Bryce Lawrence

[TRF_heineken]

So I was one of the many people who were FURIOUS with how he reffed the game between the Boks and the Aussies and I have made some Jokes about him on this forum. So I thought I might start a thread about the douchebag, add some info and allow anyone to give their opinion, frustration, or jokes about Bryce.

First read this article: http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-world-cup/lawrence-feels-heat-facebook-4462696
Then this one: http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/RugbyWorldCup2011/Lawrence-petition-hits-67-000-20111013

Now according to facebook, the most fans Sapolu got for his rant was 1500 people and those were 97% Samoan men.

Now according to other articles, (I'll try and post them as well) in Bryce's case, there are equal amount of men and women, mostly from South Africa, but also many Europeans, as well as New Zealanders who has liked this page.

What's interesting to me from that first article is that its clear that a very well respected ex-ref, Andre Watson, who has had the divine privelage to blow a World Cup Final, also feels that Bryce had a poor game and that the South African Referee's Board are going to take action...

My Question is, will the IRB take action? How many people should join the petition before something is done? or will this all just blow away in a couple of weeks??

 

[TNT88]

What the hell do people want? He did a **** job and no doubt he knows it.

If anything, the IRB must make a list of things he needs to improve on and send him back to club rugby to work on them. Hopefully this fixes all his issues by the next super15 season.

At the end of the day he was appointed to this game and gave it his best shot. Nothing more can be said about Bryce.

IF, we didn't have dumb and **** rules in place that stop referees from reffing their own country, either Craig Joubert or Kaplan could have been reffing this game. But unfornately the same dickheads who join facebook groups abusing Bryce also oppose referees reffing their own country. So we are stuck in a lose-lose situation. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT. They have an irraitonal hate for referees and want to make sure they can abuse refs regardless of the result.

/drunken rant. Don't take me too seriously.


On the other hand. Watson raises some good points, and some bad ones. He is right to criticize Bryce for not penalizing enough. But to say he should be "punished" and "never ref a world cup game again" is out of line and simply wrong. What do the SA Referee's association have to do with this anyway? Nothing... So they should be a bit more careful with the stuff they are putting out.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Urgh, I just don't have the strength to flog this donkey any more.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Leave it be, heineken. Nothing will come of it and you and I know this. Let's take it in the ass and try and walk away with some dignity while hoping Bryce gets to continue reffing.. so that he can visit SA...

 

[Saintjay]

I am not sure what any of this is going to achieve. yes he made some poor decisions, but again he is not superman and nor can he see everything.
I am still of the opinion it was the Boks lack of ability to score that cost them the game more than the referee.

How many of the Boks players have come out and said anything about Bryce?. As far as I know none, they know on the day they failed to perform. They at least are decent enough to accept it and not call the ref a douchebag. The players have been good losers, as for some of the fans I guess not.

The hate of referee's belongs in football and that is where is should say.

This whole thing is stupid, what shall we do have every losing team video review the match and whine that they lost because of the ref.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Ironically, most New Zealand fans agree with the South African fans that his reffing was in most breakdown areas extremely poor and looked like guesswork of the worst kind. I guess that's what you get from New Zealand fans.

We didn't feel much support from the Springbok fans in '07 though, I remember dozens and dozens of posters on here telling us to get over it and move on.

Funnily enough, I'm sure many Springbok fans will be completely lacking in any sympathy and tell us to get over it if we lose on Sunday too. Particularly to a Pocock onslaught. Now that every ref watches Richie he's less effective, not sure the ref will be keeping as close a look on Pocock though.

Anyhow, my uttermost sympathies to the Springboks, I felt they were in general robbed by at least 6-7 crucial calls. I really hope somehow it guarantees them a fair reffing all through the next cup and at the very least the next 12 months.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I am not sure what any of this is going to achieve. yes he made some poor decisions, but again he is not superman and nor can he see everything.
I am still of the opinion it was the Boks lack of ability to score that cost them the game more than the referee.

How many of the Boks players have come out and said anything about Bryce?. As far as I know none, they know on the day they failed to perform. They at least are decent enough to accept it and not call the ref a douchebag. The players have been good losers, as for some of the fans I guess not.

The hate of referee's belongs in football and that is where is should say.

This whole thing is stupid, what shall we do have every losing team video review the match and whine that they lost because of the ref.

I agree up to a point. But there comes a stage (when it becomes a complete farce which it was) when the ref's performance has to be assessed. It's a question of getting the balance right. You can't let absolute shocking performances jsut slide as there ought to be some standards. And I disagree, I feel the Springboks actually did perform and played a good game of rugby at least as much as they were allowed to.

Ironically, most New Zealand fans agree with the South African fans that his reffing was in most breakdown areas extremely poor and looked like guesswork of the worst kind. I guess that's what you get from New Zealand fans.

We didn't feel much support from the Springbok fans in '07 though, I remember dozens and dozens of posters on here telling us to get over it and move on.

Funnily enough, I'm sure many Springbok fans will be completely lacking in any sympathy and tell us to get over it if we lose on Sunday too. Particularly to a Pocock onslaught. Now that every ref watches Richie he's less effective, not sure the ref will be keeping as close a look on Pocock though.

Anyhow, my uttermost sympathies to the Springboks, I felt they were in general robbed by at least 6-7 crucial calls. I really hope somehow it guarantees them a fair reffing all through the next cup and at the very least the next 12 months.

