NZ Commentator highlights home bias referee concerns

NZ Commentator highlights home bias referee concerns

By

Super Rugby

on

20th July 2016
Tony Johnson has questioned why Sanzaar have appointed local referees

Sky New Zealand Rugby commentator Tony Johnson has questioned Sanzaar’s local referee appointments for this weekend’s Super Rugby qualifiers.

Earlier this week Super Rugby’s ruling body Sanzaar announced the match officials for the weekend’s matches and given all of the home teams a local referee.

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Johnson questions why Sanzaar have neglected the obvious opportunity to utilize neutral referees at such a crucial time in the tournament and predicted that, “There will be tears at some point over the reffing”.

“I cannot see why Sanzar (has) seen fit to appoint an Aussie to referee a Kiwi-Aussie game in Aussie, a Kiwi to ref a Kiwi-Saffa game in NZ, and two Saffa refs to police two Saffa-Kiwi games in SA,” said Johnson in his column for SuperSport.

“Have they run out of money? Do they like controversy?” questioned Johnson.

Brumbies v Higlanders – Angus Gardner (Australia)
Hurricanes v Sharks – Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Lions v Crusaders – Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Stormers v Chiefs – Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

Johnson is not questioning the honesty or professionalism of the match officials in any way but as 135 Super Rugby matches have been played up to this point it would seem an easy decision to appoint neutral referees which would prevent the slightest suspicion or comment on “home town referee” decisions.

What makes the appointments all the more surprising is that just two weeks ago Sanzaar appointed Durban’s Stuart Berry for the Sharks v Cheetahs clash in Durban.

After that match in Round 16 the Cheetahs laid an official complaint against Berry for numerous decisions he made in the match. Berry has been absent on the match officials list since then but without knowing the reasons for the appointments it does appear that Sanzaar have invited further controversy.

Read more: http://www.superxv.com/nz-commentator-highlights-home-bias-referee-concerns/#ixzz4F1usqFGb

 this is the kind of things SANZAAR should avoid to do,.......... but they are always repeating,...... it's controversy over controversy

having create a really unfair S-18 conference system that has been criticized during the whole season,....... being one of the most criticized points the unfairness of giving the home advantage to the leading team of each conference instead of to the teams with more points,....... they now come with this one,........ appointing local refs to make the system even more unfair

why didn't they appoint neutral refs?

and please don't come with the 20111 WC final,..... that was 5 years ago and has nothing to do with this,........ the crying about how arrogant the kiwis are because they think that  the 4 kiwi teams could win is also quite out of place

 And this does not happen in NZ?

 nor in the article nor in my comment there's any reference to this only happening in SA, mike,...... on the contrary, the article says:

“I cannot see why Sanzar (has) seen fit to appoint an Aussie to referee a Kiwi-Aussie game in Aussie, a Kiwi to ref a Kiwi-Saffa game in NZ, and two Saffa refs to police two Saffa-Kiwi games in SA,” said Johnson in his column for SuperSport."

it would have been very easy to appoint neutral refs and avoid more controversy,.... instead they opted for local refs which makes the already unfair system more unfair,..... and add more controversy,....

The Brumbies with 43 points (alongside the sharks, the teams with less points) are going to have a home QF and with a local ref,...... that's crazy,..... and unfair

So SANZAR, when confronted with this issue could simply say that their refs are all completely neutral professionals whose work ethic stretches beyond patriotic ties, even on a subconscious level. They could also say that any ref bend to pressure from home fans so that side of the argument is irrelevant. They could then turn the question back on itself and ask that if the rugby public don't trust refs to adjudicate home games fairly, how can they be trusted at all. They will then ask Wardad to put on his tin foil hat and share with us how deep he thinks the rabbit hole goes. And there is the problem. The very moment that you begin this discussion, you by default have to to take it a lot deeper than anyone really wants to go because deeper and more probing questions arise at every turn and they become more and more difficult to answer as you descend through the tiers. I'm reminded if a famous line from Jack Nickerson(spelling). I don't agree in the slightest with the situation, but maybe SANZAR have an ethical(or something like that) stance here and are showing that they are willing to put faith in the "professionals" that blow matches. And by blow I mean blow it, like irresponsible people with credit cards do in Vegas.

It's part of the world citizen ethic.....nationality has no meaning, a professional can rise above it all. In fact is remarkable that competitive sport is still pursued at all.....it's so non PC.  

 I just pray no poor sod of a ref makes a tiny mistake for the home team. Really poor decision by SANZAR. They could have easily swopped things the other way.

Sharks will upset by SNENNAGINS