SANZAR dumps four referees for next week

[TRF Mr Fish]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9229537,00.html

SANZAR has relieved four referees - Stuart Berry, Francisco Pastrana, James Leckie and Lourens van der Merwe - of duty due to performance.

Berry, along with Angus Gardner, Andrew Lees and Matt O'Brien, are not scheduled for primary refereeing appointments in the coming fortnight.

That quartet will be considered for Rounds 9-10.

Van der Merwe and Francisco Pastrana have been stripped of refereeing duties this weekend and are replaced by Steve Walsh and Nick Briant.

"We have always strived to have strong accountability within our team and importantly, accountability for the competition. As such, we have always sought to conduct ourselves in a fair, transparent and open manner," said SANZAR Game Manager Lyndon Bray.

"One of our core strategic objectives is to grow the depth of the team that is able to referee 'any game, any time.' In line with this, we have reduced the size of the team heading into the next phase of the competition and in doing so, have recognised who has performed to expectation and who has not.

"The aim is to give this smaller pool of referees more game time so when it comes to the Finals Series, there's a great deal of pressure around who will earn those highly sought after appointments and from a Super Rugby perspective, that the competition is getting a consistent high standard of refereeing."

ROUND 7 (revised appointments)
Crusaders v Hurricanes - Nick Briant
Rebels v Brumbies - Jaco Peyper
Blues v Highlanders - Steve Walsh
Reds v Stormers - Chris Pollock
Bulls v Chiefs - Craig Joubert
Sharks v Waratahs - Mike Fraser

ROUND 8 (no change)
Highlanders v Rebels - Chris Pollock
Brumbies v Blues - Rohan Hoffmann
Hurricanes v Bulls - Steve Walsh
Reds v Force - Garratt Williamson
Cheetahs v Chiefs - Craig Joubert
Lions v Crusaders - Marius van der Westhuizen
Stormers v Waratahs - Glen Jackson

 

[Gena_ZA]

and Peyper is still there - this is turning into a circus

 

[Draggs]

Bring back Mark Lawrence.

What happened to Jonker? Must have fallen off the face of the earth?

 

[Gena_ZA]

He retired end of 2012

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Hahaaha! The Bulls got Craig Joubert. More pain!

 

[Bull]

Sanzar should rather go back to neutral refs then there should be less finger pointing I reckon. As for Lourens vd Merwe, Peyper and Berry they are ****!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Sanzar should rather go back to neutral refs then there should be less finger pointing I reckon. As for Lourens vd Merwe, Peyper and Berry they are ****!

Agreed, agreed, agreed and agreed.

Whatever happened to that Rhasta guy? He seemed quite competent. I saw him ref one or two 7's games. I hope that doesn't mean he is there full time! We need good refs.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Suddenly Jafta seems to be quite an okay ref...

 

[Bull]

http://www.sport24.co.za/MySport24/Fans-take-aim-at-referees-20140325

 

[dasNdanger]

Will it help?


I think part of the problem is that laws keep changing, and so perhaps while refs are busy learning the latest scrum laws they're forgetting how the rest of the game is played. I know they receive training, but maybe the sport as a whole just needs to slow down a bit (change-wise) to let folks catch up so that everyone is on the same page.

I also think the expanded TMO powers have caused problems. Things just seemed to work much better (and with less controversy) when touch judges and the guy on the pitch made the majority of the decisions, without God in the Box interfering unless there was a grounding or final movement question.


das

 

[SomeOke]

For what it's worth I was under the impression that Stuart Berry's performance against the Reds was checked and he was cleared - i.e. he has not been dropped.
The other three have been but I don't think this website is accurate.