Bayne Warnes is a Banker
News that Wayne Barnes is back to (assistant) referee an All Blacks game shows that the IRB process for appointing referees is flawed.
There is no over-reaction in New Zealand to his performance - although there is to much focus on Luke McAlister's sinbinning and that forward pass.
If you give Barnes the benefit of the doubt and say from where he was standing it might have looked like Luke McAlister took out a French attacker - and remember he didn't give a penalty try because the All Blacks got back in time.
Also, Barnes can get the benefit of the doubt over that pass - an All Black attack broke down, and the French speculated a ball down the field before regathering and passing. Barne would have to be an Olympic Medalist sprinter to keep up with the ball.
But what was his failing was his inability to take advice from the Touch Judges (who advised him of the forward pass) and his obsession with refereeing Richie McCaw - to the point where he forgot about refereeing the French who committed obvious, blatant fouls such as stealing the ball in rucks using their hands, or persistantly playing offside for most of the second half.
On that basis, Barnes has not yet proved he has a big game temperment needed for vital clashes. And an All Blacks versus South Africa test match (which will probably decide the Tri Nations winner) rates as the biggest game outside World Cup elimination matches.
I have no doubt that Barnes will learn from his mistakes at Cardiff - he did show the potential to get the appointment - but to involve him in big games with the All Blacks does not help. Barnes should not be refereeing the top tier teams playing each other until he shows he won't get star-struck by a big game again.
There is no over-reaction in New Zealand to his performance - although there is to much focus on Luke McAlister's sinbinning and that forward pass.
If you give Barnes the benefit of the doubt and say from where he was standing it might have looked like Luke McAlister took out a French attacker - and remember he didn't give a penalty try because the All Blacks got back in time.
Also, Barnes can get the benefit of the doubt over that pass - an All Black attack broke down, and the French speculated a ball down the field before regathering and passing. Barne would have to be an Olympic Medalist sprinter to keep up with the ball.
But what was his failing was his inability to take advice from the Touch Judges (who advised him of the forward pass) and his obsession with refereeing Richie McCaw - to the point where he forgot about refereeing the French who committed obvious, blatant fouls such as stealing the ball in rucks using their hands, or persistantly playing offside for most of the second half.
On that basis, Barnes has not yet proved he has a big game temperment needed for vital clashes. And an All Blacks versus South Africa test match (which will probably decide the Tri Nations winner) rates as the biggest game outside World Cup elimination matches.
I have no doubt that Barnes will learn from his mistakes at Cardiff - he did show the potential to get the appointment - but to involve him in big games with the All Blacks does not help. Barnes should not be refereeing the top tier teams playing each other until he shows he won't get star-struck by a big game again.
posted by Michael at
12:05 PM
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