Drew Mitchell - not suspended

[TheRiddler]

He admits that he got it wrong and we’re not going to hang him out to dry.

Apart from putting out a media release saying he fucked up and dropping him from his next game. Would hate to see what POB would do if he really wanted to cane someone.

 

[Gnostic]

Yes - Paddy should direct his IRB rulings on the collective view of the G & GR community, because there's no bias in there whatsoever...

SEriously Gnostic, if you focused as much on your own teams indiscretions, as you choose to focus on the opposition, I imagine you'd be quite shocked. The Aussies were into the rucks from the side all day on the weekend.

:lmao:

Me not being critical of the Wallabies play? You better go away and have a look at my other threads/posts. Seriously.

 

[Gnostic]

Apart from putting out a media release saying he fucked up and dropping him from his next game. Would hate to see what POB would do if he really wanted to cane someone.

He could personally visit the team he felt was wronged and appologise for the alleged incompetence and then public deride said official, all hyopthetical of because a highly paid professional would never do such a thing.

 

[DPK]

He could personally visit the team he felt was wronged and appologise for the alleged incompetence and then public deride said official, all hyopthetical of because a highly paid professional would never do such a thing.

That's ridiculous, Gnostic. If he had to do that, then every player who knocks on in Christchurch should have to personally apologise to the public.

 

[Gnostic]

That's ridiculous, Gnostic. If he had to do that, then every player who knocks on in Christchurch should have to personally apologise to the public.

Crawling down Elizabeth Street saying to every person "Forgive me I'm unworthy" sounds fine by me.

 

[DPK]

Just leave them to find their own way home from NZ.... without their passports or luggage, which mysteriously dissapear.

 

[Gnostic]

When they try to get back in without papers use the Liberal's policy of no papers not welcome and send them back?

 

[DPK]

Yep, and as we've concluded that none of them are good enough to make the AB's starting lineup, theres no danger there.

 

[Hawko]

That's ridiculous, Gnostic. If he had to do that, then every player who knocks on in Christchurch should have to personally apologise to the public.

I have a suspicion that Gnostic was recalling POB's treatment of Dickinson after the Italy-All Blacks test last year. Perhaps the irony was lost in translation.

 

[#1 Tah]

Justice 4 Schmoo!

http://bit.ly/df6YNh

Mitchell should not have been sent off : O'Brien
August 04, 2010 - 4:05pm
Story by: NZPA

It's official. Qantas Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell should not have been sent off against the All Blacks.

In a revelation that will incense the Wallabies, IRB referees boss Paddy O'Brien admitted as much on Wednesday after South African touch judge Cobus Wessels was stood down from Saturday's return Bledisloe Cup Test in Christchurch.

Wessels has been axed for his recommendation that Mitchell be sinbinned for a first half "late and dangerous tackle" in last Saturday's 49-28 win by the All Blacks - a mistake with big ramifications.

Scrutiny of match footage not shown on the night revealed that ruling to be well wide of the mark, according to O'Brien.

Mitchell went on to be shown a second yellow card for slowing down play after halftime, resulting in an automatic sending off which cost Australia sorely in defence.

New Zealander O'Brien said the alleged tackle by Mitchell on All Blacks captain Richie McCaw was at the minor end of the scale and Wessels had paid the price for his over-reaction.

"If anything, it's lucky to be a penalty," O'Brien said.

"McCaw offloads as he's about to collide with Drew Mitchell, who puts his hands out and pushes him away. So there's no way it's a yellow card offence.

"As a result of that, with the second yellow, Australia went without a player for 30 minutes and that just shouldn't have happened."

O'Brien said Wessels also called an All Blacks lineout throw not straight late in the Test when it was clearly down the middle.

"Assistant referees, we encourage them to intervene in the game but they've got to get it right. There were two decisions made which we felt weren't up to the standard required.

"Cobus has been very understanding, he admits that he got it wrong and we're not going to hang him out to dry. He's got to go away and think about that, referee the Currie Cup and hopefully learn a lesson from it."

