Retiring Springbok Captain John Smit and his outgoing coach Peter de Villiers have placed a large portion of the blame on New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence for their Rugby World Cup exit.
Smit and the South African team believe that man of the match David Pocock and Australia’s forwards “got away with murder” at the breakdown which nullified any advantage they were getting through possession.
“It was the only talking in the game between myself and the ref,” Smit told the NZ Herald.
“The message I was trying to get through wasn’t being listened to.
“(Pocock must have been) brilliant, which obviously under Bryce’s interpretation he was. We had plenty of possession so he had lots of chances to slow it down and he did his best.
“When we decided to be brave and keep the ball, normally you get rewarded as the attacking team, but it wasn’t that way tonight.”
Asked whether he felt it was disappointing that the breakdown was not refereed evenly, Smit was blunt: “Yes, it was disappointing.”
The Springboks enjoyed 76 % of the possession but could not produce a try and were unable to convert the massive amount of ball into points.
“Tactically we played the game correctly, we played it in their half, but the breakdowns were a mess and that was the only thing that caught up with us.” Smit added.
Whilst the only try of the match was scored by the Australians they also relied on a massive defensive performance and were forced to make 147 tackles while the Springboks made just 53.
The Wallabies slipped off 13 tackles which was just two more than the Boks which indicated how precise the Wallabies were.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever lost a game only on the scoreboard and won it everywhere else from a stats point of view,” Smit said.
“That makes it harder to accept. That’s just the game, those things can happen but it’s a first for me.”
While the Springboks blame the referee for the loss the opposite camp were also not pleased with Lawrence’s performance.
“David Pocock’s game was remarkable and it was more than he got credit for in the game,” said Australia coach Robbie Deans.
“I think both sides were hard done by. It’s a hotly (contested) area and maybe it evened out. Maybe it was fair.”
I must say that once bissie came on it was more even, almost as if he had an FTC (Fukc the consequences) attitude that had been missing.
The difference between them and us is that ALL of the Wallabies were prepared to get down and dirty where all of the Boks were not.
Anyway, it’s all over Rover.
Time to whip the Aussies on the cricket field, and for the MIGHTY LIONS to eventually return to their rightful place in the CC pecking order.
The ONLY team they have to fear is the Cheetahs IMO.
Of course Deans is going to say australia was unhappy. This is unfortunately the way the australian media work They will be biased to the death.
You won’t find them admitting the Boks were the best team on the pitch.
Karen n ou blogger hier het dit op FB gese en daarmee volstaan ek, nag.
Ek raak net debliksem-in dat refs altyd wegkom met goed maar as spelers kla word hulle gefine. Op die oomblik is refs above the law en wil blaas soos hulle wil en nie volgens die reelboek nie. Die IRB is ‘n klomp piss willy ouens wat dink rugby behoort aan hulle. Ons het verloor en dis verby maar iets moet gedoen word om Paddy O’Brien en die IRB se godlike houding te stop.
Ooo Ook van Karen,
LIMITING THE POWER OF THE WHISTLE
There are no doubt a lot of Australian rugby supporters celebrating
our victory over the Springboks yesterday. There are also a number of
us that are wondering how on earth we managed to pull it off against a
side that dominated possession and territory and lineouts. Now, I
don’t want to take anything away from the Australian victory – our
boys did perform superbly but on the day the Springboks were, we have
to admit, the better side. The boks, as always were magnanimous in
defeat with a somewhat pragmatic approach to the result. I wonder what
our boys would have said faced with the same situation of blatant
incompetence by Mr Bryce Lawrence.
I support Australia and always will but for those of us that believe
in fair play this was a hollow victory. This was very much like
fighting a worthy opponent with one arm strapped behind his back – it
leaves a bad taste. There were rumours about Mr Lawrence’s
impartiality before kick-off from a lot of ex pat South Africans now
living in Australia but we tend to dismiss these conspiracy theories
with a grin. Certainly, Mr Lawrence’s performance on the field did
nothing to dispel those theories. His performance was nothing short of
abysmal. He did not award the bok try because of a dubious forward
pass. I have looked and looked and to me, anyway, it did not look
forward. Minutes later when the boks once again breached our defences
and were well on the way to scoring another try, he called them back
for a forward pass. If the first call was contentious, there certainly
was nothing wrong with the second one. Here, I must ask – why not use
the “eye in the sky”? An impressive expensive piece of equipment that
should be used for such decisions.
