In days of yore, New Zealander Rob Penney was head coach in Munster. The Leinster versus Munster match came around in 2014 and, being a member of the referee selection panel, I gave him a call.
I explained that the likely choice of referee would probably not be to his liking, but that World Cup final referee Alain Rolland was also available, although he as a Dubliner, of course, would not technically be a neutral appointment. Without hesitation, actually with enthusiasm, Penney chose Rolland. My next call was to Matt O’Connor, the then Leinster coach – same proposition, exactly the same answer.
Munster lost, and Penney then promptly lost “it”. He vigorously (a polite way of putting it) blamed Rolland after the defeat.
Rolland, in fact, had refereed equitably, and any mistakes were just that – mistakes, and nothing to do with bias. I felt the same about Frank Murphy’s performance on Saturday – he had refereed equitably, and again with no hint of bias
Leo Cullen is far too polite to have a Penney-like go at Murphy, his team-mate in their Leicester playing days and who, in any case, would not deserve it. Despite the extra pressure of refereeing his own province, it was a good enough day’s work by the Corkman. Cullen, inevitably, will want some answers on several penalties, but he will know that the referee did not cost his team the result.
It was breathtaking stuff, with Jack Crowley’s winning drop goal being in the Sexton-O’Gara mould. It’s startling to me that several rugby friends in the Southern Hemisphere want to see the laws devalue the drop goal to one point. Union must ensure its own characteristics, it doesn’t need to further copy the league playbook.
There’s a lot more to a drop goal than just the kick, as we saw on Saturday. And before Jonny Wilkinson’s winning strike against Australia in the World Cup final with his weaker right foot, the ball had been handled by about 10 English players, starting with Steve Thompson’s unerring long throw to the tail of the lineout.
Murphy will take a bit of a bashing from social media, and the crowd let him know their perception of bias on a few occasions. The problem with this type of perception is that it’s a bit like a Jack Russell getting hold of your trouser leg, it’s very difficult to shake off, and the use of Munster players’ first names wasn’t the best of ideas.
It was a great Munster performance, and if this rivalry starts again to mirror the heady days when it filled Croke Park with over 80,000 spectators, Leinster may well again request the use of that great stadium. They might also ask the GAA about their policy of appointing officials – I can’t see Kerry playing an All-Ireland semi-final with a referee from Tralee any time soon.
The URC has hotly pursued a policy of neutrality, but have found themselves in a bind for the knock-out stages. The best available on the URC list for the upcoming final are the international duo, Andy Brace and Jaco Peyper, an Irishman and a South African – neither ideal considering the identity of the two finalists. Either appointment would, of course, let the Jack Russell back into the room. The best of the next group is currently Italy’s Andrea Piardi, but let’s see who comes out of the hat.
Mike Adamson was in charge for Connacht’s visit to the Stormers. He has not been convincing over the season, and thus has failed in his bid to make the World Cup list. It’s a shocking indictment that no Scot has been chosen as a referee since Jim Fleming, who performed in four and finished up as long ago as the 1999 edition.
Adamson did not have a bearing on the result, but he never seemed to come to terms with either the breakdown or the scrum. Munster will throw the kitchen sink at the Stormers, and the match will need a different refereeing approach, one which puts a lot more structure on these key areas.
He was, though, quite correct to disallow Jack Carty’s conversion attempt of Conor Oliver’s try. The law is clear – any step forward, or indeed, backwards, is considered to be the start of the kicker’s run-up. Carty did not seem to be aware that he could have picked up the ball and converted by means of a drop goal.
And so to the World Cup match officials. Nearer the time it will be interesting to delve further into these but, for the moment, hearty congrats to all those who have made it, particularly the Irish. Brace has deservedly made the panel of 12 referees; Chris Busby travels as an assistant, an invaluable experience; and there are two TMOs in Brian MacNeice and Joy Neville. It is, of course, the latest glass ceiling which Neville has blissfully ignored, becoming the first woman to officiate at a men’s World Cup.
Well done to everyone, although they will know that getting a seat on the plane to France, hard as it has been, was, in fact, the easy part. The tough stuff starts soon enough.
