Controversial Aussie rugby ref Matt Goddard has been stood down for this weekend’s round of Super 14 rugby following in the wake of his card-fest at the Cake Tin last Friday night.
Stuff.co.nz reports that Goddard has been left off the appointments for round seven by Sanzar’s referee selection panel while he undergoes a review of his performance.
Goddard brandished five yellow and one red card in a performance that drew fierce criticism from pundits as the Bulls rolled the Hurricanes 19-14 in a dire match at Westpac Stadium.
The bolshy Australian was also heavily criticised for his manner with the players that bordered on the inappropriate.
At one stage he told giant Bulls lock Bakkies Botha: “You’ve got big ears, so use them.”
He also repeatedly referred to “my” ball and “my” play in his discussions with players as he had the revolving door spinning en route to the sinbin.
New Zealand referees boss Lyndon Bray confirmed the Aussie was left off the appointments this week while he went through his assessment process.
“The high performance coach in Australia (Andrew Cole) lead a review with Matthew. Matthew does a self-review and he’s been incredibly honest and open about his performance,” Bray told TVNZ’s One News.
“That gets fed to the Sanzar selectors and that helps weigh up when you bring him back in the competition.”
Goddard could be back for round eight, providing the refs panel finds his performance was up to standard.
Appointments for this weekend:
Blues v NSW Waratahs, Auckland, Friday 7.35pm (Craig Joubert, SA);
Highlanders v Bulls, Palmerston North, Saturday 5.30pm (Vinny Munro, NZ);
Crusaders v Stormers, Christchurch, Saturday 7.35pm (Keith Brown, NZ);
Queensland Reds v Chiefs, Brisbane, Saturday 10.05pm (Ian Smith, Aus);
Sharks v ACT Brumbies, Durban, Sunday 4am (Bryce Lawrence, NZ);
Lions v Hurricanes, Johannesburg, Sunday 6.10am (Jonathan Kaplan, SA).
Bye – Western Force – Cheetahs
Teams: Western Force v Cheetahs
Venue: “Bye” Centennial Stadium
Referee: Matt Goddard
You must be kidding me
I hope it won’t be third time lucky for Brycie
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : A match against the Cheetahs is almost like a bye. But you get 5 points.
Bryce Lawrence referring the Sharks v Brumbies.
WHy do I have this feeling of Deja Vu?
On that note. Some variation in LMS strategies this week I see.
@McLovin (Comment 3) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 4) : and he has been so good to us lately
joking with fransie beginning of second half.
maybe he is on supporters’ tour
@McLovin (Comment 3) :
You are the pits ekse
@rekinek (Comment 6) :
Bryce… hmmmm
At one stage he told giant Bulls lock Bakkies Botha: “You’ve got big ears, so use them.”
This was just HILARIOUS!! he should be careful..Bakkies has HUGE hands too!!
@Prof. Ice (Comment 10) : I think he actually hurt Bakies’ feelings.
@McLovin (Comment 11) :
Nahh…he’s skin is too thick…almost like him…
What I would think is that Bakkies was so surprised by that comment, he was shocked to silence!! 
@Prof. Ice (Comment 12) : With a nickname like ‘Bakkies’ he must be used to having his looks criticised.
@Prof. Ice (Comment 12) : and obedience
@rekinek (Comment 14) :
i can just imagine in the changerooms afterwards…Bakkies:…KAN jy daai klein snotkop glo??? Vir MY ko staan en vertel ek moet my groot ore gebruik??”" Ek moes hom sommer net da geblix*@ het!!
@McLovin (Comment 13) : LOL – maybe u r right!
I am not sure which one I pefer, Bryce is so inconsistant. So I am not all that busy as you can see so I picked my british lions squad, what you think? I will admit I have to drop two players to get to 35, but not sure who??
O’Connell (Ireland), A-W Jones (Wales), S Shaw (England), Donncha O’Callaghan (Ireland).
Full-backs: L Byrne (Wales), R Kearney (Ireland), D Armitage (England).