He failed to penalise Pocock for slowing the ball down. If we had
played like that against the All Blacks, they would not have been so
quiet about it. – and rightly so. In the dying minutes of the game he
was in full view of at least 2 high tackles by our boys that went
unpunished. Any of these transgressions, if properly acted on, would
have surely given the game to the Boks with their advantage over
territory. To rub salt in the South African wounds, he awarded a high
tackle to the Wallabies for a chest high tackle.
We won, but did we really? Our sport has always been regarded as a
“hooligans game played by gentlemen” – If we do not want rugby union
to degenerate into a farce that soccer can become we need to make sure
that our refs are of suitable calibre. They need to be trustworthy
gentlemen.
Mr Lawrence, I would advise against any planned holidays to South
Africa for a couple of years.
Chris Davis
The Australian
@ superBul:
And how are we ever going to change that? WE as fans are one-eyed. when our team gets the benefit of bad reffing, we rejoice and say tough shit to the other team. And vice versa. It’s only when we as fans unite and support each other and the opposing team that things could possibly change. But what do you think the likelihood of that is going to be? More like hell to freeze over first than that fanatical fans will accept their enemies are better and in the right.
@ superBul:
How many Ozzie fans will agree with this gentleman? The overwhelming majority will be celebrating their victory and just glad the shoe wasn’t on the other foot. It’s just too painful to lose bru and rather the other guy than you.
@ The_Young_Turk:
Young one, do you REALLY think by keeping quiet we will get better refereeing?
Admit that some of our moaning did change rules. Look i said right from the start that i accept the result but i am not happy and never will be. And i will complain till the cows come home , just like thousand others are doing on all the blogs over the world, yes even the one that Bob Dwyer runs, Green and Gold.
We can keep quiet and let it go on like this, or try and rectify it.
Our Springboks showed the utmost restraint in their comments after the quarter finals. Now they start to say what is on their hearts. Like John above.
So by the way some rules have been changed and some refs was taken off panels after a outcry like this.
@ superBul:
No, you misunderstand. Of course you must try to change things. And looking for allies is the right way to go.
@ superBul:
By the way, “a young Turk” is an English expression meaning an insurgent member of an institution or one who rebels against authority. I am in reality not so young anymore, unfortunately.
The_Young_Turk wrote:
where?
@ superBul:
Well all those people that feel that the ref situation needs to change – the people you just quoted. But it needs consistent serious work, not just shouting “we wuz robbed” when it suits you.
@ The_Young_Turk:
Well i will leave it to John Smit to do the talking, though he tried since last years Tri Nations and he is ignored
@ superBul:7 – Super I am with you on this. We have to voice our feelings about bad reffing. If supporters don’t then nothing will get done. Sure we won’t carrying on as long as the kiwis did…..hehe. But really Bryce was terrible. As soon as I saw we had Bryce I was worried. As a Shark Supporter knew from the past how my Sharks had came unstuck with his bad reffing in 3 games before. I had said all of last week on keo that Bryce was useless and he may cost us dearly. He did. He let Pocock get away with too much. Not just the breakdowns but got it wrong in many other places.
He had a ablolute shocker. So did the AR that said the one pass was forward when it was not. We would have been away for a try there. Also the so called forward pass by JdV hardly seemed forward to me. I have now watched it on slow mo a few times. I can hardly see it was forward doing that. So in a quick flash on the field how could he have said it was forward? When I can’t hardly make it out looking at it over and over on slow motion.
Vickerman should have been sent off to the sin bin as well. Bakkies for the same thing got a two week ban. There is not even a citing on Vickerman.
High Tackles right in front of Bryce as well went unnoticed.
Why did we have a kiwi ref? Especially that one of our teams were going to be playing NZ in the semi? It was a well kown fact that in their papers the week before they had written that the only team that could beat them was the Boks. Did the ref read that? WE all asking questions here. Was he just useless or did he rob us like the British papapers said he did?
