Kidney reveals anger at IRB’s changes in law interpretation
Kidney discussed the matter with the IRB’s referee manager Paddy O’Brien last week and “had agreed to disagree” with the New Zealand official following their conversation.
There was one example in the second half when Ireland flanker David Wallace appeared to work a piece of magic in snatching the ball from a Welshman after a tackle by Brian O’Driscoll.
Instead, South African referee Craig Joubert ruled it to be illegal under the new interpretation, awarded Wales a tap over penalty and Wallace was lucky not to see yellow.
Neither Kidney nor Brian O’Driscoll had too much difficulty with the change in the ruling, but were frustrated by its timing.
O’Driscoll, elated at leading his side to a comprehensive victory on his 100th game for his country, accepted that: “We haven’t played much under the new ruling and it’s not easy to get out of old habits.”
And Kidney, free of allegations of sour grapes after the outcome of the match, said O’Brien wasn’t for bending.
“We said it was unsatisfactory that midway through a championship, the emphasis on a particular law should be highlighted,” said the Irish coach.
“If you emphasise one, do you get the balance on all the others?
“There would be a big debate about that. We met Craig Joubert on Friday. He’s the man with the whistle and he confirmed it, he did exactly as he said he would. I thought he had a good game. When you meet a referee and he does exactly as he tells you he’s going to do, I’d have no complaints. I told him we’d phone Paddy after the meeting. We phoned him but it was a case of no, things were going to stay the way they were. It’s a bigger discussion than that.
“We had players on their feet and they were not allowed then to poach the ball.”
INEVITABLY, the O’Driscoll-Wallace double tackle was highlighted with the suggestion to Kidney that a month ago, it was deemed good play, now it was surely negating an Irish strength.
Kidney reasoned: “It’s more to do with the game in general. It was highlighted a couple of years ago that the attacking side needed to stay on their feet, that meant you had to send four guys in to make sure, with only two defenders. And we got a lot of ping-pong. It seems to me they’ve been talking about this down in the Super 14. They talked about it two months before the season started. But we (the Northern Hemisphere) are in the middle of competitions, not just the Six Nations but the Heineken Cups, Magners Leagues and a load of others.
“Now if this is going to be changed, it presents challenges.”
As for the aforementioned double tackle, Kidney went on: “If you adjudge David Wallace to have brought the player to ground, then in theory he should have to let him go and then challenge for the ball again.
“The players held their composure. They didn’t get upset even with that number of penalties against them. I couldn’t speak highly enough of them right now. It’s hugely important that referees and coaches work together. It’s for the powers that be to decide on the emphasis. I thought we had a good game of rugby at Twickenham.
“But what’s a good game to some people mightn’t be a good game to other people.”
He added: “Paddy O’Brien is the man to instruct the referees. Like all things, we’re pawns. We have to try and find out what the story is. There is a process in place to discuss the law.
“There is a ruling down from the nominated members of the IRB. That, then, because of the constitution, becomes law. Until they have their general council meeting, that is the way they want the game to go. It’s 18 months to go to the World Cup. After each of the last few World Cups there has been a discussion to give teams two and a half years to prepare.”
Kidney agreed that “our lineout defensive display was hugely important” and couldn’t conceal his delight at the scrum close to the Irish line shortly after half time that blew the Welsh off their own ball. “It was a huge scrum to get a turnover like that.”
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