Under-fire Lawrence backed by referees’ boss

NEW ZEALAND referees boss Lyndon Bray is backing Bryce Lawrence after his actions as assistant referee in the second British and Irish Lions Test against South Africa saw him savaged in the British and Irish media.

Former England and British Lions hooker Brian Moore wrote in the Daily Telegraph that Lawrence was unfit to officiate in top-level Tests after his performance as referee in the first Test and his decision not to recommend a red card when Schalk Burger gouged the eye of Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald in the opening minute of the second Test.

And in this newspaper, ex-Lions manager Donal Lenihan said that Lawrence had hung referee Christophe Berdos out to dry with his suggestions of a yellow, not red, card for the incident.