Waratahs vs Sharks. Sydney.

[the gambler]

Riddler - the halftime stuff is going to continue in that vein. A couple of our blokes are going to do something called a "Skill & Agility" test this Friday. They're handy speedsters so might be worth a look

That sums it up. People find it mildly entertaining if they have some affiliation to the people doing it. Having subbies/colts players at least has the possibility of getting a few extra people to see them rather than picking some mugs from the crowd. Personally I would rather they stick to the mini rugby games. Parents are likely to come and see their kids and gives the little ones a bit of a thrill. If they want more sponser related games why not get school kids to do it. Would be great to see a private school kid vs public school kid sprint 50m, scull a beer, sprint 30m, then drop a field goal or something.

On Half Time entertainment the funniest I have ever seen was at a brumbies game. They had 8 little ones dress up as jockeys and run around with toy horses in a steeplechase complete with water jumps and the lot. The kid winning pulled his horse up and despite whipping it and trying to steer it in the right direction allowed another little kid to overtake him in the shadows of the post.

 

[the gambler]

My 3,2,1 for the refs.

1. Video Ref. (Quite quick with his decision and sounded like he didnt really care when he said Marksy, I suppose you can give that one)
2. Nathan Pearce (Pretty sure he was one of the A.RS)
3 - The chick that ran the Water for Marks. Looked kinda cute and good to see them encourage girls to get involved. Our version of Quota refs I guess but happy with that one.

-3 The other A.R. - Some have said he was a Saffa but I didnt hear an accent so am going to assume he is Australian. 3 awful decisions/recommendations and a couple of other poor calls/non calls.
-2 Ref Num 5. - Ran around like he was a busy boy on Oxford Street the week before.
-1 Marks

Just did some research on who the refs were. ref

Assistants were Steve Hardy from Australia (swore he had a Saffa accent, who da fuck is he anyways) and Ian Smith (Australia)

And my personal favourite referee of Matt Goddard was the Video Referee. Great that he got a vote.

Thanks. Smith gets the 2 for not making any obvious errors while Hardy gets the -3. Anyone heard of him before. Guessing he is from Qld as have never seen him do a Shute Shield game.

 

[mark_s]

Re: Half time entertainment

Forgot to mention this earlier and as noone else has brought it up, here I go; what the hell was the half-time entertainment all about? Last year's was mildly amusing in a perverse kind of way, watching a bunch of unfit blokes (and the occasional lady) stuff up some basic rugby skills. Now they've got some colts from a couple of clubs to try and hit a pair of cardboard hands help in the air by the idiotic Tah Man. Visual appeal - zero. Entertainment value - zero. Likelihood of attracting more spectators to come to the game and take in the experience - significantly less than zero.

For a change, I dont think this one is solely the fault of the Waratahs marketing team; the marketing team of HSBC should also, as Kearns often says, walk into a room of mirrors and take a good look at themselves.

As ever though, I suspect that our very own Black Knight, defender of the Waratahs, will see things in a different light.

The HT entertainment was total shite.

Re the Ref, the non PT for Beale's "intercept" and the non red card for the Shark's No.1 trip cancel each other out. The other decision probably favoured the tahs but no more than is usual with home ground advantage regardless of the ref's nationality.

 

[chief]

I go to Brisbane premier matches each week, and I have never seen Hardy here. He must be from Melbourne or Perth.

 

[the gambler]

He could be from Sydney and I just havent noticed him. More likely than him being from Perth/Melb.

 

[chief]

Doesn't matter where he is from Let's just hope we don't see him AR'ing for a while

 

[Pfitzy]

Would be great to see a private school kid vs public school kid sprint 50m, scull a beer, sprint 30m, then drop a field goal or something.

Private school kid would want a line of coke surely?

 

[the gambler]

Just stirring the pot but is there anyone else that thinks the pass was actually going behind Kank and he would have either dropped it or had to significantly slow down to catch it. Terblanche slowed down as he came close to Beale and Kank was very flat by the time he actually threw the pass. Would have to say poor play by Terblanche.

--- Just noticed Gagger has said the same thing on the blog.

 

[Blue]

Just stirring the pot but is there anyone else that thinks the pass was actually going behind Kank and he would have either dropped it or had to significantly slow down to catch it. Terblanche slowed down as he came close to Beale and Kank was very flat by the time he actually threw the pass. Would have to say poor play by Terblanche.

--- Just noticed Gagger has said the same thing on the blog.

I think he should have let it go earlier.

 

[Lee Grant]

Exactamundo - my brother in law, a league fan, but now roped into watching Tahs rugby in the last few years, said as much on the way home. He said that league coach would have kicked him up the date after a gaffe like that.

