He may not have delighted British royalty, but Australian referee Stuart Dickinson says he sleeps well at night and can live with his much discussed decision to deny a try to England winger Mark Cueto in the recent rugby World Cup final. [Hear, hear - say we!]
The rugby world held their collective breath for over three minutes last month, before television match official Dickinson ruled Cueto put a foot in touch, reports the AAP .
A try wouldn’t have won the match for England – or even put them ahead of South Africa at the time – but plenty of disgruntled Poms viewed it as a turning point and were critical of Dickinson.
Because of a communication breakdown with the people responsible for providing the replays, Dickinson didn’t get to look at slow motion or freeze frame views of the view he wanted.
He had to rely on normal speed replays of the critical angle on which he made his fateful decision, one which clearly frustrated plenty of England supporters including the future monarch.
Dickinson, who has touched on the incident in his book The Rugby World Cup Diaries – A Referee’s Inside View, which is launched this week, said he watched around ten replays of the incident before making his decision.
“I was aware because of the fact there was no slow motion replay or no freeze frame that I knew that the English people would be upset and the crowd,” Dickinson told AAP today.
“The first face that came up on the screen was Prince William, so I had a bit of a chuckle to myself with that.
“But I knew in my own mind I could sleep straight in bed at night and that I’d made the right decision and that was fine. I was happy with that and I can live with myself.”
He was gratified by the support he got from IRB referees boss Paddy O’Brien and particularly England’s 2003 World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson.
“In his position he (Johnson) could have easily fallen in line and sort of said ‘I don’t know’, but that’s the quality of the bloke he just calls it as it is,” said Dickinson, who refereed three games at the World Cup and was TMO at three others.
He said being involved in the final and getting that decision right under pressure were the highlights of his tournament, along with refereeing the memorable Wales-Fiji game.
Dickinson revealed he had shaken hands with France coach Bernard Laporte, who had earlier sent him a written apology after verbally confronting him in a hotel foyer over his handling of a Test against New Zealand in Wellington earlier this year.
“The first time I saw him again was at the World Cup in the opening game at the changing room, we shook hands and said ‘Hello’ and had a chat, so that was fine,” Dickinson said.
“He sent a letter through, an official apology that was sent to my home, so the FFRB had made a review.
“Certainly at the end of the day admitted he was wrong in the matter and wrong to take the course of action that he did.
“As far as I’m concerned if he was good enough to write a letter like that then fine, it’s all closed and finished and forgotten.”
November 15th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I know it sounds utterly opportunistic and predictable to say this now but I’ve been saying it for the last 18 months, Stuart Dickinson is a totally transformed referee and is rightly one of the best in the world these days.
I long ago stopped shuddering in dread when I learnt that Dicko would be the ref in a Bok match.
November 15th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
I have to be completely honest, when I watched the replays in real time I honestly thought his foot came up just before it hit the line. I thought the try would be allowed. When it was disallowed, I was relieved, but still questioned whether the decision made was correct or not. It was not until seeing the super slow motion and freeze frame replays that I was able to be sure his foot did hit the line. All credit to Dickinson, that took balls, and he got it dead right without the benefit of the slow motion or freeze frame. Clearly his eyes are much better than mine. We all like to question and criticize referees, but that decision showed me that Rugby is better off having him referee games, especially over the likes of me.
November 15th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
And Ras, it is wonderful to see you back around, this place was not the same without your insight, well except the part about being a Province supporter.
Good to see you my friend.
November 15th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
And you too, my Swallow and Amazon!
November 15th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
hehehe, leave it to Ras to remind me of those wonderful books from my childhood. How have you been?
November 15th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Pst, Pst……
Shhhhhhh…
Heard the one about the senior ANC member of the Parliamentary Portfolio on Sport [who allegedly doesn't like the Boks] allegedly being bust for DUI?
Nothing proven yet, tests still to be conducted and the esteemed gentleman claims he swerved to avoid a cat….but the cops took him in for a while anyway.
Apparently the initial court appearance has been delayed to around March ’08… not everyone is that lucky, perhaps by then the media will have forgotten all about it.
Anyway, it’s all moot, could be totally innocent.
November 15th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Well, DB, and you?
Saw a sailing snippet tonight, legal wranglings over the AC?
November 15th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Ag, what the hell, it’s already widely in the public domain…
ANC MP mum on drink driving allegation
By Boyd Webb and Wendy Jasson da Costa
ANC MP and chief whip of parliament’s sports committee Cedric Frolick has chosen to remain mum over his weekend spell in a cell for alleged drunk driving.
