Vodacom Super 14

Plumtree identifies ref errors

2010-03-09 20:52

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John Plumtree (Gallo Images)

Sydney - Sharks coach John Plumtree added to the criticism of referee Paul Marks on Tuesday as he said the official's decisions cost his team victory in the Super 14 match against New South Wales.

Plumtree told the Sharks Web site that those "big decisions" were responsible for his team's fourth defeat in four games this season.

"There were some big decisions that went against us and they seriously cost us," Plumtree said as his team attempts to come to terms with its winless start to the Super 14.

The Sharks lost 25-21 to the Waratahs on Saturday after Marks failed to award the South African outfit a penalty try two minutes from the end. Waratahs' player Kurtley Beale had illegally knocked down a pass to Ryan Kankowski that would have resulted in a late try for the Sharks. Beale was yellow-carded by Marks but the home team escaped a penalty try.

Plumtree said it would have been a try "but for that act of cynical play from Kurtley Beale".

"There was also a pass to Bismarck du Plessis that was called forward," Plumtree said, "which on analysis was shown to be legitimate and again we would have scored from."

Sharks and Springbok captain John Smit said after the game that the Sharks had done enough to win, "but the scoreboard tells a different story", an obvious reference to Sydney-based referee Marks.

But Plumtree also said that bad decisions were part of the game and the Sharks would have to get over their latest disappointment ahead of three more matches on the five-week Australia and New Zealand tour.

"It happens and we are not focusing on it in our post-match analysis," he said.

"We played the better rugby for most of the second half and finished pretty much on top. We will just carry on fighting until we get that first win and hopefully get on a roll," Plumtree said.

Plumtree also confirmed flank Keegan Daniel will be tested for concussion and is in doubt for the match against the Brumbies.

The Sharks play Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday before games against Hurricanes and Highlanders in New Zealand.

Your Comments

Bobby3/11/2010 7:22 AM: @Taariq and all you other "clever" people. Paul Marks was sacked because even SANZAR said he should have awarded the penalty try.... now who is throwing mud and eating dirt????

Stefan3/10/2010 11:37 AM: Jissie ouens julle kan darem modder gooi. Die log doen al die praatwerk...

Richard3/10/2010 11:18 AM: Before you start to blame everybody else ,look at your teams discipline as one of the problems,I think your team has the most Yellow cards this season and leadership another as everybody is playing as individuals and not as a Team

Frank3/10/2010 11:00 AM: Come on the sharks have not adjusted to the new way of playing as other teams have. Dont blame the ref. The sharks look tired most of the time, they play well in when they realise they are going to loose. Play the 80 minutes to win Sharks

Just part of the cycle3/10/2010 10:27 AM: The Bulls went through a bad patch, the Stormers went through a long bad patch, the Cheetahs and Lions can't get out of their bad patch and it seems as if the Sharks team is heading for their bad patch. It all part of the natural cycle in all sports. The Bulls will also head into a bad patch again some season. I do however think that the management of the Sharks has a lot to do with their current situation. The way they "hunted down" (hi-jacked) certain players from other provinces might just have caused some ructions among their own players. The team is always bigger than the individual and witht he Sharks this might not be the case. I'm sure the Bulls would have loved to offer Habana more to keep him, as they had first choice, but decided not to offer more. This could have caused conflict among other senior players within the Bulls camp. The entire team or player contracting strategy of the Sharks seems this past season doesn't seems like a healthy approach. That's just my opinion, but I think things are going to get worse before its gonna get better.

Rich3/10/2010 9:54 AM: We all know Aussie refs are kuk, however you have to take them out of the equation to be succesful overseas, so Plum should stop squabbling. @Willy Shake Listen hear bud, I've noted your previous comments, the Bulls have thus far only been officiated by SA officials, which we all know are unbiased and largely very accurate, and thus Ludeke hasn't needed to comment. So just wait my man, will see what you have to say after you get unfair decisions overseas.

Why all the fuss?3/10/2010 9:51 AM: I agree that the Sharks team was robbed on Saturday, but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Everybody in Sharks Country conveniently forgets about all the 50/50 calls that went their way last season. They were extremely lucky several times last season. The problem with the Refs is however a serious one and I don't know how this will even be resolved or improved. For some reason Australian Refs,umpires, judges, etc. always leave a bad taste afterwards. Take Stuart Dick and Darryl Hair (cricket) for example - can anyone enywhere in the world really trust these "gentlemen". I liked the idea of Refs attending post-match interviews to be questioned in public with the captains and team management. They are just too protected and way above the laws of the game. I'm not saying they cheat, but hell - sometimes it gets very close.

Bulls fan forever3/10/2010 9:47 AM: @Dean. Typical loser comment, having to come up with a dirty word to make a point. What a pathetic comment! Enjoy losing more, since you are not part of a winners supporters group at al !!!!!!

