2 November 2011
I have been a avid rugby fan since I can remember and try not to miss a game. I played rugby for 6 years until I sustained a rib injury that saw me having to undergo surgery to my chest and ending my rugby career at age 16. From then on in I have watched every game I could and studied the rules and laws to better understand the game and for more enjoyment of the game.
Over the last couple of seasons however I have become more and more annoyed with spectators and commentators as they blame the referee when the team they support loses. Please don't get me wrong, I have also laid blame before the door of a referee or two when they have made blatant mistakes that had an impact on a close game. A point of reverence is Bryce Lawrence in the recent World Cup quarter-final between the Springboks and Wallabies. His performance was to say at most shocking. But not every game is refereed in this manner.
Over the last couple of seasons however I have become more and more annoyed with spectators and commentators as they blame the referee when the team they support loses. Please don't get me wrong, I have also laid blame before the door of a referee or two when they have made blatant mistakes that had an impact on a close game. A point of reverence is Bryce Lawrence in the recent World Cup quarter-final between the Springboks and Wallabies. His performance was to say at most shocking. But not every game is refereed in this manner.
Take the semi-final between Wales and France as an example. Allan Roland had no choice but to give a red card to Sam Warburton for the tackle on Vincent Clerq. The laws are clear that a tip tackle or spear tackle is dangerous play that is to be sanctioned with a red card. What made the tackle worse is that Warburton dropped Clerq and didn't bring him down safely. Yet everyone not supporting France wanted Roland's head for the decision he made.
During the recent Absa Currie Cup competition I attended a game between the Lions and Bulls and again realised that most supporters don't know the laws of the game yet they will jeer the referee when he applies the laws. At one stage a player clearly didn't release the tackled player and started playing the ball, when the referee penalised him the Bulls supporters started booing him. One even made the comment that the referee doesn't know his own name let alone the rules. Yet his decision was correct.
After the Currie Cup final I had to listen to how bad Mark Lawrence was during the game and that it was the reason for the Sharks losing the game. This after they lost 42-16. And the only real mistake Lawrence made was in awarding a Sharks try after it was clear Willem Alberts, the try scorer, had knocked the ball on. The Lions on the other hand complained about a yellow card to CJ vd Linde after he body slammed Keegan Daniel at a ruck. Again they could be glad it wasn't a red card as it was preceded by a shoulder charge to clear out Daniel before he was flipped head over heels on to his back.It has become clear to me that most rugby supporters are ignorant to the laws of the game they so love. Referees are blamed for their team losing when in fact most of the time the team played poorly or the other team was just better than them. What is concerning is that more and more coaches and players are starting to do the same. And these are guys that should know the laws. They are quick to criticise the referee but forget to mention the times they were lucky not to be penalised for mistakes they made in the same game.
My plea is to all rugby supporters, players, coaches and commentators to stop blaming the referee for the mistakes he makes. Remember he is just human. Players make mistakes on the field and no one criticise them. Coaches are not always as lucky, they are just behind referees when blame is dished out. Commentators get stats wrong and even scores are communicated incorrectly but nothing is said about this. In the end it is still just a game. True a game that makes a lot of money and winning makes the difference in how much money, but it is still just a game.
"Dear rugby supporter until you are a qualified referee or can proof that you know the laws better than the referee, shut your trap." The IRB is looking into using the TMO more and this will help. But until then just enjoy the game you love.
But this is just my view......
By David van der Merwe
