instincts and feelings for the game (Built on many years playing the game at first class level) the result being that he isnt, in the opinions of some, reffing anywhere near as well now as he was a year ago.

aucklandlaurie that's a shame.

Biltong why?

beshocked wrote:aucklandlaurie that's a shame.

Biltong why?

WHen he started I thought he was good, these days he is quick on the whistle at times, and watching a few games this season, he isn't very consistent in his interpretations either.

Biltong I agree, and its a real shame because this guy could have contributed so much to Rugby, and its just going to be regulated out of him.

Unfortuantely Clancy isn't even the worst of the Irish

Fitzgibbon wins that hand down

geoff998rugby wrote:Unfortuantely Clancy isn't even the worst of the Irish

Fitzgibbon wins that hand down

McDowell Always get him mixed up with Wilkinson....cant stand him

geoff998rugby wrote:Unfortuantely Clancy isn't even the worst of the Irish

Fitzgibbon wins that hand down

See you Fitzgibbon and raise you Leo Colgan.

A mickey mouse league deserves mickey mouse officials....   

Jimpy wrote:A mickey mouse league deserves mickey mouse officials....    

Well the Pro12 needs a sponsor next season, Disney Pro12 or Mighty Mickey's Pro12 could work   

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/news/referee-update-lyndon-bray/

Examples of the games in question and a report.

Sooo - Bray (a kiwi) has dropped SA, Aus and Arg refs from the SANZAR panel and won't be replacing them. Surely this means more games will be reffed by NZ refs in the remaining games.

I smell a rat.

Huh? Each ref will get more game time.