Tri-Nations
Smith calls for two refs
2009-07-29 11:39
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Durban - All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith has called for a firmer administration of the offsides law to encourage counter-attacking rugby.
All Blacks, the most fearsome of all teams counter-attacking from deep, have scored just eight tries in five matches this season, two of which they have lost.
Smith felt offsides play was killing his team's efforts.
"I think there's a lot of offsides and I don't think the new laws about taking quick throw-ins is working," he told reporters.
"All those players that are offsides just race up to stop the throw-in, otherwise we would have more ability to counter-attack.
"I'm not just talking about the Springboks, but rugby in general, and maybe the game would benefit from having two referees."
The New Zealand attack coach said his team's ability to assail the Springboks with dazzling running rugby in Saturday's Tri-Nations Test in Durban would depend on the foundation laid by the All Blacks forwards.
"We're improving on attack, there's better width and understanding of what we want to do. Execution under pressure is the big thing, we made some critical errors last week."
The All Blacks conceded 11 penalties in their 28-19 defeat to South Africa last weekend. Smith said it was due to poor play rather than any hazy interpretations of the laws.
"Referees are like bars, they all have their own characteristics, but the laws are black and white and we infringed stupidly sometimes on Saturday," he said.
"The Boks are very talented, strong and very tight - they have good spirit and character too. They did not win the World Cup for nothing, which shows they are no mugs."
"They have the potential to play any way they want to with a backline with ability, strike power in the loose forwards and a good platform up front," Smith said.
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