The perception that Steve Walsh has it in for South African teams is just that, a perception.
Gavin Rich – Sport24
That is the attitude of the Vodacom Stormers to the appointment of the former New Zealand referee, now officiating out of Australia, for Saturday’s Super 14 match against the Hurricanes at Newlands.
Walsh was at the centre of a controversy last week when he awarded a questionable penalty try against the Lions in their match against the Brumbies in Canberra, and was also criticised for yellow carding Lions front-row forward Kevin Buys. Television cameras also picked him up winking at a Brumbies forward, something some media have made quite an issue over.
However, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said he was not perturbed at having Walsh, who a few years ago was ranked among the top three referees in world rugby, in charge of the match. He pointed out that the refs were under so much scrutiny from their SANZAR and IRB bosses that they were under pressure to deliver their best.
“The thing with the Lions and Steve Walsh doesn’t concern me. It is a totally new game and for him the referees are under the spotlight too,” said Coetzee.
“The assessors are looking at them, and it is a job for them to do. The most important thing for me about the guy officiating is that the players adapt to the referee. We do follow trends, but the players are doing well in adapting. It doesn’t matter who the ref is.” Stormers captain Schalk Burger agreed with the coach.
“We don’t worry too much about the referee, we just want to do our own thing,” said the Springbok loose-forward.
March 11th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Wait till he cost you the game, then I want to see you bitch
March 11th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
I wonder what that vaginal discharge Phil Whaure is thinking now that his favorite wet dream ref has been pulled out of the Super 14
He sat there verbally masturbating Marks after the game for allowing a “fair contest”
Apparently he was the only one who thought that…
Suppose he’ll be whingeing again after the next game… when a Saffa gives hima YC
March 11th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
You can all laugh at my
expense, but the Breezes
are gonna lose this one
- Walsh, Polka, Foxtrot
or whoever refs.
This will be their biggest
test so far, and the side
does not instill confidence.
March 11th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:32 pm:
I got them down for a loss on Superbru…
March 11th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
sheesh…
oh ye of little faith…!!
I know it’s gonna be a tough match… I believe it will define our season… and I’m really nervous cause the Canes are a very good side…
but I never bet against the Stormers/WP or the Boks… as a supporter I just can’t bring myself to do it… because at the back of your mind you always have the consolation of ‘winning’ even though the team loses…
and therefore IMO you’re not hoping/wishing/praying/whatever-you-do-do as hard as you would if the only thing riding on the win was your team’s glory or inglory…
I am really nervous for this one… but… have to say…
GO STORMERS….!!!!
March 11th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Stormers gaan hulle vat, lag-lag.
March 11th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Lets do the same as the Sharks! If we lose blame the ref!
March 11th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Go Stormers and death to naysayers!
March 11th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Espeacially Morne the Suiplap
March 11th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Walsch is certainly one of the best referees out there but even the best makes mistakes sometimes.
Most of the time a penalty try is given after a series of infringements near the gaol line. The custom (legal precedence) is that penalty tries are for cumulative infringements. It may not be written in the laws like that but it is the current reality.
The wink was probably just a habit. I have seen him winking at players in the past.
March 11th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 5:51 pm: The first penaltry try I saw was in a Bulls WP game where Naas chased a huge punt far downfield and Carel Du plessis took the ball out under pressure from Deon Oosthuyzen -
Oosthuyzen rtied to wrestle the ball away from Du Plessis as Johan Heunis was in attendance to take the quick throw with no other WP players nearby…
Du Plessis kept the ball away from a frustrated Oosthuyzen and then ref Steve Strydom had no doubts about the penalty try…. but he was deeply unpopular in Cape Town afterwards
March 11th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Reply to JT @ 3:25 pm:
March 11th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 5:32 pm:
This site is getting weirder by the day…
March 11th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 6:04 pm: Ja-nee, mens kannie daai Vrysaters trust nie.
