Tri-Nations

Big call for Craig Joubert

2010-07-28 22:30

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Craig Joubert (Gallo Images)

Hendrik Cronjé

Bloemfontein – South African referees boss André Watson does not believe Craig Joubert will be under any added pressure because he has to make a call on whether the Tri-Nations Test between the Wallabies and All Blacks in Melbourne can go ahead.

“Craig will decide whether it is dangerous or not. It is part of a referee’s job,” said Watson.

Joubert will examine the playing surface at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday and then make a recommendation to International Rugby Board (IRB) referees manager Paddy O’Brien.

It has been reported by allblacks.com that Joubert has already voiced his concern to O’Brien.

There has been a report that the All Blacks and Wallabies may pick up injuries on a field that has been described as “unstable” by clubs from the Australian Football League (AFL) and AFL Players’ Association.

Joubert immediately called O’Brien about the playing surface on his arrival in Melbourne, though All Black and Wallaby team managements have indicated that the Test can go ahead.

Joubert will nevertheless have the final say.

Your Comments

Australia8/1/2010 12:14 AM: South Africa...hang your head in shame!! Your team cannot play and your referee was "pivotal" in the Bledisloe cup. Stay at home and play soccer.

Me7/30/2010 3:44 PM: Good an SA ref, send some Aussie fags off in the first half, some AB homos off in the second. Show them the yellow cards. So we do still stand a chance because we also have ref on our side. Tell McCaw to get a haircut, his hair looks kak. SA are still the best team, enjoy it while it lasts bitches.

@SAKKIE7/30/2010 1:52 PM: Vat jou pak soos n man en hou op moan oor die S14 final. Bulle was beter as Stormers en dis hoe dit is. Deal with it!!

skywalker7/30/2010 12:13 PM: I hope Joubert blows Pocock and McCaw off the field..!!

die yster7/30/2010 11:02 AM: OMG.. they climing out of the woodwork every where.

WildCoast7/30/2010 10:12 AM: Everybody grow up, the only loser here is Rugby. I'm proudly SA but appreciate a good game and team, AB's are a fantastic team at the moment and have raised the bar for others to either step up or shut up. Boks look disinterested and overpaid. A professional team will leave the badmouthing out of the press and bring their "A" game to the field. Bad decisions by officials even if they could be construed as one sided spoil the game for both teams. Nobody likes a sore loser. I do however believe that the rules at the breakdown complicate the game, if you enter from behind and are on your feet you should have equal rights to the ball. Off your feet let go.

Weepee7/30/2010 8:29 AM: Say what you like about Joubert but he will at least call the breakdown points fairly. Pocock and McCaw will not be getting away with the same stuff they got away with against the Boks. I'd like to see the Wallaby's win for our sake.

Mark 7/30/2010 7:05 AM: How come SA had to put up with 3 Irish / Nhemishere refs and the AB's and Aussies get a SA ref.

zim7/30/2010 7:04 AM: I totally agree with PdV. There is a conspiracy to eliminate the Springboks from the competition. Why did they not appoint one of the Northern Hemisphere Referees again to handle this game? They know the only way SA can get back into this game is if the Abs loose. This will put undue pressure on Graig Joubert which he will handle very well. He is currently the best referee in the world. Well Done Craig.

super-ash7/30/2010 6:13 AM: Hey this dude is a good ref people. Dont know what you people know about rugby, but he is a good ref!! he wont favour any team, he is a international professional ref and they can not be favouring any team. he is alo better than allan and that other two northers hemisphere refs!! GOD bless you all :-)

Alibaba7/30/2010 1:45 AM: Oh no, is HE the ref? Now I'm really disappointed that I spent money to go and watch the game. Guess he's going to be VERY confused as there are no BB players to give the benefit to in every situation. Etihad surface has been dodgy the whole season, so there is some real concern, should play into ABs hands as it will be very slippery like NZ conditions.

Rob7/29/2010 11:43 PM: ref bashing again. all things considered i think hes a great ref with a great future

Megan7/29/2010 5:33 PM: This guy is a SHIT ref!

Blue Jake7/29/2010 3:36 PM: This fucking clown struggles to make a call at the Wimpy when he has to decide what breakfast to order.

Viv7/29/2010 2:34 PM: Ag come on - are the precious little sissies scared of getting boo boo's on their knees. Cowboy up guys

GW @ Scaramouche7/29/2010 11:13 AM: even if the give the Bok's the 4 points they will not win the tri nations. you should know all about quicksand that was part of your staple diet....

Steve7/29/2010 9:43 AM: I am sure he is gonna favour the Aussies, but will theis help the boks in any way. Dont think so. The AB's will run the crap out of the Aussies. The couple of days later it is revenge on the Saffas. Remember the S14 forward part in the last min. Mcaw is back, No ref to help the bulls players in the test. I am sure OLD Victor is getting sleepless nights on this. Not even the magic is gonna help you boks. Long live the ABs.

Centution7/29/2010 7:55 AM: Maybe he can be unbiased now - no SA team involved.

scrum cap7/29/2010 7:52 AM: He just has to let them play, regardless of the threat of injuries. Then if all 30 players are injured, and both the ABs and Aussies have to field their reserves from this point on, it might just give us a sniff of geting back into the competition. But the Boks will probably still duff it even then! Sigh!

067/29/2010 7:19 AM: WOW! So that is how low rugby has gone. Whip out the skirts and pink tops!

OMG PLEASE HELP US!7/29/2010 5:22 AM: WTF does this clowns know about playing surfaces MR WATSON? There are no ways in hell that a referee will call of a test match like this! The sponsors will hang him up somewhere! Do you realize how much money is at stake here? I don’t know who irritated me the most, Watson or Snorre but what I know for sure is that Watson definitely has the biggest ego of the 2.W@***r in his own league and up there with the most arrogant idiots in the game.

SAKKIE7/29/2010 5:14 AM: Guys , you are expecting too much of this fella . He is a little pathetic , pedantic cocksparrow with an ego too big for the space between his ears . Remember some of his calls against the Stormers in the S14-final ? If he isn't incapable of making the right calls in the big theatre , then he must be downright dishonest . How can the system entrust a fool like him to make a judgement call in a case like this ?

Corne7/29/2010 12:30 AM: WTF news 24.......?

Scaramouche7/29/2010 12:10 AM: In the interest of player safety it should be called off and the log points awarded to the Springboks as the Aus and NZ are not man enough to play on quicksand.... or something like that

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