The trouble with passing a tad too late is that you often have to take two steps instead of one to correct the boo-boo. "Turnstile" Terblanche was passing to the right and he propped on his left foot, decelerating, as though recognising his mistake of getting too close to Beale. Not a lot of players have the confidence to run at full pace and pass right off the right foot as it is so difficult to do accurately.

Thus he made 2 steps too many and, in the final washup gave the game to the Tahs. It is not the first time he has done this. 2 years ago he stepped aside Cliffy Palu in Sydney like a matador for a Tahs try, and he did something just as whimpy in Durban last year. When I saw TPN run towards him on Saturday night I knew it was a try.

Give credit to him though; he worked the referee after the Beale thingo - but knowing full well he would have tried an intercept instead of a tackle were he were in the same situation.

He can kick the ball though. The Tahs erred badly in trying to play ping pong with him. He is as terrific player unless contact is required of him.

 

[Lindommer]

My 3,2,1 for the refs. 1. Video Ref. (Quite quick with his decision...

Really, tg. Were you at the game? Honestly, wars were fought, countries were created in Europe, children were conceived and born and LG reached middle age during the time the TMO took to award the try to Tom Carter. In that eternity cyclopath lost his hair he was so worried about events unfolding in front of us.

 

[Pfitzy]

I think he should have let it go earlier.

I think he should have held it and run it under the posts himself

 

[Lee Grant]

Was not the hair lost before the game? And do I wish that I passed middle age just on Saturday night?

As for your offer on another thread to be a Super14 official: I believe a certain amount of mobility is required - though I could be wrong. I am so often.

 

[HG]

You have to be 100% sure that a try will be scored if not for the illegal play.

Thank god you are retired. A ref should know that it is whether a try PROBABLY would have been scored.

Not saying this is you HG but people that listen to Rabbits and Sterlo commentate a league game on a Friday night and then think they know the laws of rugby in respect to obstruction, double movements and penalty tries really annoy me.

No such thing as a double movement in Rugby.

Where was the PROBABLY in the Brumbies match?
Poor call by that Ref.

 

[the gambler]

You have to be 100% sure that a try will be scored if not for the illegal play.

Thank god you are retired. A ref should know that it is whether a try PROBABLY would have been scored.

Not saying this is you HG but people that listen to Rabbits and Sterlo commentate a league game on a Friday night and then think they know the laws of rugby in respect to obstruction, double movements and penalty tries really annoy me.

No such thing as a double movement in Rugby.

Where was the PROBABLY in the Brumbies match?
Poor call by that Ref.

That was my point. How often do you hear people say it shouldn"t have been a try becaause it was a double movement.

Have hung up the boots after breaking 3 different bones last year but thinking of trying to ref the odd game when time permits this year. Even I can't do a worse job than what seems to be the norm these days.

 

[Biffo]

Have hung up the boots after breaking 3 different bones last year but thinking of trying to ref the odd game when time permits this year. Even I can't do a worse job than what seems to be the norm these days.

Good for you. I am sure you will enjoy refereeing.

How about writing a diary for us as you proceed with your course and first games?

 

[the gambler]

Ive done the course and done a few games in the past but as it is probably no longer valid I guess I might have to do it again.

 

[Scotty]

I think he should have held it and run it under the posts himself

Agreed

 

[Blue]

He can kick the ball though. The Tahs erred badly in trying to play ping pong with him. He is as terrific player unless contact is required of him.

Lee. Terribleanche is one of the Sharks many, many problems. He played wing for years and left a few years back to the NH and we thought that's the last of him. He suddently reappeared in Durban three years ago and started as a fullback. He had lost some pace but developed a good kicking game. His positional play is also good. Somehow they thought he was the answer. I have no idea why the Sharks have not tried JP Pietersen at 15. They bought Ludik but he is in rehab.

Problem comes on attack in general. His option taking is absolutely woeful and he is not a good passer of the ball. He does not have the ability to read the game on attack which is why he never comes into the line except in latter phases. Then as we saw, he screwed up the try. A small stop to the right at the last moment and he would have offloaded a simple pass.

 

[PhucNgo]

Fair enough.
I am a referee or should I say use to be. Retired now.
I would never had made that call from that far out in any game I had done.
The call for the penalty try during the Brumbies game was very suss indeed.
For a ref to make that call shows that he just lost it with frustration.
You have to be 100% sure that a try will be scored if not for the illegal play.
The 1/2 been offside while the ball is still in the scrum does not make for 100% in my view.

Beg to differ HG, the law on this point requires that a try would have been probable but for the offence i.e. more probable than not implying a probability > 50%.