Wednesday, March 17, 2010
PADDY O’BRIEN, the International Rugby Board Referees’ manager, who came in for sharp criticism after last Saturday’s Ireland-Wales game at Croke Park, addressed the situation in forthright fashion in Killiney yesterday.
O’Brien spent 17 years in the New Zealand police force and was never going to be a soft target for pressmen seeking an explanation for the apparent change in interpretation of the tackle law midway through the current Six Nations Championship.
Indeed, he went on to explain that the Irish management and specifically coach Declan Kidney had been advised before the tournament began that law 15. 6 c would be strictly enforced and that it was not a case of changing anything in mid-stream.
"That is apparently the big contention for Irish eyes," he stressed. "But this law came into place in May 2009. In November 2009, all the referees met and we addressed areas of the game that hadn’t been refereed very well. We discussed the tackle holistically and in the minutes disseminated to all referee/managers throughout the world, the words in bold were about the tackle/ruck law.
"In February of this year with the commencement of the Six Nations and the Super 14s, clarity was sought around law 15. 6 c. E-mails were exchanged the week before the Six Nations and the referees were told as per November 2009 they were to apply the law. Each referee for the matches in round one were rung and coaches were rung before round three concerning the areas that we had concerns about.
"I had two discussions in person with the Irish and one by telephone. They sought and got clarity, a phone call after round three, e-mails were sent before the competition began. You can’t be any more transparent than that. For the Irish to say they didn’t know what was going on …
"The drama began when southern hemisphere referees became involved in the Six Nations and there was a belief that the games would be refereed differently. My reply was that all referees would apply the law. Several meetings took place, clarity was sought and given and that’s where we are now."
O’Brien acknowledged that Kidney was correct when stating that "they had agreed to disagree" on the interpretation of the contentious Law 15. 6 c prior to the game against Wales.
"Declan wanted me to have the referee not referee it," he maintained. "I said I can’t do that. It’s not my role as referee manager, I don’t make law although I’m flattered that apparently you think I do. My job is to direct the referees to agree with the laws and to talk about areas of the game that aren’t refereed well. We then let the coaches know the areas that we’re not happy with and how they must improve.
"Declan, very reasonably, put his case to me and I hope I got back reasonably to him when saying, sorry, but we can’t change. I’m not going to comment on his coaching, it’s not my right to. If they’re being penalised, then clearly there is a misunderstanding but if I can believe what I read, I think he said the referee refereed the game the way he told him he was going to referee it.
"Declan and I had a conversation after round two when I rang all the coaches personally. I just want to make it clear that I rang all the coaches at that time. I can assure you I will take a call from any international coach."
When informed that O’Brien was prepared to discuss the matter further, Kidney replied: "We have a huge game on Saturday. Paddy made it clear he was not for moving. It’s his prerogative what sections of what law he emphasises. It’s our job to get on with it and that kind of leaves us where we are. I’ll meet Paddy every day of the week if there’s a point but otherwise I’d be busy in trying to do my little bit."
No sign of a rapprochement there although being the sensible people they are, the Irish management team and players will do all they can to seriously reduce the penalty count of 16 incurred against Wales, a point well made by skipper Brian O’Driscoll.
"There’s no point in crying about it," he stressed. "Ideally, you’d prefer things not to be changed in mid-competition but that’s the way it has panned out. It’s our responsibility as professionals to make sure we try and correct the mistakes we made in the previous game.
"This new interpretation negates the skill of every team because you now have to go out and learn a new skill. I’m sure if you ask Heinrich Brussow (South African open side flanker), he was probably crying over the last while because he has made a career as probably one of the world’s best and now the rules have changed for the worst from his point of view."
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