rugbyfisher

In the aftermath of yesterday’s match perhaps it is time to reflect on the IRB management of match officials. I hope that the IRB will not take an arrogant aloof position against criticism regarding criticism about mismanagement. For the future of the game the rugby public deserve better. I believe the IRB have employed a cavalier attitude in their selection of the match officials and have failed to properly apply appropriate neutrality measures. Their lack in this aspect does a disservice to the officials themselves and fuels the conspiracy theorists which spreads dissatisfaction like a cancer. Perhaps it is time for them to utilise the Sam Warburton incident to reflect upon their management and selection of match officials.
Taking the Wales and France game, the selection of Mr. ROLAND was madness not only might he have been aggrieved that Wales had knocked out his home country in the quarter final but he is half French. This selection was undertaken when Mr. KAPLAN was running the line, a referee whose home country was out of the competition and as such would have been neutral to every observer.
The pressure the IRB have placed upon Mr ROLAND is sadly likely to remain with him for the rest of his career. This is grossly unfair as the Referees job is unenviable. Unfortunately, now for Mr. ROLAND whenever he officiates upon a Welsh or French match either on the International stage or within a European competition his every decision will come under the greatest scrutiny. Worse than that as a human being he is bound to be under internalised pressure.
Other examples of poor official selections within this World Cup exist:
1.the selection Bryce Lawrence (NZL) to officiate in the South African Australia quarter final when NZ were a probable future opponent. As it was Mr. LAWRENCE had an appalling game missing much that was in South African favour. A northern hemisphere ref would take all the sting out of the conspiracy theorists.. Or
2. the questionable decision to select French and Welsh touch judges in the NZ v Oz semi final when either Wales or France would have been the opponents in the final.
The rugby paying public need the IRB to ensure that the highest level of official integrity is maintained and that the pressure of allegations of bias is removed from those officiating. This could surely be easily achieved by a applying a simple foreseeability neutrality test, sounds complicated but is so so simple and the lack of such an ethical policy will leave an unnecessary bad taste in what has been an excellent World cup.
To ensure that the rugby paying public do not feel aggrieved by perverse red card decisions do on field officials need the red card sanction. To err is human and officials are no different. A perverse red card mistake means so much in this world of international rugby and is it required? Much pressure would be taken off match officials if they were simply to give a yellow card and allow the citation committee to utilise the ten minutes to determine whether the incident was deserving of a red card. This would surely allow for a fairer more consistent unbiased decision making process which would ultimately go some way to satisfying the rugby paying supporters after all they deserve the best the IRB can deliver.