Wings: S Williams (Wales), T Bowe (Ireland), J Lewsey (England), L Fitzgerald (Ireland).
Centres: B O’Driscoll (Ireland, capt), G Henson (Wales), T Shanklin (Wales), R Flutey (England).
Fly-halves: R O’Gara (Ireland), S Jones (Wales), J Wilkinson (England).
Scrum-halves: M Phillips (Wales), P Stringer (Ireland), H Ellis (England)
Props: G Jenkins (Wales), E Murray (Scotland), P Vickery (England), A Jones (Wales), A Sheridan (England) T Hayes (Ireland)
Hookers: R Ford (Scotland), J Flannery (Ireland), M Rees (Wales).
Locks
Flankers: M Williams (Wales), D Wallace (Ireland), J Worsley (England), T Croft (England), S Ferris (Ireland).
No 8s: J Heaslip (Ireland), R Jones (Wales).
@Whindy (Comment 16) :
Just a quick glance over the list and there seems to be some good names in there but i have only seen one 6N match and that was the final on., So I can’t really give too much input.
Still 67 days to go, and lots of Club rugby to come, but I am not at all impressed with the fly halves, hence my Wilkonson bolter. That is one thing I am sorry to miss, by being up here
@Whindy (Comment 16) : only 4 Joneses
@Whindy (Comment 18) : was about to say that u may drop wilkinson – he will get hurt
but it must be worrying for mcgeechan that o’gara is actually one of the best flyhalves they have hehehe
@Whindy (Comment 18) :
@rekinek (Comment 20) :
O’gara would be my first choice and then cotton-wool Weaknesson for a cameo here and there when needed.
@Whindy (Comment 18) :
So you giving ME your tickets if you win one of the competitions?
@rekinek(Comment 20) Agree,
but they really have very little depth at Flyhalf, hope the bring Carriati so we can inflict some more pain on him 
Capriati
@KSA Shark (Comment 22) With Pleasure, you got any contacts at Ethiad for plane tickets, heard the Saffas are well in there.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 21) : i do not mind o’gara – he can’t kick. his performance during 6N final was really miles better than his previous
@KSA Shark (Comment 26)He is probably the best they have and when he is on, he is very good, he hurt us badly three years ago when they beat us on the grand slam tour, but has been very consistent just lately
bryce has reffed two games against the the sharks this year. he is poor and he will allow george smith to kill the ball, while our guys will be penalised to hell. he got a few big calls wrong on saturday against the force. twice our chasers caught a force player by himself with the ball, the first time he ignored (i think it was) connor holding onto the ball long enough to turn himself around to face his team while two sharks were on their feet fighting for it. the second jp was penalised for going off his feet, yet he never fell once. the guy is poor. but he was also poor for the force to although those decisions wouldn’t have resulted in force tries. all we can hope is the crowd will put him under pressure. they must heckle all his bad calls so he sees he is being watched.
@McLovin (Comment 11) : bakkies is a rock and rocks don’t have feelings
@try time (Comment 28) : that first one had me literally screaming at the TV
@try time (Comment 29) : oh as i said on sunday bryce made at least 9 bad calls at breakdown in the 1st twenty minutes. i gave up counting as it was far too depressing to think this was a top tier ref. i still have the game on tape if anyone wants to stress themselves before saturday.
@robdylan (Comment 30) : yeah i would have too if i was watching it live. that should have been a penalty to the sharks. i must say it is far better on the nerves knowing the result b4 watching the game.
@try time (Comment 28) :
@robdylan (Comment 30) :
Is there maybe something that we are missing with those calls, its the third one that I can recall involving the Sharks where they kick ahead and the sole defender gathers, goes to ground and seems to hold on for dear life eventually outmuscling the 3 Sharks attackers, who are on their feet, long enough for his retreating support to get back and save the situation. Logic tells one that there is no way that that ball could come out on the oppositions side legally.
@try time (Comment 32) : that should have been a yellow card, at the very least. He CLEARLY played the ball on the ground when he was tackled and held by a Sharks player, with two other Sharks players on their feet and trying contest. It was a shocking call and lead me the conclusion that he is either completely blind, amazingly stupid, or a blatant cheat.
