Australian rugby referee Paul Marks has paid the price for his controversial decision not to award the Sharks a penalty try in the final minutes of their Super 14 loss to NSW last Saturday night. The Australian newspaper has reported that Marks has been sacked indefinitely, with SANZAR referees boss Lyndon Bray conceding a penalty try against Waratah Kurtley Beale should have been awarded to the visiting South African side. The decision to stand down Marks comes after Sharks coach John Plumtree and his players voiced their dismay at the officiating after their 25-21 loss to NSW, their fourth successive loss of 2010

via Super 14 referee sacked – reports | Stuff.co.nz.

Referee boss Lyndon Bray has promised his charges will stick with their hard line approach in the Super 14 after what he labelled an “encouraging” opening weekend under the new law interpretations.

By and large the referees held firm across the three countries as they launch and attempt to clean up the tackled ball, scrum and kick return areas.

While they used penalties to emphasise their points, it would be hard to argue that the rugby on display wasn’t superior to last year’s kick-fests.

“My feelings from the weekend were there were some very encouraging signs about where we can get the scrum and the tackle. But we really have to stay on it,” Bray said.

“The intention is clear and the challenge now as a team (of refs) is to continue that intention. We have to keep working really hard together to get that change in behaviour.

“But I’m pretty encouraged and the feedback I’m getting from the guys is they all have the right positive intent.”

A detailed review of the first round will be sent to the referees and coaches this week. But Bray’s gut-feelings were good.

via S14 refs boss ‘encouraged’ by first round | Stuff.co.nz.

The controversial whistle blower also candidly admitted he was “the architect of my own demise” but felt he still had plenty to offer to international rugby and was looking forward to his return to the top ranks tomorrow night in a Super 14 match in Perth.

“I gave them [the NZRU] the ammunition to get rid of me,” he said of his drinking problems that eventually saw him dismissed last April.

“But it only really came to me late last year that it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.

“It made me take a look at the way I carried on. I think it will set me up for the rest of my life really, not just in rugby but for the way I value things and the way I am.”

Forced out of the New Zealand scene, Walsh sought to rekindle his career in Australia and get his life back on track.

He will be wearing Aussie colours for his first top match in 18 months and says he’s proud of it. They gave him a chance and he has clawed his way back, mixing refereeing club football with labouring and courier driving in Sydney

Read the full story here  Steve Walsh blows whistle on booze | Stuff.co.nz.

When Lawrence and Sanzar referees manager Lyndon Bray fronted media this week to explain the changes and outline their philosophies, they didn’t hold back when they described the state of the game that dominated last year.

Dire, shambles and mess were all fitting descriptions for a game they admitted was virtually “a dog’s breakfast” at times, with scrum resets dominating, the breakdown remaining a murky area and kick and chase tactics being adopted as a safety net by teams.

Lawrence believes the new interpretations that favour the attacking side can really help rugby as a spectacle but stresses it will require a buy-in from everyone across the three countries involve din the Super 14.

“Everybody thinks the product needs to improve. Players are aware of it, coaches are aware of it, the referees are aware of it and we all contribute to it,” said Lawrence, who has been a Super 14 ref since 2005 and has 13 tests to his credit.

Read the full story here Referee says rugby has to change | Stuff.co.nz.

Walsh has been named by Sanzar referees manager Lyndon Bray to control the Western Force-Brumbies game in the late Friday game in Perth.

In April last year, the New Zealand Rugby Union said Walsh had retired from refereeing following an inquiry into a personal employment issue.

In an interview later, Walsh said alcohol-related “unacceptable behaviour” during a Sanzar conference in December 2007 had led to the decision. Walsh, who refereed his first test match in June 1998, was appointed to the last two rugby World Cup tournaments and refereed 212 first class games, including 35 tests.

He shifted to Sydney and late last year was offered a two-year contract with the Australian Rugby Union.

In a statement, Bray said a strong start to the Super 14 was important for referees.

Read the full story here Steve Walsh to ref Super 14 | Stuff.co.nz.

In addition, players advancing from off-side positions during kicking phases will also be penalised to maintain the counter-attacking options for the receiving team.