Dean3/10/2010 8:21 AM: @William Shakespeare...Pray tell "Mr Intelligence" just how Frans Ludeke's "interpretation workshops" will prepare his team to handle decisions that a referee makes up on the fly, completely ingnoring the rulebook of Rugby Union??? What a smug W Anchor you are sir

ELM3/10/2010 8:14 AM: This gets more pathetic by the day!

Taariq3/10/2010 7:50 AM: Full Marks to Paul Marks!! he did his job and he did it well, honest referee'ing.

oval ball3/10/2010 7:21 AM: Jeez there is a lots of rubbish posted here. Yes the sharks are not at the same level as last year - that is obvious. They lost some key players injury, move to Europe and 'other' and it shows. However Plumbum is right about the ...'big decisions'. Things like that can mean the difference between a win and the momentum gained from winning, or a constant battle to get as Smitty calls it...' the rub of the green'. I don't see whinging here. Stating the facts as they stand. @ Willy Waggledagger - thou seems a bit too smug.... remind me... what comes before a fall? (if you don't know and don't know what it means, check your idioms)

Jakes3/10/2010 6:50 AM: Like I said, there are going to be good refs and bad refs, same things that the Sharks are complaining about, maybe the Brumbies is saying about our SA refs? I think it is more of a case that the Sharks needs to pull up their socks (coach included) and start playing again and leave the side-issues. And to all the Sharks supporters....the Blue Bulls crowd has nothing to do with this.

ColinNZ3/10/2010 6:47 AM: It astounds me the lengths a bad coach would say to keep his job. Perhaps the sharks board are believing this.The history is there for all to see. The sharks have failed to give 100% week in week out. they have failed to develope a killer instinct.The ill discipline on the field by the players is a reflection of the coaching staff's/captain's inability to instill a winning team culture.If one looks at the players individually none of them have stepped up/improved.In fact they have all gone backwards.It's time to hand out the retirement packages to all of them.

Imboriako3/10/2010 6:09 AM: Byo basd bok...rather stick to you third world imploded cricket team. you fellas don't live in the real world anymore chum. you can listen to your esteemed presidents garbage that makes more sense, Refs have a serious influence on the game as shown on many occasions. the sharks seems to always have many legitimate gripes and its not just the sharks griping, its everyone who actually can understand rugby and the consequences of corrupt refs. the answer lies in the Bulls results. what is amazing is that the refs association has said not one word about the blatant bias calls....not even a suspension for the ref...or are they also getting paid off.??? if they read the comments about themselves they would realise that their incompetence or crookery is actually making them lose total credibility even amongst the players...fire the incompetents train competent refs and put them on lie detectors after each match...and if found to be lying the team that won will forfeit the points, that way the bulls would be at the bottom of the log.!!!

Chris du Plessis3/10/2010 5:35 AM: Mr William jy is n' uitgeknipte bloubul wat altyd sal spog met die bloubul span dit is nou van die spelers tot en met die refs wat nooit n' voet verkeert sit in die bloubulle se wedstryde nie maar net met die ander SO EK HOOP JY SKAAM JOU .

William Shakespeare3/10/2010 12:21 AM: Is Frans Ludeke also making a jolly big list of the nawty ref's mistakes to show to everybody? Or is he busy holding interpretation workshops for the Blou Masjien so that they can accumulate even more wins and bonus points to enjoy a home semi and a home final? Mmmm?

Lloydster(uk)3/9/2010 10:05 PM: Oh Geez,Plumtree making excuses,thats the sign of a poor coach.Kak ref or not is part of the game today.If the sharks took their chances,which they had plenty of, then we would not have this spat now.

Paul3/9/2010 9:36 PM: Maybe Plumtree should identify the problems in his own camp.

Craig3/9/2010 9:29 PM: Desparate words from a desparate coach... The once almost mighty Sharks look more like the rotten Banana Boys this season. Perhaps Big John is not the great captain we thought he was? Looks like PdV is the real strength behind the Boks?

Hannes3/9/2010 9:19 PM: Thanks Mr Plumtree, carefull just now they site you. However, we as S13 supporters still demand action. If SA Rugby remains silent, as usual, we will now start talking to Vodacom, the sponsor. We need to address this for once and for all. the game should at least be declared a tie or nul and void.

Ander3/9/2010 9:19 PM: That "forward pass" that all the analysts up to now have been calling marginally forward didn't need rocket science technology to show it was a legit pass. Live and on the immediate replay it was obvious the pass was ok. The 22m line was even there as a reference.

DGWB3/9/2010 9:09 PM: Paul Marks you suck and I'd love to tell that to your face, idiot

bulawayo-based-bok3/9/2010 9:01 PM: NO!!!!!!........buying Andy Goode and Steve Meyer retiring has cost the Sharks!......plus maybe keeping Smit in the team and having the world's best hooker and prop on the bench(Bismarck n Beast).......the sharks need a spark, a solid defence and some more moves in the backline and GET RID OF NDUNGANE!!! he is a pedestrian compared to Mvovo who in my opp. has the best acceleration in SA!

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