“I have been advised not to make any comments at this stage,” Frolick said on Monday.
He was, however, adamant that all was not as it seemed and that media stories detailing his arrest on Friday in Port Elizabeth (PE) were incorrect.
Frolick was one of 44 people arrested in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole over the weekend and spent four hours in jail on Friday night before being released on Saturday on R500 bail.
PE police spokesperson Captain Verna Brink said Frolick had asked to be taken to the Bethelsdorp police station instead of nearby Gelvandale.
When asked if this was not preferential treatment, Brink said it was for that very reason that Frolick had made the request fearing that other detainees would claim he was given an unfair advantage.
However, detectives believe Frolick had feared for his safety as Gelvandale police station was usually far busier and the holding cells were notorious for holding people suspected of gang-related activities while Bethelsdorp was far quieter, Brink said.
She said the resulting confusion had caused him to miss a court hearing on Monday but that the hearing had been set for March 3 2008.
http://www.iol.co.za
[Plenty of other articles on the incident should you care to dredge them up. Just bear in mind, the esteemed gentleman is totally innocent until and unless proven guilty. Given SA's record of dealing with evidence and dockets, never mind the absolute possibility he's totally innocent, who knows how it might turn out.]
November 15th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Doing well Ras. The whole AC thing is getting completely out of hand. Apparently the Challenger of Record is being questioned because they are not a sanctioned yacht club that hosts any annual regattas. They sponsored a children’s Optimist regatta and tried to use that as their “annual event”. Of course that is questioned. Then Alinghi has decided that future events will be competed in a different type of boat. One much larger than the current crop of America’s Cup boats, and then they decided they would host the next defense in 2009. How any challenger can be expected to design, build, test, and be competitive in a bran new design is beyond me. What it tells me is that Alinghi has had a boat in the works for quite some time now and made this decision to make the next defense an easy win for them. They also have arranged the challenger lead up series to include their boat all the way through the final selection of the challenger, which is a huge advantage to the defender. In the past the defender did not race the challengers until the cup defense, which was a disadvantage to the defender, they could not test their designs against the rest of the challengers. Big mess Ras
November 15th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Surely they have more evidence than him simply swerving (driving erratically). Blood alcohol tests, breathalizer tests, etc?
November 15th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
‘Rugby hijacking is bull’
http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Rugby/0,,2-9-838_2123807,00.html
Sport and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile has dismissed the reports as ludicrous, and deputy chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport Cedric Frolick has pointed a furious finger at White.
It illustrates what the key role-players in (selecting) the Springbok team are thinking,” Frolick said about the allegations.
“Jake White’s contract with SA rugby is coming to an end after the World Cup tournament, in any case. If that’s the story doing the rounds, they should not even consider renewing it.”
“Jake should pack up and go, either before or after the World Cup. Actually, it should already have happened.”
November 15th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
DB,
The original report was in the EP Herald.
Obviously nothing is proven and Cedric is totally innocent until and unless the forensic tests prove otherwise.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I don’t know if you remember that during the America’s Cup finals, the South African team bought a boat from Oracle and also registered a new sail number for a new boat. At the time I said both decisions were really stupid and would not help the team at all in the next challenge. Well, now with the new boats, those decisions are most definitely exposed as being very poor choices. Lots of money spent on boats that will not even be used in the next Cup.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
MP faces drunken driving charge
Hendrick Mphande HERALD REPORTER
A MEMBER of Parliament was among the 44 people arrested in Nelson Mandela Bay over the weekend on drunken driving charges.
Cedric Frolick, ANC chief whip of the parliamentary sports portfolio committee, was arrested in Stanford Road on Friday night.
Although Frolick would not comment on his arrest, saying only that “your information is wrong�, it was confirmed by police.
Port Elizabeth police spokesman Captain Verna Brink said Frolick was released on Saturday on R500 bail for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. He is due to appear in the Gelvandale magistrate‘s court today.
Brink said a blood alcohol test had been done, but the results had not yet been received.
On his arrest just after 9pm by metro traffic officers, Frolick apparently told them he had swerved to avoid a cat in the middle of the road in the Gelvandale area.
Asked to give his side of the story to correct what he said was “wrong information�, Frolick reiterated: “I do not want to comment, but your information is incorrect.�
A total of 27 motorists were arrested in the Humewood area over the weekend. Eleven were arrested in the Gelvandale area and one each in Algoa Park and Kabega Park, a transport department official said.
