Canberra – A senior Australian Rugby Union official agreed on Monday with aspects of a written complaint about South African referee Willie Roos’s performance during the Brumbies’ loss to the Hurricanes on Friday night.
National referees manager for Australian rugby Peter Marshall said Roos’s decision to award 39 penalties and free kicks – effectively blowing his whistle once every two minutes – had an unwanted negative impact on the game, reports the Canberra Times.
His comments came in response to a letter Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher sent to him on the weekend, expressing frustration and disappointment at Roos’s performance.
Marshall indicated Roos, who has only been in charge of six Super 14 matches, should have yellow-carded players for repeated infringements if his penalty tally was so high.
“While free-kicks are generally tap-and-go, we don’t want so many stoppages, it’s not good for the game,” Marshall said.
“If there was a need for so many stoppages, maybe Willie could have looked at taking further action against players.
“You would think that with 39 cases, there should have been further action taken against players at some stage during the game.”
Roos’s constant whistle-blowing clearly frustrated both sides. Of the 39 stoppages 29 came at the ruck, two were for illegal tackles, four from scrums and four from other infringements.
A fired-up Fisher on Monday revealed he took his frustrations to the ARU in the hope of preventing a repeat performance when the Brumbies host the Cheetahs on Friday night.
Roos has not been appointed to a game this weekend, but that has nothing to do with last weekend’s performance.
Instead, Sanzar appointed referees for the first six rounds prior to the start of the season.
“I’ve sent an email through to seek clarification on whether they’re looking for any consistency or whether they’re happy for each referee to just interpret it in their own fashion,” an agitated Fisher said.
“Thirty nine free-kick penalties in a game of footy is not what anybody wants. I think better management and the re-introduction of a ruck to professional rugby would be good.”
Roos’s performance will be officially reviewed in a teleconference on Thursday.
Marshall welcomed Fisher’s feedback.
“Laurie has some gripes which is fine… most coaches after they lose have usually got gripes about the referee,” he said.
“Certainly there were some issues in the game and Laurie probably has some good points.
“We do encourage the referee and the coach to talk about any issue they may have, not so much to vent frustration but to talk things out, and I’ll be encouraging Willie and Laurie to have a chat.”
Statistics show the introduction of the ELVs has had minor influence on some aspects of the game but a major impact on others.
In the first four rounds of 2008, the ball has been in play an average of 34 minutes per match, only one minute more than the same period in 2007. The most telling stat is in the first four rounds, there has been an average of 16 free-kicks per game, up from two per game last season.
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That’s a meaningless stat. Why not compare the average penalties per game as well to see the real impact?
Willie Roos could not fathom the breakdowns at all but happily blew his whistle in the sort of performance which would make Schalk Burger’s blood boil faster than usual.
This is what Greg Gowden had to say about Roos performance on the weekend.
Thought thats what going to happen. I am pretty proud of SA refs like Kaplan & specially Lawrence but Doos needs to go to prymary school rugby. He is a disgrace for SA Rugby and hope I’ll never saw him again with a whistle.
Roos actually had a DAMN good game when he reffed the Force v Saders the previous weekend.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut eventually
I havent watch that game but I can remember of some critics from the Kiwis on TSF about that game KSA.
Rob watch this blind Squirrels words, he wont be long reffing S14 or CC games, thats for sure. That kind of ref hang himself like Klappe Henning.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut eventually
18.03.08 09:58:42 – robdylan
morning all…
One good game out of how many bad ones KSA? Think he is a bit useless.
Also heard the comments made by the commentators about JC Fortuin – they didn’t think he was worthy of reffing S14 games either. A bit embarrassing for SA.
Hi BS!
PB – I was referring to Roos, not you 😉
Nessa – go look at the new “Photos” page…
Cool Rob – Neen is so proud of the one of her and Fred! Still haven’t hear the end of that one.
We never leave a game without taking a picture with Adi – I was called an Adi hogger after Loftus.
And, of course, the one of Waz and I taken from the back (with my No. 12 jersey which of course was Trevor Halstead’s number).
“hear”? “heard” 😳
well – over time, I want to extend the photo section… so please, keep those snaps coming, all of you.
Thanks to Sharks Lover for most of them…
Nessa – still amazed how much your daughter looks like you.
The less said about Roos the better…
Thanks BS – wish I had her blue eyes though!
RD – don’t ask for more photos – I will send you this deluge of pics that I have taken over the years. Just kidding – will see if I can find one or two different ones.
send them all!
You will be sorry! 😉
Have sent you one with your favourite player – Rudi Keil! 😉
it’s ok… I will draw horns on him before I put it up 😉
Talking about Roos – wasn’t he the linesman in the S14 final who missed the crucial happenings?
Thought you would like that one RD! 😉
No… that was Brett Bowden, I think
It must be very hard for the refs to take part in S14 proceedings and then go and ref in a 6 Nations game where the rules are different.
the sooner we all agree on one set of laws, the better
Assistant referees:
Lyndon Bray
Bryce Lawrence
Television match official:
Kelvin Deaker
We all know who was the ref…
BS – thanks for that. As you say, we all know who the ref was!
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/wp-content/gallery/test/Blues%20Janine%20and%20Rocco.JPG
Is that Joe Rockothoko’s wallet or is he just happy to see Tiger???
LOL @ wpw. 😉 She looks so pale and small next to him. Such a nice guy though.
I thought Keegan Daniel was small ❓
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/wp-content/gallery/test/Blues%20Keegan%20Janine%20and%20me.JPG
Nessa is your family like only two bricks high?
KSA – how did you guess? 😳
Shoo, I’m glad i did’nt offend you Nessa.
Was stressing a bit after i posted that…
You seem to give Rob a run for his money when it comes to supporting the Sharks… 😎
Looking at that picture again – I seem to remember Keegan was standing on the railing. 😉
wpw – not a chance! Not that narrow-minded! 😉
I warned Rob – he would be very sorry he asked everyone to keep sending in pictures – I have about a million on my pc.
I want more… more, more!
The problem with Roos is, well, he’s actually not very good at all…
Now that the 6N is over we will have Marius Jonker, Kaplan and Craig Joubert back to referee in the S14. 😎
I started training to be a ref this year, it’s not easy!
I am SERIOUSLY considering retiring as one this year. 🙁
In SA we would do on average 2-3 matches a week. Over here I do 1 match every two to three months. 🙁
In Dbn i could stay in shape with a game of touch and a run one or twice a week with the rugby doing the rest for me. no such luck over here.
KSA – I have always thought how fit these poor refs must be to keep up with the game. Not an easy task.
Eish Oubaas.
Are you getting too old???
NOPE!!!!!
And if you are fit your mind is only used to referee the game.
if you are UNfit your mind has to be used to command your legs to move when they don’t want to. 😉
getting????????????? 😆
Qualify as “leeukos” yet, KSA??? 😆
😳 not just yet! 😳
Although i suspect my opinion may not be totally objective. 😉
May have to ask Kette to answer that one. 🙄
Ice – he isn’t going to be “leeukos” – he is going to be “tiger tit bits”.
OE-La-La!!! Lucky KSA or is it UNlucky??!! 😆 😆