LOL, I thought 2007 was horrendous (Barnes' 'performance') but found it amusing I have to admit. Now, after being on the receiving end, not so much. Feels bad man LOL. I offer my apologies and belated sympathy.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

LOL, I thought 2007 was horrendous (Barnes' 'performance') but found it amusing I have to admit. Now, after being on the receiving end, not so much. Feels bad man LOL. I offer my apologies and belated sympathy.

I know it's not the same, but I watched the Springboks Australia match and I desperately wanted South Africa to win, as there's just so much more history between the sides and '95 was a classic. Still, when it came to calls that were right or wrong I watched with my neutral view on and I have to say, that there's a call here and there where Lawrence may well have been right, but in general the vast majority (maybe 75%) of the contentious breakdowns were shocking calls.

 

[Seaton]

Have you listened to the prank call that Kurt Darren made to Bryce? I personally dinnae really like abusive ones, but Lawrence took it in his stride at times and even had a wee laugh.

My favorite line though was:

What is the difference between you (Bryce Lawrence) and half a pill of viagra?

At least the pill gets you a semi. :lol:

 

[TNT88]

Ironically, most New Zealand fans agree with the South African fans that his reffing was in most breakdown areas extremely poor and looked like guesswork of the worst kind.

Most Australian fans agree with this too. In fact most rugby fans probably agree with it.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Most Australian fans agree with this too. In fact most rugby fans probably agree with it.

Yep, all I've heard from most Australians is straight honesty on this and their to be commended for that. Mind you, it wasn't their fault that this all happened anyhow, it's just one of those things that happens in a knock-out tourney.

Even if we do win the world cup, I still think knock-out tourneys do not really show who the best side in the world is, except for at the time of the tourney and maybe up to 6 months later. It's a glorious tournament to win and easily the greatest, but it's not a four year license to greatness in my eyes.

 

[TNT88]

The IRB rankings show us who the best team over the last 4 years has been, and that is why they are so boring!

The World Cup can bring glory to anyone, which is what makes it so interesting. And what will make NZ's win ever so sweet, if they ever do win again!

 

[j'nuh]

I am not sure what any of this is going to achieve. yes he made some poor decisions, but again he is not superman and nor can he see everything.
I am still of the opinion it was the Boks lack of ability to score that cost them the game more than the referee.

How many of the Boks players have come out and said anything about Bryce?. As far as I know none, they know on the day they failed to perform. They at least are decent enough to accept it and not call the ref a douchebag. The players have been good losers, as for some of the fans I guess not.

The hate of referee's belongs in football and that is where is should say.

This whole thing is stupid, what shall we do have every losing team video review the match and whine that they lost because of the ref.

If a rugby player plays badly, they should be dropped. If a politican messes up the country, they get voted out. If a worker doesn't follow work safety rules, they get warned/fired. To an extreme, doctors/surgeons can face courts if they're negligent in their practise. So why should officiating matches be the only job in the world where no-one gives one about your performance? If you do badly in your job, what right do you have to keep it?

And I'm not saying that the result should be changed, that referees aren't allowed to make mistakes, etc. Just that if their overall performance isn't up to scratch, better referees should be appointed to officiate and people should feel hard done by if a referee makes numerous errors in officiating. It implies they haven't the ability to keep up with the game, which means they shouldn't have the job and shouldn't have been appointed to begin with.

 

[coonor]

Bryce Lawrence may have been poor but the way some professionals and supporters have conducted themselves is very disappointing and unacceptable. If a ref is not up to scratch and is consistently below par then everything should be done to put it right and only if that fails should the referee be dropped. My point is that referees are all different but need to be consistent with their approach to the game. All International referees should be world class but everyone is going to have a poor match.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Interesting remarks guys, but let's get one thing straight, I didn't join the petition, and i won't... I was just reading through the articles and thought I might share it with you guys, and thanks for the response!

I don't expect anything to happen to Bryce, just as nothing happened to Barnes... BUT, there is a difference... Barnes made 1 error that cost the All Blacks the match, the forward pass which had a direct impact on the outcome of the game. Bryce made continuous errors, affecting the game the whole time, and I think this is why, a petition has so many followers, as well a referee association to voice their opinion...

whether the IRB will do anything at all, is anyones guess... but like I said, I don't EXPECT anything to happen, that doesn't necessarily mean there won't...

 

[Dizzy]

Too right man, The referee's need to be dealt with. In the form of punishment, is the only thing I can think of for these guys to buck their ideas up man. Referee's are costing teams matches and it's not fair. As for the guy who went on about referee's being able to ref their own countries. Do you know how silly you sound? You're just asking for the opposition to complain when they lose and your coutrymen was the referee...

Referee's need a vast improvement.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Come on Bok fans- this is just getting pathetic now

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=10758927

 

[Dizzy]

Yeah that's going too far. Let's just keep it rugby-orientated eh?. Don't make it personal.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Come on Bok fans- this is just getting pathetic now

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=10758927

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I wouldn't necessarily call it pathetic, well maybe the prank calls part... But there must be something wrong, if both a world cup winning captain as well as referee share the sentiments of the fans...

Maybe this is just the first step to get the IRB to actually handle matters like these, because the entire rugby public is slowly, but surely getting fed-up with inadequacy...

 

[FlukeArtist]

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I wouldn't necessarily call it pathetic, well maybe the prank calls part... But there must be something wrong, if both a world cup winning captain as well as referee share the sentiments of the fans...

Maybe this is just the first step to get the IRB to actually handle matters like these, because the entire rugby public is slowly, but surely getting fed-up with inadequacy...

Yes, I am talking about the prank calls- THAT is pathetic.