Pearson and Barnes axed by IRB in shake-up
Big changes appear to be coming from the IRB, which is expected to announce on Monday the departure of New Zealand’s Paddy O’Brien as the head of its referees and the demotion of Pearson, his compatriot Wayne Barnes and O’Brien’s fellow Kiwi Bryce Lawrence from the elite panel of Test officials.
Former Test referee O’Brien is expected to be standing down as IRB referees’ manager in order to take up a new rule as head of the IRB Sevens Series. Which means one of his last acts in charge of Test officials was to meet Ireland head coach Kidney to discuss Pearson’s performance in Paris on March 4 during the Six Nations clash between France and Ireland.
Kidney made a rare public outburst against referees following the 17-17 draw at Stade de France when he spoke of his “disgust” at Pearson’s officiating of the breakdown in that match.
The Englishman had also been at the centre of controversy earlier in the championship when, as a linesman in round one, he advised referee Barnes to hand Wales lock Bradley Davies only a yellow card for a dangerous spear tackle on Ireland’s Donnacha Ryan. The letter of the law dictates a red card as the appropriate sanction and when Davies was cited after the match, the player received a seven-week ban from the Six Nations disciplinary panel
Lawrence, meanwhile, appears to be taking the rap for his handling of the South Africa-Australia World Cup quarter-final in Wellington last October, when the referee was judged to have erred on many key decisions during the game, and in particular at the breakdown, where Australia flourished. Such was the criticism Lawrence received there were suggestions the New Zealander was ready to quit Test refereeing, although the IRB stood by their man at the time.
O’Brien’s departure, meanwhile, suggests that the lack of consistency from referees in Tests may now be acknowledged as a systemic problem in the game
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