Provincial deputy director Charles Bramwell, who led “Operation Futha�, said the arrests were the result of a national initiative in terms of the rolling enforcement plan.
The plan targeted various offences on metro roads this month, which has been declared alcohol month, with the focus on drunken drivers.
“We have a zero tolerance policy on such offences,� Bramwell said.
MP‘s drunk driving case on hold over blood tests
Nomahlubi Sonjica COURT REPORTER
THE drunken driving case against MP Cedric Frolick, who was arrested last Friday, has been postponed to March 3 next year without him formally appearing in court.
The ANC chief whip of Parliament‘s sports portfolio committee was arrested in Stanford Road at 10pm on Friday.
Frolick, who was detained at the Bethelsdorp police station for four hours, was due to appear in the Gelvandale magistrate‘s court yesterday.
None of the court officials knew of the case and those handling dockets said they had not received Frolick‘s.
According to sources, Frolick‘s lawyer had arranged the date with a prosecutor on Saturday, but attorney Lineen Swarts said he did not know anything about this. He said his client‘s blood sample would be sent to Cape Town.
According to a court official, drunken driving cases that did not involve accidents were not put on the court roll until blood results came back. This took six to eight weeks.
http://www.theherald.co.za
November 15th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
DB,
Let me catch up with your posts, give me 2.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
6 to 8 weeks for blood test results???? Ridiculous, blood test results for alcohol are returned in the US within 1 hour. That is, of course, if the person refuses the breath test and requires a blood alcohol test to be performed.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Eish, DB, as you say, a real mess.
HOWEVER – big money and powerful people against the Alinghi proposals, people like Ellison don’t take these things lying down.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
6 to 8 weeks for blood test results???? Ridiculous, blood test results for alcohol are returned in the US within 1 hour. That is, of course, if the person refuses the breath test and requires a blood alcohol test to be performed.
Comment by Dancing Bear — November 15, 2007 @ 4:08 pm |Edit This
It’s not just that, DB.
Think of all that can go wrong with stored blood for weeks!?
If it overheats, it’s spoilt. It gets ‘lost’. It gets contaminated.
I don’t know but I reckon it’s in an accused’s favour the longer the delay as possible. Purely an opinion, mind you.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
And I wonder how many of the ordinary public would have the choice of which police station they were taken to for booking?
Never mind choosing the furthest away, which possibly would allow the metabolism to possibly alter the results?
Who knows, all speculation.
Poor blighter is probably completely innocent.
Not a great fan of South African rugby though, more’s the pity.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
HOWEVER – big money and powerful people against the Alinghi proposals, people like Ellison don’t take these things lying down.
Comment by Rasputin — November 15, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
Hence all the legal wrangling. I have never been a fan of the America’s Cup, I enjoy watching the sailing events (pretty much the only opportunity to see sailing get some decent coverage), but everything else to do with the Cup just make me sick.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Agreed, time certainly will make a difference in the test results. True story here in the US. A bunch of lawyers in a Bar Association gathering have a few too many drinks, first lawyer leaves, and gets pulled over for DUI. He calls his friends at the Bar Association and asks what to do. They say refuse the breath test and request a blood test. Due to legal reasons, police will not draw blood, so they take him to the hospital for the blood work. He then refuses to sign the release for the hospital. Hospital refuses to draw the blood without the release. Police say the lawyer refused the blood work, lawyer says no, I want the blood test, but refuse to sign the release waiver. Argument goes on until around 8 a.m. when the lawyer finally relents and says okay, I will sign the release. Of course by then his blood alcohol level was well below the legal limit. Amazing isn’t it?
November 15th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
I have never been a fan of the America’s Cup, I enjoy watching the sailing events (pretty much the only opportunity to see sailing get some decent coverage), but everything else to do with the Cup just make me sick.
Comment by Dancing Bear — November 15, 2007 @ 4:16 pm |Edit This
And precisely why a South African challenge will never get off the ground without the backing of a Nicky Oppenheimer, Johann Rupert, Sol Kerzner or Christo Wiese.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Agreed, time certainly will make a difference in the test results. True story here in the US. A bunch of lawyers in a Bar Association gathering have a few too many drinks, first lawyer leaves, and gets pulled over for DUI. He calls his friends at the Bar Association and asks what to do. They say refuse the breath test and request a blood test. Due to legal reasons, police will not draw blood, so they take him to the hospital for the blood work. He then refuses to sign the release for the hospital. Hospital refuses to draw the blood without the release. Police say the lawyer refused the blood work, lawyer says no, I want the blood test, but refuse to sign the release waiver. Argument goes on until around 8 a.m. when the lawyer finally relents and says okay, I will sign the release. Of course by then his blood alcohol level was well below the legal limit. Amazing isn’t it?
