World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry has heavily criticised the influence of the assistant match officials following the Blues’ 23-3 Super Rugby loss to the Crusaders at the weekend.
Reuters
Henry, who guided the All Blacks to their second World Cup victory in 2011, is an assistant to Blues coach John Kirwan and has taken a back seat in facing the media this season.
The 66-year-old, however, was back to his mischievous best on Tuesday, claiming the television match official in the loss in Christchurch must have been “blind” not to have awarded Blues winger Frank Halai a try during the second half.
“It was obvious to me, I don’t know, he was probably a blind TMO was he? It’s an obvious try,” Henry said. “I could see it and I’m blind.”
The Crusaders had dominated the Blues’ set piece, particularly the scrum, and were quick off the line in wet conditions to give them a victory that moved them past the Auckland-based side into fifth on the Super Rugby standings.
Henry, however, felt the Crusaders may have been a little too close to the limits of the law on defence.
“When you’re watching the game you see so many offsides in the line from a ruck,” he added.
“I would say there was probably 20 times at the weekend when guys were offside from the ruck.”
Henry was also annoyed at the influence of the assistant referees when Blues lock Culum Retallick received a yellow card from referee Glen Jackson late in the first half for a deliberate knock down while the Crusaders were hot on attack.
“They threw the ball at him,” Henry said while adding the match officials should have instead been concentrating on the offside line.
“We are sitting in the coaches’ box, and I’m sure the Crusaders coaches are doing the same thing, saying ‘offside ref, offside line umpires’.
“Those are the things they are there for. Not some controversial knock down of the ball in the five metre channel, yellow card.
“Just do the basics right and we have a good game of footy.
“Those sort of things frustrate you but that’s part of the game. They were better than us, we accept that, they deserved to win the game.”
I agree with Ted… there are none as blind as those with good eyes who still do not see!
The Assistant referees have been specially diabolical, on the sidelines!
Some TMO decisions have been shocking, to say the least!
It’s a joke at Present
Stormers game – TMO eish
Bulls game – 2 wrong decisions
General refereeing as well
Seems it has reached a all time low in 2013
2 @ Gena_ZA:
I see the SA referees believe both the Rebels / Stormers TMO Penalty Try as well as the Bulls / Landers TMO try were the right decisions in the circumstances.
The Bulls one is easier for me, I think that one was good… but the Stormers / Rebels one is not as clearcut. I believe the Rebels should only have gotten a penalty, one simply can’t see the possible knock by Higginbotham and one simply can’t rule out that the cover would have been there anyway to stop the try.
Whatever the situation, the Rebels would have gone into the lead.
What I’m more worried about is how much stuff the freegin Assistant referees miss… simple knocks, blatant penalties, kicks taken / not taken inside the 22… ect
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