Freeman critical of ref choice

New Zealand coach Gary Freeman launched a fierce attack on the Rugby Football League over their choice of referee for the Test series against Great Britain.

The Kiwis lost to Britain for the first time since 1993 after succumbing 16-10 in the third Test at Wigan’s JJB Stadium last night, which forced them to share the series 1-1 following the drawn second game.

But Freeman, New Zealand’s most capped player who has been in charge for his country’s last seven internationals, was angry after a third successive penalty count went against his side.

He was critical of the appointment of Australian referee Steve Clark, who got the nod ahead of countryman Bill Harrigan, still regarded as the top official in the National Rugby League.

“I would just like to win the penalty count once,” he said. “That would be nice. Just when we were getting on a roll and we’d get them on the fourth tackle, they would always get a penalty. That was a bit ordinary.

“We must be a bad side if we give penalties away every game. I can’t work that one out.

“It would also be nice to play if he could get back the 10 metres and I just don’t know how the video referee gave that try down the right-hand side. If I was on the Great Britain side, I’d be very happy.

“I can’t blame Clark for that. You’ve probably got to look at David Waite (Great Britain coach) and (RFL technical executive) Stuart Cummings because Clark’s been out of the game for eight weeks with an injury.

“He didn’t referee any semi-finals and they rate him the best referee in the game. I find that very hard to believe.”