Comment by Dancing Bear — November 15, 2007 @ 4:21 pm |Edit This
The other alternative I’ve heard is that the accused refuses to allow anyone but his own doctor to administer the blood test, his own doctor takes hours to get there. A twist is that it’s against his human rights to refuse him water whilst he waits.
Another is that the accused claims he is a heamopheliac and that any drawing of blood will place his life in danger, by the time it’s cleared up that he is not, the blood tests are radically different anyway.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
eish, always a way out isn’t there. Perhaps not drinking and driving is a better way out?
November 15th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Cedric Frolick, chief whip of the Parliamentary Sport Portfolio Committee, told the Volksblad newspaper on Thursday that a unified sports emblem would build the nation.
“It has twice been resolved – the last time in 1998 – that the Proteas should be the only sport emblem. The discussion on putting this into effect is now beginning in all seriousness.”
November 15th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
A little off topic but I had HUGE success today while out shopping
I managed to get the whole Twin peaks on DVD.
Okay maybe more than a little.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
When I studied for my driver’s license in Louisiana, the book said that the penalty for refusing the tests were exactly the same as for DUI, so you may beat the criminal charge with those tricks but you will still end up paying the fine and loosing your license.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
If the government is not trying to hijack sport why does an idiot like Cedric Frolick say that the Bok coach should already be gone?
http://www.zoo.co.za/sport/racist
[Hehehehehehe, okay, it's barely tenuous but it's fun.]
November 15th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
so you may beat the criminal charge with those tricks but you will still end up paying the fine and loosing your license.
Comment by fyndraai — November 15, 2007 @ 4:39 pm |Edit This
In the Deep South maybe but not in SA.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
In KSA you have no option but to agree
(What are human rights?)
Oh and it is hilarious that they do actually have a penalty to DUI in a country that does not have any alcohol.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Some hack called Cedric Frolick, apparently the ANC whip on the Sports Committee which has been unforgivably dragging its feet on legislation required by Fifa regarding sponsorships, last week exposed our politicians’ ignorance of the rules of the game.
Our parliamentary tardiness in meeting Fifa’s requirements led to suggestions that unless we finally got off our backsides and passed the legislation we might, in fact, lose the tournament.
This was Frolick’s fatuous remark: “They have promised this World Cup to Africa so where will they be able to go?” Get with the programme, Frolick. They can go wherever they bloody well like: Australia, already well equipped after its stunningly successful Olympics with ample, clean, safe public transport, state-of-the-art stadiums, low crime rate and excellent airports is only one example.
——————
http://www.theforumsa.co.za/forums/showthread.php?t=105
November 15th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I must say that I think Cedric Frolick is innocent of the DUI but I also think Cedric Frolick is an absolute chop/tjop.
In fact, he’s worse, he’s knowingly a chop/tjop.
In my personal opinion, he strikes me as an arse licker supreme when it comes to public pronouncements, may he live with his own conscience, or lack thereof.
Tjop.
I don’t like him but I’m 100% sure he’s innocent of any of the absurd charges above.
November 15th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
In most of Louisiana it was legal and very common to have a drink while you are driving, as long as you were below the 0.1 limit.
You could also buy drinks at drive-through windows. In the places that had open container laws they just handed it to you with a piece of masking tape over the straw.
November 15th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
How many Bud’s would it take to get to the 0.1 limit? 25-30?
November 15th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
LMAO..i actually dont believe this…what does Jake have to do with the arrest for Cedric alleged to be DUI?
So JW is too blame for arresting the esteemed minister and for writing the report in the herald? i must have missed somefing. hahahaaha.
November 15th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
ok i have missed something …LOL … som funnt stories the other one’s almost as bad.
November 15th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
cab,
Are you not taking your job as Protector of the White just a wee bit too far?
Not everything is his fault…
November 15th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
yes, i think so vincent, i will shut it on JW.
November 15th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
hey hey waddup waddup?
November 16th, 2007 at 12:32 am
cedrik always manages to sound like a right royal tunc … niggly little oke who is a “ja baas”
November 16th, 2007 at 1:40 am
Comment by Bongani BEE Bok — November 16, 2007 @ 12:32 am
I would love to actually see what these nobs achieve in an average work day… it is just so difficult for me to picture guys like Stofile, Khompela, Frollick, Tshume actually doing anything constructive in a work day other than an extended liquid lunch…