Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett has criticised the officiating of New Zealand referee Glen Jackson during South Africa’s 23-all draw with Australia in Perth on Saturday.
Mallett was not particularly happy with the way in which Jackson handled the scrums - an area where the Boks had the upper hand for most of the game.
“Australia took the scrum as low as they possibly could on our and their ball. A referee like Jackson played flyhalf in his day and he wants the scrum to finish as soon as possible. He likes refereeing open play," Mallett said in the SuperSport studio afterwards.
Mallett, who coached the Springboks between 1997 and 2000, said Jackson called the front rowers aside to say four of the first five scrums had collapsed and he would start penalising them.
"What he didn't see, was whose fault it was," Mallett said.
"It's all very well speaking to both sides, but you have to understand who is going down and Scott Sio on the loosehead side was scrumming incredibly close to the ground, so when any pressure came on, it went straight down and the referee wasn't sure who was to blame.
"So we can complement Australia on intelligent scrummaging, but I do believe the scrum would have been better handled by a northern hemisphere referee."
Mallett was also critical of Jackson’s handling of the lineouts.
“I thought the referee was too slow to penalise the Wallabies for playing Bok jumpers in the air, especially in the second half when the Boks got their driving maul going.”
