2011 S15: Refs for finals

[PaarlBok]

Sport 24

Lawrence to ref S15 final
Cape Town - SANZAR has confirmed the four referees who will control matches in the Super Rugby Finals Series over the next three weekends.

The SANZAR Referee Selection Team has appointed Bryce Lawrence, Chris Pollock, Jonathan Kaplan and Craig Joubert to control the two Finals Series Qualifiers, the two Semi Finals and the Final.

Lawrence and Pollock will referee the Finals Series Qualifiers this weekend - Lawrence taking charge of the Crusaders vs Sharks in Nelson on Saturday and Pollock refereeing the clash between the Blues and the Waratahs in Auckland on Friday.

Kaplan and Joubert will be in charge of the semi-finals next weekend with Kaplan set to referee the Reds' home tie in Brisbane and Joubert due to take the whistle for the Stormers home semi-final in Cape Town.

It has also been confirmed that Lawrence will referee the Super Rugby Final after the selectors determined that he had been the best performing referee throughout the competition.

SANZAR Game Manager, Lyndon Bray, said he was satisfied that the processes applied in 2011 had culminated in these four referees being selected for the Super Rugby Finals Series.

"After completing our ratings of the 16-strong SANZAR referees squad we canvassed the fifteen team coaches for their inputs," said Bray.

"It was really pleasing that our selections were confirmed by the feedback received from the coaches. We took into consideration the form of each referee throughout the 21 weeks of competition, and then considered the best 'fit' for the Finals Series. We have decided to use those considered as our four best, determining that the referee who controls the Final should also referee a Qualifier to prevent him from having three successive weeks on the sidelines."

As part of SANZAR's detailed review and evaluation process, all team coaches were invited to rate their 'top 5' referees in the competition.
These results were collated and taken into consideration when the Finals Series appointments were made.

"You like to think that by the time you get to the Finals, the decisions largely take care of themselves," said Bray.

"The very comprehensive review process we follow each week, helps us to make our decisions logically and with a real confidence.

However, there are always going to be referees who can consider themselves unlucky when it comes to selection.

"In terms of the four selected, I am delighted for each of them, as they have all worked incredibly hard to deliver the best possible outcomes for the teams and the game in this competition," Bray said.

Super Rugby Semi-final Appointments

Saturday 2 July, Reds vs TBC in Brisbane, 11:40

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
AR 1: Stuart Dickinson
AR 2: James Leckie
TMO: George Ayoub

Saturday 2 July, Stormers vs TBC in Cape Town, 17:05

Referee: Craig Joubert
AR 1: Marius Jonker
AR 2: Stefan Breytenbach
TMO: Shaun Veldsman

 

[Set piece magic]

Well we know it's going to be dramatic in Brisbane with Kaplan on board... I can make a list of all the stuff he has done

6 minutes injury time 2000...
Hands in the ruck 2008...

Those are the things which costed two teams titles, many a list more of game winners...

 

[barbarian]

It does annoy me to see Kaplan with a Semi-final. It shows he is still rated highly by the referee powers-that-be, despite still possessing the ability to absolutely butcher a game. Would much prefer to see Mark Lawrence given the semi. Also would have Joubert over Bryce for the final.

 

[antipodean]

It is unfathomable that Bryce Lawrence gets to ref at this level, let alone a final. I always suspected his elevation in the New Zealand ranks had everything to do with nepotism, but surely Lyndon Bray can see Bryce isn't up to it.

I'm happy with Chris Pollock and Craig Joubert. Pollock is progressing nicely and Joubert is clearly the best referee in the SH. Mark Lawrence can feel hard done by. Perhaps Lyndon meant to say Mark and stuffed it up?

 

[Hawko]

Talk about misfortune added upon misfortune!!! If somehow we scrape a win against the odds this week we can look forward to Kaplan for the third time this year!!! The rugby gods have not been kind.

Then if we do the million to one shot we get Bryce Lawrence in the final, who basically flips coins to decide who to penalise.

In a way I would be happy with a close loss. A win would send my stress levels beyond the stratosphere next Saturday.

 

[PaarlBok]

Talk about misfortune added upon misfortune!!! If somehow we scrape a win against the odds this week we can look forward to Kaplan for the third time this year!!! The rugby gods have not been kind.

Then if we do the million to one shot we get Bryce Lawrence in the final, who basically flips coins to decide who to penalise.

In a way I would be happy with a close loss. A win would send my stress levels beyond the stratosphere next Saturday.

Going to be epic if the Sharks qualify for that Brisbane semi.

 

[ChargerWA]

I'm not all that fussed about neutral refs through the regular season, as I feel the guys at the top have enough integrity to be fair, but for the finals wouldn't you just do it to ward off the potential comments that a ref favoured the team from his country?

 

[PaarlBok]

I'm not all that fussed about neutral refs through the regular season, as I feel the guys at the top have enough integrity to be fair, but for the finals wouldn't you just do it to ward off the potential comments that a ref favoured the team from his country?

Here we start all over again. As you can see this has been announced a bit to early. They sure cant wait till the teams for the final have been decided and most probable we just may end up with some neutral refs along the way. Aussie simply dont contribute enough quality refs and that give the current imbalance.

 

[barbarian]

Yeah agree with Paarl here. We don't have enough top quality refs at the moment for neutrality to be a viable concept. Stuey is OK but would not fill me with confidence running out onto Newlands to officiate a Stormers/Crusaders final. I am sure the coaching staff of both sides would feel the same way.

 

[Ash]

What did Mark Lawrence do to always be overlooked?

He is a much muuch better ref than Bryce Lawrence and Kaplan.