Australian referee Matt Goddard’s pedantic behaviour in the Bulls’ 19-14 Super 14 win over the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday has not only earned him a dubious ‘record’ for most cards in a Super Rugby game, but has incensed the New Zealanders.
Rugby 365 Goddard, who issued five yellow cards (actually six, as the sixth became a red), ensured that for more than 60 minutes of the game there was never a full quota of players on the field.
The Hurricanes played with 14 men for 29 minutes, the Bulls for 65 minutes.
The referee decided that he was going to clean up the game and stuck consistently to his principles, without really producing a game with space and players with confidence. His efforts at reformation did not work.
The recipients of the yellow cards were Pedrie Wannenburg (offside at a ruck, 19th minute), Ma’a Nonu (tackle offence, 28th), Deon Stegmann (tackle offence, 36th), Scott Waldrom (tackle offence, 42nd), Deon Stegmann (dangerous tackle of the spear variety, 49th) and Jason Eaton (stomping, 50th).
The second yellow card for Stegmann equalled a red, which is probably what his tackle on Conrad Smith deserved in any case.
The Bulls flank, Stegmann, will appear before a SANZAR judicial hearing in Wellington on Saturday and may well face a lengthy ban – as his actions not only injured Smith, but looked ugly.
Smith was taken to hospital for X-rays after the sickening hit.
The Hurricanes may well feel more aggrieved about the match official – labelled a “talkaholic ref” by Kiwi commentators – who issued 13 penalties against the home team and just three against the Bulls.
Both captains, Fourie du Preez for the Bulls and Rodney So’oialo for the Hurricanes, were reserved in their comments of the match official – obviously fearing some sanction should they criticize him – but they did speak of their frustrations with the many cards and penalties.
Du Preez praised his team for “showing great character” to hold on while being down a man for most of the match.
“Being a man down and defending a lot makes it a great win,” Du Preez said.
“It is a bit frustrating with the yellow cards, but it goes both ways.
“Every referee blows it differently and you just have to adapt to his game,” the Bulls captain added.
So’oialo spoke of his “disappointment” with the loss and the “frustration to have so many penalties.
He admitted to having had “a few exchanges” with the referee.
“I think the ref just has to go and look how he refereed the game,” the Hurricanes captain said.
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The second yellow card for Stegmann equalled a red, which is probably what his tackle on Conrad Smith deserved in any case.
And it was also probably the only card that SHOULD have been given in the game.
stegmann got 2 cards in one game
that’s kinda achievement
The Hurricanes may well feel more aggrieved about the match official – labelled a “talkaholic ref” by Kiwi commentators – who issued 13 penalties against the home team and just three against the Bulls.
not sure that FdP can play 1 man down card as it looks that exactly same thing happened to hurricanes
i’ve been challenegd to a game of Wii Bowling,
Gotta go.
I haven’t seen Stegman’s alleged spear yet, but by the sounds of things he’s going to get nailed.
@rekinek (Comment 2) : he gets -20 on FL
@robdylan (Comment 7) :
I Got 172 on bowling.
Rematch
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : No more rugby for the day, Cricketers are on lunch, might as well keep us updated with your Wii bowling scores.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : cheat
@McLovin (Comment 9) :
4 strikes in the second leg 2 frames to go.
I win the 2nd game as well
142 to 140.
I WIN I WIN
Kette Loses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) : Aren’t the kids playing?
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 10) :
CHEAT?????????
It’s Wii. I didn’t do a thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Except for WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
@McLovin (Comment 13) :
No. We want to win now and then
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) : no one likes an arrogant show-off
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 16) :
Heheheheh
Why did the thing call me a turkey?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 17) : i don’t know, ask your 8 year old, she’s had that a few times before too
@KSA Sharkette (Comment 18) :
Okay and with that we conclude today’s lunch break entertainment
Kette 0
Shark 3
@robdylan (Comment 7) : ouch.
i did not watch the game but from the sound of things he will probably get cited so whoever has him will be trading
@McLovin (Comment 9) : yip no more rugby for today
guess nobody getting up tomorrow morning to watch the freestaters.
@rekinek (Comment 21) :
Didn’t watch the Match.
Didn’t read the article.
……….
The Bulls flank, Stegmann, will appear before a SANZAR judicial hearing in Wellington on Saturday and may well face a lengthy ban – as his actions not only injured Smith, but looked ugly.
@rekinek (Comment 22) :
I HAVE to get up.
Here is the scary part, if you really want to, you can justify these actions by the ref saying he simply applied the laws.
He did warn both teams before, and was left with no option but start dishing up cards.
Some refs ‘manage’ thing better than what Goddard did but tecnically, he was not wrong.
And I can guarrantee you that is how the refereeing fraternity will defend it too.
@rekinek (Comment 22) : the who?
@Morné (Comment 25) :
I tend to agree.
I will never forget, we had a law session in Dbn the one evening and TT’s favourite ref was giving us some feedback from SARU.
We were discussing the IRB and SARU instruction that referees MUST be strict and penalise teams if the ball is not put in straight. His comment was something along the lines of. “I won’t be the 1st referee to be seen to be doing it though”
And that sort of sums it up here. The HAS to have been an instruction for this to happen and Goddard has just taken it to the letter of the law where nobody else has dared do it for fear of looking like a Matt Goddard
Here is an interesting question though.
HAVE the S14 Law makers who decided to play the inbred ELVs (Ag I mean Hybrid) realised that the FK sanction for infringements at the rucks is cocking the game up completely and are now trying to rectify it?
Or is Goddard on a crusade to show the FK sanction is cocking the game up?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) :
Thats the point KSA and you nailed it.
It is the inbred laws that has contributed to this situation today, not the ref, he simply applied and acted on what he has been instructed with.
Its a balls up now doubt, and not good for rugby, and I still think Goddard is a tool, but he did not do much wrong.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 23) : at least reads a blog
Mind you there were one bigger tool in the game today and that was Murray Mexted…
Does he know how the laws of the game work?
my few cents worth – i like games reffed by mark lawrence because they flow and the reason is because he probably applies new laws sparingly.
Bulls flank Deon Stegmann and Hurricanes lock Jason Eaton will both appear before a SANZAR Judicial Officer, after being cited for separate incidents in Friday’s Super 14 match between the Hurricanes and the Bulls in Wellington.
Please DON’T get me wrong though. I DO like the ELV’s but NOT the Inbred S14 ELV’s
@KSA Shark © (Comment 3) :
I think that stat is wrong. A card for every penalty will surely be bizarre.
@fyndraai (Comment 35) :
I agree, but there was also Stegman’s 2nd Yellow Card that did NOT see a penalty given. Play had gone so far ahead that to bring them back for a PK would have been a DISadvantage to the hurricanes.
Only watched this match last night & the ref might a have been technically correct. But he came across as an egotistical pedantic little dictator. Not good imo.
@McLovin (Comment 37) :
I LOVED
the Way he tuned Eaton “wait here!!!!!” before he gave him the card.
Guys like this give us a bad name.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 38) : And saying to the players something like ‘I won’t allow you to slow down MY ball’
Not a good PR exercise for refs.
Compare him to Mark Lawrence today. Night & Day.