Former head coach of Irish referee Owen Boyle has slammed the split in how the game is officiated between the two hemispheres.<\/p>\n
He believes that Australia and New Zealand officials have a laissez-faire policy when refereeing matches and that cannot be allowed to spread.<\/p>\n
The ex-international<\/a> referee claims that Super Rugby Pacific officials favour the team in possession and it is becoming increasingly more difficult for the defences to get the ball back.<\/p>\n Boyle argues that the union is built on the contests for possession, but the hands-off policy of Australian and New Zealand referees is more akin to rugby league.<\/p>\n Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry referee contrast<\/p>\n He came to this conclusion in his review of the referees during Rugby\u2019s Greatest Rivalry<\/a> series with Angus Gardner producing a contrasting reading of the laws compared to Nika Amashukeli and Karl Dickson.<\/p>\n \u201cThe South Africa v New Zealand<\/a> series also demonstrated an unwelcome, unacceptable split in how the game is refereed,\u201d Doyle<\/a> wrote in the Irish Times<\/p>\n \u201cContests for possession are the unique identity of rugby union, its essential heartbeat. However, Super Rugby Pacific refereeing favours the team in possession to such an extent that it is becoming increasingly difficult to get the ball back.<\/p>\n \u201cTeams must be allowed opportunities to contest for the ball, to regain possession. These are crucial contests, which do not exist in rugby league, where a team must hand it over to their opponents after six tackles, so that the others can \u201chave a go\u201d, so to speak. Is that really what World Rugby wants? Because that\u2019s where it\u2019s heading.<\/p>\n \u201cA core principle of union is being left behind, forgotten: that continuity of play is not, repeat not, continuity of possession. And, unsurprisingly, lineout illegalities continue unabated. Teams flout the law, unhindered by fear of a sanction.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Hooper hides referee bias accusation behind call for World Rugby to protect Andrea Piardi<\/a><\/p>\n Removing the contest for possession<\/p>\n He pointed to Jesse Kriel\u2019s try in the second Test against the All Blacks when Gardner as his \u2018case in point.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cAngus Gardner is not alone in meticulously setting up the lineout, and then ignoring the law completely \u2013 it\u2019s an absurd farce,\u201d Doyle wrote.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSiya Kolisi took up position as receiver, so we knew what was coming. As the ball was thrown, several team-mates immediately left the lineout, which is expressly forbidden. They joined Kolisi to set up a powerful maul, which travelled about 20 metres before the outstanding Jasper Wiese broke off.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Wiese was tackled a team-mate straddled on all fours over him, protecting possession. This straddling is not as blatant as a player throwing himself on top of the ball carrier, but is just as effective in preventing a fair contest. There was much the same at the next tackle as South Africa recycled the ball, before Jesse Kriel scored. And, to add insult to injury, there was a South African block on a New Zealand defender.\u201d<\/p>\n John Smit calls on World Rugby to adopt his ref comms \u2018plan B\u2019 idea and compares \u2018most outstanding player for Australia\u2019 to Springboks great<\/a><\/p>\n He added that the second try, scored by Damian de Allende, followed a similar theme. Doyle also took issue with the All Blacks\u2019 lineout tactics with Dave Rennie\u2019s side routinely throwing to the front of the lineout to \u2018avoid a contest\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hardly a throw-in, more of a pass, really. In a fully formed lineout it is beyond belief to see how it can be construed as a legitimate, contestable throw. But, heck, who gives a damn?\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n Doyle also criticised the contrast in the way the scrums were officiated. Gardner reset the set-piece several times during the second Test match while Amashukeli and Dickson adopted sanction based approaches in the third and fourth.<\/p>\n The Irishman added that the Springboks adapted their approach to the breakdown for the match in Soweto with Amashukeli\u2019s reputation for being hot on sealing off preceding him.<\/p>\n \u201cSouth Africa\u2019s breakdown behaviour was markedly different under his watch, much more compliant in staying upright.\u201d<\/p>\n