Wessels, who will now be the television match official on Saturday, will be replaced on the touch line by New Zealander Keith Brown.

O'Brien said another neutral official, who had to be from South Africa, wouldn't have arrived until Thursday night so agreement from Tri Nations governing body SANZAR to appoint a home town official was sought and given.

Meanwhile, O'Brien defended the refereeing trend this season that has seen a proliferation of yellow and red cards, causing consternation from some teams and supporters.

O'Brien said attention should fall on the actions of the players, not the officials.

"We make no apologies for it. We're very tough on dangerous tackles, especially tip tackles," he said.

"This is the shop window of rugby so we can't have third grade players running around in club rugby tipping someone in the air and putting them down with legs above the horizontal.

"And there's no excuses for the headbutting and the other things that have happened."

However, O'Brien suggested officials overstepped on occasion in what was a difficult area to adjudicate.

"There are concerns that there have been a couple of yellows where the referees have been over-zealous. The game is still a contact sport so we just want the referees to be accurate when it comes to what is foul play and what is hard rugby."

Break out the hair gel!

 

[Scorz]

There was some stat, first time in a loooooooooong time a NZer has been an official for a game involving NZ. I don't like it.

 

[Blue]

Wessels has a history of chirping from the side. He was terrible in the Super 14 trying to get face time from the side lines. I hope we never see his sour face again.

I actually couln't believe he got the gig in the first place. Big mistake from Paddy to have him in the frist place.

 

[Gnostic]

This is the shop window of rugby so we can't have third grade players running around in club rugby tipping someone in the air and putting them down with legs above the horizontal.

Like I posted earlier with the direct quotation of the Law. None of the tackles we have seen cards for except for the JdV (and it was marginal) involved a player getting lifted and turned past horizontal. The refs, and it comes from Paddy "the appologist" Obrien need to rule according to the Law. Go back one page on the thread and read the Law upper body and head contacting the ground first in a dangerous manner, it is clear and none of the sin bins we have seen this year have met that. The refs have all been consistent and that led me to the view that they have received a directive regarding it.

I will say no more.

 

[PaarlBok]

Wessels has a history of chirping from the side. He was terrible in the Super 14 trying to get face time from the side lines. I hope we never see his sour face again.

I actually couln't believe he got the gig in the first place. Big mistake from Paddy to have him in the frist place.

Good to see Paddy having balls in this one. They should do this more often, if the ref dont perform, give him a kick up the arse and get one who can do the job.

 

[Richo]

The problem with the public flogging, though, is that it undermines faith generally in the referees. Better to demote him quietly, not say what it was for directly, and flay him alive in an office somewhere.

 

[Joe Blow]

The problem with the public flogging, though, is that it undermines faith generally in the referees. Better to demote him quietly, not say what it was for directly, and flay him alive in an office somewhere.

This definitely would have been the way to go.

From here on in all contentious decisions will be ridiculed and the more controversial ones will prompt some people to look for a response from Paddy and the IRB.

Bad move.

Gnostic, please apologise to Drew Mitchell.

 

[RugbyReg]

no need to apologise to Mitchell. Regardless of the validity of the first yellow, he got it. Drew knew he had it. He also knew (or should've) known of the ref's call to cut down on slowing down play. He may not have deserved his first yellow, but once he happened, he deserved his red and it was a stupid play.

 

[Richo]

100% behind you on that one, RR.

 

[dobduff11]

I think drew should be made to wear his schoolboy headguard on Saturday to embarrass him
http://www.seiserphotography.com/cgi-bin/index.pl?image=605233

 

[Top Bloke]

POB is on a hiding to nothing. If he does nothing - then its a conspiracy. If he does something, he's hanging his refs out to dry.
FFS before POB had the job - did you EVER here ANY explanations or apologies for any contentious decisons? NO.
He has bought some honesty and transparency to what was previously a closed shop.
Good on him.