Mark Reason has put himself out there again with claims that the Crusaders are serial cheats. It is funny how all experienced world class teams get this tag. The Australian cricketers from the 2000s were constantly labelled this. I think he has a point to an extent, but rugby is a funny sport where so much goes on which gets unpunished in some games, but will be penalised the next game that making these accusations is a joke. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. Quite befitting for a Crusaders team. It will be interesting to see what happens once some of their greats like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter retire.
What do you think of Mark Reason's viewpoint? I think he has a point, but it is just the way it is. It makes beating the Crusaders more satisfying! He is stirring the pot as part of a slow news week with only two matches this weekend! He could also be bitter about his team not making the playoffs.
OPINION: Twelve months ago thousands of neutral rugby fans were backing the Crusaders.
After the horrors of the two earthquakes, we hoped Christchurch could derive some shreds of momentary joy from the performance of their rugby team. No more. Some of us now hope that any team but the Crusaders wins the Super Rugby.
Richie McCaw's post-match eloquence and decency is in contrast to his coach's one-eyed remarks and hides a multitude of sins. Too many of the Crusaders intimidate referees, take cheap shots at the opposition and serially cheat around the ruck and maul.
It is a cultural malaise that is presumably encouraged by the coaching staff and sets a terrible example to young players around the country.
Let's deal with the intimidation of referees first, because this is a problem that is affecting all levels of rugby in the country. McCaw says far more than he should to referees and uses his status to influence games.
Too often the Crusaders are officiated by New Zealand refs who are clearly in awe of the man. Instead of telling McCaw to shut up, they hang on every word.
Bryce Lawrence, a ref who facilitated a Crusaders victory against the Reds earlier this season, is the worst offender.
Don't take my word for it. Before the match against the Hurricanes Sean Fitzpatrick said: "Richie has had the wood on him [Lawrence]”.
This is a former All Blacks captain saying that McCaw has control of a referee. Michael Lynagh then added: “He [Lawrence] appears lenient towards the Crusaders.”
After the game Fitzpatrick said: “I thought they [the Canes] didn't always get the rub of the green. I thought the referee was pretty harsh on them on a number of occasions, especially at the breakdown.”
Not according to Todd Blackadder. The Crusaders coach said after his team's defeat: “There were two tries that shouldn't have been awarded, for a start. These things they hurt you and they kill you.”
Even though in the opinion of many, including a former All Blacks captain, the ref favoured the Crusaders overall, Blackadder still gave him the bird.
The Crusaders work on referees as a group. Andy Ellis plays the nice cop, giving the refs a pat, trying to keep them onside. Kieran Read, like McCaw, uses his growing status to get at refs.
How often have we seen his look of wide-eyed amazement followed by a querying, some would say dissenting, shake of his head.
Against the Chiefs, Corey Flynn was warned by referee Steve Walsh for appealing too loudly. Ellis, of course, reacts to his team-mate's rebuke by patting Walsh sympathetically.
He would have done better to have told his forwards to desist because Luke Romano then appealed for a crooked lineout throw and pumped his fist at the opposition after getting the decision. Charming.
Yet unlike the Crusaders, the Chiefs' coaching staff didn't whinge after the defeat. They could have justly pointed out that Romano's try should have been disallowed because one of the Franks brothers was offside at the kick and, far from retreating, was actually trying to play the ball.
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They could have pointed out that Sam Whitelock was off his feet when he drove Ellis over the line, despite Lyndon Bray's very odd assertion to the contrary.
They could have asked why not one Crusaders player was binned as they serially cheated in the final, desperate two minutes. Ah, but you don't bin Sir Richie.
The Chiefs could conclude from all this that intimidation of referees is something that works. How on earth did Vinny Munro award those two TMO tries against the Force at the weekend?
Nathan Sharpe was complimentary about the Crusaders afterwards, while wryly observing: “They scored four tries in the first half. Not sure how they got a couple of them but they did.”
When the points are added up at the end of the season, young, inexperienced, quiet sides like the Canes and the Brumbies lose out. You could even call them disciplined sides, but the lesson is that discipline doesn't pay.
The Crusaders haven't had the best of seasons, but they have controlled enough refs to start the playoffs at home. They shouldn't even be there.
When junior players see the Crusaders prospering through verbal intimidation, is it any wonder that they imitate the country's top players. Last week a Wairarapa ref retired after 20 years because he was fed up with the abuse.
"Enough is enough,” he said. “The union has to ensure that those who act outside the spirit of the game are held to account."
They could start with the Crusaders. Apart from the intimidation of refs, Romano and the Franks brothers frequently hit late and dangerously. The Crusaders forwards are also the most cynical bunch at the tackle area.
When they have the ball, they hold and obstruct. When they are the tackler, they rarely roll away and if they do, it is towards the opposition halfback who they "accidentally" impede.
The home crowd don't appear to care, so long as their team wins. Far too many booed the referee at the weekend when he quite correctly disallowed two tries, one for a grotesquely forward pass, the other when Adam Whitelock was in danger of getting to the tryline ahead of the ball, he was so far offside.
Despite plenty of individual brilliance and decency, the Crusaders have become an unappealing bunch. Maybe something decent died when Brad Thorn left.
Whatever the cause, I hope the Crusaders lose and come back next season with a proper respect for referees.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/7296554/Serial-cheats-Crusaders-prosper-by-conning-refs
4 comments:
All teams try to do it and the Crusaders are perhaps the best at it.
e.g. (1) Wyatt Crockett puts his hand on the ground virtually every scrum but never gets penalised. (2) Then there was that infamous game some years ago between Canterbury & Wellington when Steve Walsh blew Wellington out of the game. And so on.
More often than not the Assistant Referees are just decoration and make no contribution to 'fair play. They are often in the best position to see that the on-field bloke who is only trying to do his best doesn't get conned.
Everyone's entitled to their own opinion but I compltely disagree with Mark's accusations. Considering the fact that at the end of the day the power rests on the referee and match officials to label the Crusaders as cheats is unfair. There have been plenty of instances this year when other teams have gotten away with far more than the Crusaders have. Eg the Hurricanes tries scored only by obstructing the defending team.
At the end of the day there are always going to be bad calls made in any rugby game as people will always disagree with at least one call. The Crusaders are not cheats and I can't wait to hear Mark's opinion if they deservedly win the Super 15 this year.
I agree with Mark.
Far too much chit chat with the refs!
The refs let them cheat and are intimidated by Richie.
As for Andy Ellis he reminds me of John Key - "Who me!" innocent looks.
The bottom line they are all professional players who are aware of their mesdameaners and they play the refs and TMO's very well.
So yes I hope they loose too
I feel sorry for the Brumbies and Canes and would hope that they don't drop their standards to that of the Crusaders!
Cheats? No. Do they manipulate the referee? Yes. Dawson, Johnson, Dillaglio, Marshall, Fitzpatrick, Brooke, Ellis, McCaw, Read. Masters at it. They analyze a referee and have a idea what he allows.
Wayne Smith said it best
"There were times in that brutal final 30 minutes when a pedantic referee might have picked up one of our forwards for being off his feet or for placing a foot in an offside position. But Andy was able to get our players backs onside and at the same time establish a relationship with referee Craig Joubert. He let the ref know that we were a disciplined side and, as halfback, he would do everything to keep his teammates within the laws. It was a huge part of our win."
NZ pick their half backs very carefully. Some good half backs never shined as they were a bit too quiet.
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