Rassie, Springboks send clear message to referees

Earlier this year, Springbok boss Rassie Erasmus she some light on World Rugby’s new referee communication protocols that had left him baffled.

In short, coaches can now only have an alignment call with the referee before a match if both coaches agree to meet and attend together.

As a result, Erasmus admitted that the media now had to be used to send messages to officials.

“I think there’s definitely frustration from the coaches that you can’t have meetings with the referee if both teams don’t agree,” he said. “It’s now at a stage where you almost accept both teams’ coaches aren’t always going to agree to a pre-match meeting.

“I don’t think it’s a tactic. I think it’s an obvious thing: if you want to get something out, you have to get it out here (in a press conference) because you can’t really talk to the referee sometimes.”

Springboks clearly go this route

With Erasmus admitting the media at times had to be used as a mouthpiece, it was clearly a strategic move to appear at Monday’s press conference with Jaco Peyper, the Springboks’ full-time national laws advisor.

Both sought to shoot down suggestions in the media that the South African teams have been slowing down play.

“There are always three truths: New Zealand’s truth, the truth people believe, and our truth,” Erasmus said.

“In our last two games against New Zealand in Auckland and Wellington, people can go and look at those games and ask were we slowing those down. They beat us in Auckland, and we got a good result in Wellington. We believe there’s a certain way to win big games and we think it will be a grind.

“When you’re under pressure and you attack, it’s tough to maintain cohesion, so will try to find a balance when games are really tight, but we have a system to fall back on that protects the players.

“Since Tony Brown (former All Black flyhalf and current Springbok assistant coach) has been with us, we feel as though we’ve been on the right track. But we always want to keep something to fall back on when the pressure is really on.”

Rate of play in the spotlight

Peyper latched onto Erasmus’ comments regarding reports about SA’s sides slowing down play.

“The law is very clear. From the moment the referee puts his foot down to mark the spot – not from the whistle, but from when the foot goes down – there is 30 seconds to form a lineout or scrum. Not to get the ball in, but to form.

“We have to adhere to that and we train for it. You can do whatever you want inside those 30 seconds. There’s nothing in the law that says you can’t idle before the mark is given.

“Once the referee gives the mark, the 30 seconds starts. Even if you attempt a quick throw-in after the referee has made his mark, the clock is already ticking. However, if the defending team is ready to play, they don’t have to wait for you. That’s where the pressure comes.

“The narrative about slowing down at set piece at altitude is something I’ve seen. I’ve refereed many Super Rugby games where travelling teams slow down the game, but you can also slow down the game by continuously infringing at the breakdown or maul and breaking the game tempo that way. The good thing is there are strong referees in these matches with clear guidelines.”

Peyper had full faith in the match officials appointed for the Tests that the laws would be applied well and said: “These three referees for the series were appointed based on experience and what they’ve done in the last 12 months. They are incredibly strong characters, and won’t be pushed around.

“They get annoyed when teams try to tell them how to referee because they’ve earned the right to be here and they know the game. What you know with Matthew (Carley) is you’re going to have a firm referee. Someone who deals decisively at the breakdown and is very strong on anything negative or cynical. And he does not get influenced by the home crowd.”