@Salmonoid (Comment 33) : well, Saturday’s one was just a piss-poor call. There’s no other way to put it
@Salmonoid (Comment 33) : mmm i think that is why rugby is in the state it is in, because the quality of refs has made a mockery of the laws. no-one actually knows what the laws are anymore, because the ones on paper aren’t the ones being blown on the field.
@robdylan (Comment 34) : mmm after his performance in the sharks brumbies game last year, you would think he was an aussie supporter.
I hate to burst everyone’s bubble about the JP call, but go watch it again. JP’s knee clearly hit the ground as he was contesting for the ball. The ref was right there, and as soon as his knee hit the ground, the hand went out for the advantage. Sorry, first time I saw it, I agreed he was on his feet, but after watching again, I noticed the knee.
The knee going to the ground was also very clear from the angle they showed on All Out Rugby.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 38) : the angle they showed in the replay had him standing the whole time. even the commentators said it was harsh. and they are aussie.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 39) : ok i’ll take your word for it. but the first one definately was illegal and not punished.
@try time (Comment 40) : Go watch again TT, I did, and the knee was only for an instant, but it was very clear, and if you watch that and the ref, you can see exactly why he called it. I am no Bryce Lawrence defender, but in that case, he got it right.
@try time (Comment 41) : Agree with you that the first one should have been punished, and a yellow was not out of the question for that. It was quite cynical. JP was purely a physical “mistake”, as he was trying very hard to stay on his feet and compete legally.
I think the Sharks have been very clever with the way they have handled Bryce Lawrence so far. I have mentioned before that I like the fact they are getting some light moments with him, laughing etc. Apparently they will get him as their referee a lot this season, so having a “positive” relationship can only help. Personally, I feel he has been much better this year than he has in the past. I used to think he “cheated” against the Sharks, now, I don’t think so, he misses calls, and I don’t agree with how he calls the breakdown, but I don’t think he is biased.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 44) : not biased… just incompetent
@Whindy (Comment 16) : Whindy
You have got the majority of selections right…but in my opinion, the following will also make the squad:
Jamie Roberts (Wales) …big and strong and has utility value, can cover centre, fullback and wing
Mike Blair (Scotland) …has had a poor season by his standards but as a Scot, McGeechan will know all about him. Peter Stringer will not make it, as he’s only 2nd choice Irish scrumhalf. Dwayne Peel has a chance.
Lewsey…has a chance of making squad because of his relationship with Geech at Wasps but I think he may just be overlooked. Either Mark Jones of Wales, Thom Evans of Scotland or Paul Sackey (England) will probably be ahead in the queue.
Nathan Hines is a CERTAINTY at lock if fit. And I also can’t see John Hayes making the squad.
If they picked a starting Lions fifteen tomorrow..I would venture it would go something like this:
15 Byrne (Wales)
14 Bowe (Ireland)
13 O’Driscoll (Ireland)
12 Flutey (England)
11 Williams (Wales)
10 Jones (Wales)
9 Phillips (Wales)
1 Sheridan (Eng)
2 Flannery (Ireland)
3 Murray (Scotland)
4 Hines (Scotland)
5 O’Connell (Ireland)
6 Ferris (Ireland)
7 Wallace (Ireland)
8 Jones (Wales)
Bench: Armitage, Henson, Blair, Croft, Wyn-Jones, Thomas, A.Jones
Bryce’s Daddy is an official on the NZ Reffing Board, so nobody in NZ is critical of him. I only read about his incompetence on SA web sites
. So I would imagine nothing would ever be done about him. Probably the game is too fast for him, hence he is not at the right spot at the right time, and that is why he is allowing players to hold onto the ball in tackle situations. Its funny at the start of the compo I heard they were going to police the scrum put-ins what a laugh in most scrums the hooker needn’t be there as the ball is going straight to the locks. The refs are probably far more distracted by saying touchy feely engage than anything else. 
Maybe they are jealous that the props are having all this loving 
and hence the reason for this being a problem during the game 