Sharks complain about ref call

[Marco]

The Sharks were defeated 25-21 (away) by the Waratahs - their fourth defeat of the season. The game was, apparently, quite uninspiring.

Sharks coach John Plumtree, though, rose several issues against referee Paul Marks.

The main point was about a call made in the dying seconds of the game. Stefan Terblanche had Ryan Kankowski outside and passed him the ball, but Kurtley Beale batted it down. A penalty was awarded and Beale was sin-binned, but Plumtree insists that it should have been a penalty try; Terblanche was literally shouting for one (which in my opinion should have seen him sin-binned as well, but anyway).

Again in the final seconds, the referee - still according to Plumtree - ignored a line-out obstruction.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey disagrees with Plumtree (of course) and explains that it is "clear from the replay" that Beale's hand movement was upwards - to properly intercept the ball and run with it - rather than downwards - to knock it down.

Sharks skipper John Smit suggested that he agrees with his coach - some decisions that should have been in his side's favour were against them. Then again, he blames it on the very poor form the Sharks have been in. He said, "We can cry about spilt milk all day but that's what happens when you play away from home and I said earlier in the post-match interview, you lose three in a row and referees when they have to think twice they'll probably go (against) the team that's lost three in a row".

He added, though, that "It'd be a lot easier to look for blame. I'm sure we'll get some kind of feedback on some really big decisions that didn't help our cause tonight, but if we keep looking at those for answers we probably won't go forward as a team".

[Froggie]

What does Brian Moore think?

[Marco]

What does Brian Moore think?

England is not involved, he doesn't bother thinking.

[Froggie]

Ahh but his refs knowledge is all encompassing

[Marco]

Ahh but his refs knowledge is all encompassing

Nah, he is still unable to express a concept outwith the borders of "England is right".
And that dimwit was a LAWYER?
Mah.

[Marco]

Referee Paul Marks has been ("temporarily") relieved of his Super 14 status.

SANZAR referees chief Lyndon Bray questioned Marks' decision whereby he did not award the Sharks a penalty try when Waratahs replacement Kurtley Beale slapped down a pass that seemed destined for an unchallenged Ryan Kankowski but went on to say that Marks had other aspects of his game to work on.

"There was some imbalance from a management perspective, how he (Marks) arrived at these big decisions and how they were presented", Bray said.

"Paul has been 'stood down' to work on some management versus technical issues. It is not all about that one decision!

"In fairness to Paul, you could debate the penalty try ruling all day.

"We believe the right decision in the cold light of day was to award a penalty try, but you could argue why a referee would back off it".

Bray also went on to explain that explain that claims made that Kankowski was a certainty to score were not true, as he believed 'Tahs outside centre Tom Carter was en route to cover the South African number eight in defence.

"Admittedly he had a fair bit of work to do, and we all know how quick Kankowski is", he continued.

"But Paul would have seen him in his peripheral vision... he would have known there was a defender there".

[Froggie]

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