Gaffney: English jibes can’t sway ref

IRELAND backs coach Alan Gaffney and manager Paul McNaughton last night rubbished notions that Craig Joubert, the South African referee at Croke Park tomorrow, might in any way be influenced by complaints emanating from the England camp over the last fortnight or so.

Having had six players yellow carded in the November internationals and four more in the bin in the RBS Six Nations games against France and Italy, the English have clearly decided that they should go down a different route in search of what they perceive to be fair play.

Their attack coach Brian Smith was particularly harsh on Joubert’s fellow-South African Jonathan Kaplan after the defeat by Wales, claiming that Warren Gatland’s men “had done their job at getting stuck into the referee before the match”.

The condemnation of Jonathan Kaplan, a man who has handled more than 40 Test matches by Smith was damning and the International Board were correct yesterday when rapping him on the knuckles for what they described as an “unwarranted” attack on the official. Nevertheless, it is apparent that Martin Johnson and his team are still intent, if at all possible, on getting to Joubert before tomorrow’s game. He will meet with the respective management teams today.

“I’ve seen Craig Joubert referee on a number of occasions and I think he’s a very good referee,” declared Gaffney. “I don’t think he’ll be overawed by what England have said. It’s a difficult enough job without trying to put undue pressure on them.”

People like Gaffney and McNaughton spend a long time poring over videos and analysing the way referees handle rugby matches. No two are identical even if they all try to operate to the same laws and regulations. As Gaffney pointed out: “There are certain areas where referees concentrate but all-round we think Joubert is very fair.”

Whereas Ireland conceded only four penalties in the game against France, England, apart from the multitude of yellow cards, have been pinged 66 times in their last five matches, 18 of them against New Zealand when Irish referee Alain Rolland also binned four of their players. So is it a case of Ireland being squeaky clean and England a bunch of undisciplined ruffians?

“Our discipline has been very good and we have cut out a lot of those penalties that can be cut out,” Gaffney replied. “We’re not lilywhite by any stretch of the imagination but we do play as close to the line as we can.”

McNaughton was quick to stress: “Joubert is a good technical ref, he also has a strong character as well. Coaches have their own style in what they say before matches. I don’t believe it has any effect on the referee’s game. If the character is strong enough, he won’t take it either way, he won’t get upset with the comments and it won’t affect him. I don’t think that works any more in the modern game. We haven’t responded to what’s been said.”

While attempts to get Gaffney to discuss the manner in which Martin Johnson has adopted an “anyone but Danny Cipriani” policy at out-half were always going to fail, it was fairly evident that he would find a place in his 22 at the very least for a player of the Wasps out-half’s calibre.

“There’s no doubt of his quality but they’ve run in this game with Toby Flood who has been doing well for Leicester,” Gaffney said. “Cipriani is a quality player, there’s no doubt about it, but maybe at this point in time, he’s not the kind of controlling 10 that Martin Johnson wants. England would have done their homework on what they want and how they’re going to play the game.”

Elaborating on what the English approach to the game might be, Gaffney pointed out that: “They scored two tries to one against Wales so I don’t think it will change all that much. They have some quality players who can attack — Flutey is an exceptional stepper, Flood likes to attack, Tindall is a very direct player and they’ve got pace in the back three. So we wouldn’t think they’re going to change a hell of a lot from where they’ve been but they’ve got the capacity to do that if they so elect.”

While Andy Goode has made way for Flood in the starting line-up, his retention in the replacements has astonished many shrewd observers who regard the former Leicester number 10 now with Brive as the antithesis of an impact substitute.