Tournament officials in all three countries have been given a clear mandate to deal with these key areas in an effort to create clarity for players, officials and fans, and to enable the kind of rugby that Super Rugby fans have come to expect. “There is total agreement between all three SANZAR countries that Super 14 rugby needs to return to its roots and deliver excitement and attack on the field and we believe these initiatives can help deliver a better game for everyone,” said SANZAR Referees Manager Lyndon Bray. Mr Bray said the 2009 season review process brought out four major priorities, which coaches, players and referees have bought into, in order to help create some fundamental change to the game on the field. “In the past two months, I have attended workshops in all three SANZAR countries with coaches and officials and everyone has responded positively to this approach.”

Referee performances will also be measured against these priorities throughout the Super 14 season which will guide the selectors in the appointment of officials as the Tournament progresses. My Bray outlined the four key areas as:

Tackled Ball: “The tackler, once hitting the ground in the tackle, must release the ball and the ball carrier. This gives the ball carrier a chance to ‘play the ball’, and will tidy up the tackle-ball area which has previously been weighted towards the tackler. As well, any player involved in helping make a tackle, who is in contact with the ball carrier when he is taken to ground, must then release the ball, before then attempting to contest possession, even if he is on his feet. This ensures that in Super 14, we are truly refereeing the Law at the tackle, and it provides the ball carrier with his rights, having been tackled. After this tackle, any player then on his feet, in a position of strength (his side of the tackle) may then contest possession.”

Scrum engagement: “The scrum engagement must follow a true sequence, starting with all props required to touch, on the touch call. Props must also have their head and shoulders above their hips, and then hit straight on engagement. This enhances the chance of the scrum being contestable, and to stay up resulting in less resets.”

Players in front of the kicker: “Players will be forced to comply with standing still or retiring in relation to being in front of the kicker. This will see referees calling for a player to stop advancing – if he continues to advance, he will be penalised and players must retire from within 10m of the receiver of a kick – otherwise an immediate penalty will be given where these players look to contest the kick. The objective is that this will improve the time and space for players to counter attack, when receiving kicks in general play, and reducing some of the aerial ping pong people we have been seeing in rugby.”

Formation of the maul: “At the time that a maul is formed, players supporting the ball carrier will not be allowed to obstruct the opposition. This is intended to at least make the maul defendable at the set up stage.” Mr Bray said these initiatives are a return to the laws of the game and do not represent any change in law, but are simply limiting room for interpretation and should create clarity and certainty for coaches, players, officials and fans.

Mr Bray and national referee managers in South Africa (Andre Watson) and Australia (Anthony Eddy) are available to brief media on these focus areas and any other law or officiating questions in the lead-up to the start of the 2010 Super 14 competition.

Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill, Australian Super franchises and players have been unanimous in their support of providing fans with a more attractive style of rugby in 2010. And should those efforts fail, national referees’ coach Andrew Cole revealed a radical contingency plan had been hatched.

”Having two refs is certainly something we’re thinking about,” said Cole, a veteran referee of 31 Tests. ”It’s been discussed. It’s been trialled in lower grades in South Africa.

”We do watch a lot of other sport and other games and how the officials interact, and all that sort of stuff, and we are keeping a close eye on that development. At this stage it’s something we’re certainly keeping a close eye on. It’s got some merit.”

The Super 14 has already introduced a new interpretation of breakdown laws for this season intended to reward the attacking team – defenders will be banned from interfering with the ball and forced to roll away, get to their feet and allow the tackled player to release the ball back to teammates.

And it is hoped the move will encourage attacking teams to better utilise the ball and reduce their heavy reliance on kicking to gain field position.

Read the full article here  Dual-ref system on the table for Super rugby | Stuff.co.nz.

New Zealand, Australia and South Africa will have just one citing commissioner operating in each country.

Experienced Steve Hinds will handle the responsibilities in New Zealand, fellow IRB citing heavyweight Scott Newland will be the microscope man in Australia while former referee Freek Burger has the South African role.

Last year New Zealand used six different citing commissioners while South Africa used four with mixed results in a process that has regularly drawn criticism.

“Greater consistency is the aim,” said Simon Jelowitz, the NZRU’s rugby operations manager who has taken on the role as Sanzar’s tournament director this season.

Read the full story here at Stuff

Rugby has undergone a major philosophical shift during the off-season with Sanzar’s referees driving changes in conjunction with the competition’s coaches.

via Sanzar looks to speed up the game | Stuff.co.nz.