March 11th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Jimmy Smith-Belton het die WP ook by elke geleentheid probeer bevark.
Hy kon maar netsowel met n NTvl trui opgedraf het.
March 11th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Hey guys!
Wat is groen en eet eiers?
crabs
March 11th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Gatiep word gefire by die Fish en Chips Shop.
Pêl vra hom hoekom?
Hy sê nee hy het sy tottie in die potato peeler gedruk.
“Is jou tottie OK?”
“Ja” sê Gatiep.
“En die potato peeler?”
Gatiep: “Nei, sys ook gefire!”
March 11th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
My small grandson got lost at the shopping mall……….
He approached a uniformed security guard and said,
“I’ve lost my grandpa!”
The guard asked, “What’s his name?”
“Grandpa.”
The guard smiled, then asked, “What’s he like?”
The little tyke hesitated for a moment and then replied,
“Jack Daniels whiskey and women with big tits.”
=========
Good taste
March 11th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Reply to manvanstaal @ 6:31 pm:
March 11th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Reply to manvanstaal @ 6:31 pm:
HAHAHAHA!
Jis daai ou was biased gewees teen enige span wat teen die Bulle gespeel het….
Hy was ‘n goeie ref in enige ander game, maar as hy ‘n Bulle game geblaas het dan kon jy maar weet vandag akkies jou span by die pomp…
March 11th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 8:01 pm: Heheheheeh
March 11th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 8:01 pm: LOL – good one! Ja you have to let your mind wonder to some of the finer things in life some times. That Gatiep joke also gets me longing for thaqt Capie humour again.
Back to mundane things like match officials. When is the nightmare for SA coaches going to end in Oz? I see the Lions have got James Leckie and Ian Smith (thought he was still in Zim?) running the lines and George Ayoub as TMO in Sydney this w/end. FFS! Lets hope they deny the ‘Tahs the rub of the green just like the Sharks got last w/end but somehow I doubt it.
At least they have the ex-kiwi policeman Vinnie Munro as the ref. He is one of the better refs in NZ, a no-bullshit guy who is fair and likes to engage with the players. Go the Lions – about time you got a win, especially over the ‘Tahs!
March 11th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
Reply to out wide @ 11:27 pm:
Ha ha ha – enjoy you optimism.
Well the Lions do – skuld – us a win
March 12th, 2010 at 12:07 am
Reply to The Brand @ 11:51 pm: Ja ok you have a point. Maybe I am just being the eternal optimist but you have to admit there is something very different about the Lions this year. Sooner or later it is going to result in a couple of wins – maybe even on the road?
March 12th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Leckie and Ayoub in the same match sounds like a horror movie …. if you are a SAFFA…
Heaven I hate Leckie’s schoolboy nerd whiny voice…
March 12th, 2010 at 10:00 am
http://www.rugbydump.com/
Mornings allie ou manne!
Check out on http://www.rugbydump.com/ , there is a winger called Tim Visser playing for Edinburgh who looks to be a pretty good deal.
That name sound so local, anybody know about him?
March 12th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Reply to out wide @ 12:07 am:
I have them down for a win this weekend
March 12th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Reply to welshbok @ 10:00 am: He’s a Dutchman.
March 12th, 2010 at 10:24 am
From Pretoria or Amsterdam?
March 12th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Reply to welshbok @ 10:00 am:
Not Saffa but Dutch. Wim Visser that played for Italy is a Saffa
He also came to Innsbruck last year coaching my team. Good guy!
March 12th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Reply to manvanstaal @ 10:20 am:
Hey that is hate speech in South Africa
You can call him an Afrikaner..
March 12th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Reply to JT @ 10:24 am:
Nederlande!
March 12th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Reply to DavidS @ 10:25 am:
Wim Visser – Saffa played for Italy at lock
Tim Visser – Dutch plays in Scotland
March 12th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Vaak Visser – Was saam my op skool. Nie juis veel werd nie.