Kaplan defends Six Nations showing

South African referee Jonathan Kaplan has defended his performance in England’s RBS 6 Nations defeat by Ireland on Sunday.

England coach Andy Robinson lambasted the official after the game, claiming he made several clear mistakes as his side went down 19-13 at Lansdowne Road.

England are reported to be ready to lodge an official complaint to the International Rugby Board over Kaplan’s handling of the game and Colin High, the Rugby Football Union’s referees’ manager, insisted the IRB would be “disappointed” with Kaplan’s performance.

But Kaplan said shortly after arriving back in Cape Town today that he had a clear conscience.

Kaplan said: “On a personal level, I am very disappointed with Robinson’s remarks. I don’t feel it is going anywhere when a coach publicly criticises a referee.

“There were two matters which he believes were critical and I am quite certain I made the correct decision in both of them.

“The one incident where there was an offside (for Mark Cueto’s disallowed try), I can’t see any conclusive evidence to disprove my decision.

“And on the second occasion where there was doubt if a try was scored, I was in a perfect position to adjudicate.

“I didn’t need to use the television referee from where I was and even if I had reason to, the scrum maul was repelled back into the field of play and the ball became unplayable, so technically I was spot on.”

Kaplan added that the television referee, Welshman Hugh Watkins, had agreed with his decision.

“Even if they ask why I didn’t refer it, Hugh Watkins has said that with the referral he wouldn’t have given it,” he said.

Kaplan insists he enjoys a good relationship with Robinson and understands his reaction, even though he doesn’t agree with it.

“I understand it, Andy is a reasonable coach and it is out of character for him to do something like this. I wish him well for the rest of his Six Nations campaign,” he continued.

“But I have watched the footage again and I would have been the first one to put up my hand and admit I had made a mistake if it was so. If there is evidence, then perhaps they should give me evidence of my mistakes and I will gladly admit them.”

While Kaplan was satisfied with the decisions he made, High was outspoken in his criticism of the man in the middle.

High told the Daily Mail: “The International Rugby Board will be disappointed.

“Jonathan Kaplan is in the top 20 in the world but that wasn’t an international performance.

“It would not have been acceptable in the Zurich Premiership.

“If one of my referees had done that, I would have had my backside kicked for making the appointment.

“If any English referee refereed like that in a European match, there would be an inquest. No question about that.

“If someone had performed like that, he would have been pulled from the next game.”