Anyhow we could and should still have won that game. WHY, WHY did we not go for more drop goals when we knew were were not cracking their defence? With Morne there we would have slotted just about all of them over had we done that. Also said that on keo posting there last week. If the ref is gonna be unfair to us the only way would be to do the drop goals. He can’t blow us for that. He has to give it. Would have been our only way to get points ont he board. Cause he sure never allowed us to get the only try we may have had with Habs. The one with Lambie I am still not sure if it was a forward pass. If it was it was so marginal cause like I said I could hardly see it was forward even on slow motion. So how he could see it being so slow I have not a clue.
Big mistake from Bruger to run it from our try line. Was suicidal to do that. Should have passed it back to Morne to clear it. When they got that try I thought would that cost us the game? It did. Of course Danie holding onto Samo’s angle was not clever either. But think Danie thought Samo was on the ground. But he was only just off the ground. Huge pity cause we lost it there too. Had he never gave that penalty away we may have won by one point. But saying that we should have had many penalties given to us right in kickable positions. The ref simiply never done his job.
Anyhow that is the last I am gonna complain about it. For now I am still hurting about that loss. A game we should have won but never.
Victor was my mom. He was superb in the lineouts. Damn our scrum was awesome too. How could we have been so dominate and lose?
Read DanRetiefs site. He sums it up well there.
Have to look to the future. We have many very good young players coming through. Our rugby looks good.
@ Puma: sorry meant – dominant other mistake meant – papers
I see for the semi. A sh ref will ref the all nh sides and the nh ref will ref the all sh sides.
The way it should have been for the quarters.
Think Joubert will get the final.
For now it looks like it will be a NZ/Wales final. Can’t see Oz win against NZ if the play like they done against us.
Okay I am off. Seems I am the only one online.
John pays Tribute ot Victor on Sports24.
John says “Victor the Best Springbok Ever”
Div: Smit and Victor are my heros.
Jeez wish this team could have won the cup for Peter. He was so loyal to the players.
Anyhow maybe one day John and Victor pair up as Springbok Coaches? It could happen. Plenty rugby brains between the two.
@ Puma:17 – I am tired. Even typing back to front….hehehe. ot = to.
@ Puma:
13
I said before the game we need to concentrate(we did not all the time) , we need to play 100 minutes ( we did almost)we need to think( no we did not).
If we never ever play again with a 500 test cap team again we might have some new fresh thoughts, our massive experience did not show, we kept banging the same way.
One player that really impressed me was Pat Lambie. I was never a Pat fan but now i am. He took his chances fearlessly, funny how little experience he has.
New coach will be a massive debate in the next few months. I thought that PdeV was great and put SA rugby first by stepping down graciously, but now i hear he did not resign. It would be sad if a few months are wasted.
Smit cheekily suggested the one positive to come out of the defeat was that he will never have to come up against Lawrence again.
“Bryce is not difficult to communicate with, he just doesn’t seem to listen very well. The one positive is that I won’t ever have to be reffed by him again.”
Bryce not sly, just nonchalant
2011-10-10 23:09
40 comments
Former top SA referee Freek Burger says Bryce Lawrence was too casual in his approach in the Springboks’ clash against Australia.
Cyberspace is abuzz with jokes, angry people and support for both sides of this story, sad but true.
http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-10-10/CwpnzgCDIlfhjojaHstwlgezpCwzcsygrpFHxpJlrhHkxilnsbFFrblsDBid/bryce_lawrence_reffing_flowchart.png.scaled600.png
@ superBul:
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/RugbyWorldCup2011/Bryce-not-sly-just-nonchalant-20111010
And now for the semi finals, the ref outcry was noted and it is in the hands of the IRB, let them sort it out. I made my point as did millions other.
13@ Puma:
Hello Puma some good points there, unfortunately I only saw parts of the game and no chance to watch the whole thing again, but which incident are you refferring to regarding Vickerman, was it do with Brusows injury? Only saw a quick view of Brusow getting injured and not the whole picture so I couldn’t see who it was or whether it was only an accident or not but did see someone land with their knee on his head and instinctively though whoever did they should be cited?
19@ superBul:
Hi superBul spot on their about Pat Lambie, have to give overdue credit, I wrote here after the game against Namibia that I was disapointed that he hadn’t really done much to impress up till then, BUT that positioning and execution of the try saving tackle against Samoa was so good and he did well against Aus, if only that drop kick hadn’t swerved out at the last minute we may have still been there, it looked good from the moment he struck it, damn that was unlucky.
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