Jon Kaplan has been stood down for three weeks

[smartcooky]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/s...per-rugby-duties/story-e6frf4qu-1226021162636

 

[munstermuffin]

I am not a fan of Kaplin but I hope he isn't hung out alone. The touch judge is even more at fault and Kaplin could not go to TMO to check a lineout. Only to check regards try.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

This is an abolishment for international rugby. Kaplan asked touch judge Peter Allan about it, and Allan said there was nothing wrong with what happened. Peter Allan should be cited as well, not just Kaplan. How is a referee supposed to see that? He has to check for the line out to be formed. Really weird decision, this.

 

[nickdnz]

Well, on the plus side, that is four more weeks he won't be reffing a Hurricanes match.

 

[Sam Owen]

Poor guy, he wasnt a bad reff. Ive seen some good games with him hardly blowing the whistle at all.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

This year has been bad for refereeing in general IMO, especially the scrumtime lottery. I think Kaplan got a raw deal here as his touch judge let him down. I mean honestly, has a referee ever consulted the TMO on a line-out issue? Ludicrous. It is upsetting but I can't understand Kaplan getting such a serious ban with much worse refereeing performances not even getting a mention over the last couple of years. If they drag him out I hope they keep up with this precedent but somehow I can't see the IRB be consistent.

I know Irish fans are upset but these things happen. Hell, I remember when the Irish won a game against us because of a ref screw up and we've won our share of close games where one could argue the ref had a deal in it; you win some, you lose some.

 

[munstermuffin]

I agree and while I agree with him been stood down I feel Allan has to be punished for longer.

 

[Seaton]

Probably a knee jerk reaction, but I agree with the others that say that the touch judge was at fault

 

[187]

Well, on the plus side, that is four more weeks he won't be reffing a Hurricanes match.

Hear! Hear!

I'm glad I'm not an Irish fan. I'd be absolutely beside myself. How him and the touch judge could get that wrong is beyond belief!

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

How him and the touch judge could get that wrong is beyond belief!

It's not nice but these things happen. A referee and touch judge have to be on top of every piece of play in a game; of course they'll make mistakes from time to time. If we forgive a player knocking the ball on, why not forgive a referee for making an error? There should be procedures in place to make sure it doesn't happen again though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It wasn't Kaplans fault though!?
He didn't see what happened, so he asked the touch judge (who are "assistant referees" so their opinion is as valid as the refs, to an extent) and the touch judge said it was fine.

Is the ref supposed to listen to the opposition players over the touch judge now?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

He reffed the entire game poorly on Saturday, Allen's fault as well as his for the try but Kaplan got a lot of decisions wrong on Saturday, and he has done for a while. Its a good thing though. He gets time off to re-think and the heat should be off him.

 

[Teh Mite]

So how long till we get Robin van Persie type rants after games? I can see it coming the way it's always said recently.

The ref f-ed up. But Ireland were the captains of their own downfall and the only ones who can be blamed for not scoring enough points.

 

[durbutter]

So how long till we get Robin van Persie type rants after games? I can see it coming the way it's always said recently.

The ref f-ed up. But Ireland were the captains of their own downfall and the only ones who can be blamed for not scoring enough points.

thats the thing that worries me. I have yet to meet an Irish supporter who is livid and feels the was lost due to that.

From what i can see it's just the media looking for a story.

I personlly think Paddy Wallace should get a 3 match ban for such shocking onfield behaviour.

 

[Teh Mite]

thats the thing that worries me. I have yet to meet an Irish supporter who is livid and feels the was lost due to that.

From what i can see it's just the media looking for a story.

I personlly think Paddy Wallace should get a 3 match ban for such shocking onfield behaviour.

That's what I'm alluding to. The football-tabloid media has got it's teeth into rugby this six nations and is doing everything it can to create every single piece of Alex Ferguson type controversy it can.

 

[profitius]

I thought he had a decent game. Better than the refs Ireland had in the 3 matches before that.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

That's what I'm alluding to. The football-tabloid media has got it's teeth into rugby this six nations and is doing everything it can to create every single piece of Alex Ferguson type controversy it can.

It's filtering down to coaches too. Look at the lack of grace coaches like Brendan Venter, Andy Robinson, Declan Kidney, Marc Lievrement, Nick Mallett and Warren Gatland show in pre and post game interviews. To be fair to Kidney, after the Wales game when he had a chance to cool down he said that in the greater scheme of things it's just a game- look at what's happening in Japan at the moment and you'll see there are a lot more important things to care and worry about.

We do need better refs though. I'd like to see a concerted effort made by individual unions and the IRB to get former players involved in refereeing after they retire. They should have a better grasp on the sport than some of the people who take charge of domestic leagues. The Magners League for example is beset by inconsistent refereeing from all bar a couple of referees.

 

[dullonien]

Well I thought all the coaches reacted well after the game. Kidney just kept quite quiet about the incident, whilst Gatland was honest and accepted a mistake had been made. I have no doubt that if the boot was on the other foot, that Gatland would have had a right paddy about the decision. O'Driscoll was rightly upset, can't blame him atall for having a bit of a moan about the decision.

Kaplan was poor in general throughout the game. However he was not at fault for this particular incident. He did everything right and awarded the try after consulting with the assistant referee. There is no way he could dissallow the try after what Allen said, and he wasn't allowed to ask the tmo's opinion.

 

[smartcooky]

Most of the other referees I have spoken to believe that Jon Kaplan was primarily at fault for this.

If you watch the video and listen to he and the Assistant Referee Peter Allen talking, you can hear Kaplan cutting him off in mid sentence. Allen was trying to explain what happened and Kaplan just cuts him off, wanting a yes or no answer to a question which required more than a yes or no.

1. Allen was standing on the line-of-touch with his flag raised and his other arm out. This indicates the possibility of a quick throw in is ruled out.

2. When the Welsh player throws in the ball, Allen allows this as a quickly taken line-out, (which is not the same as a quick throw in)

3. Kaplan has his back to all of this, and doesn't see any of it.

4. Kaplan thought it was quick throw-in and he asks "Was it the correct ball"? (note: he didn't ask if it was the same ball, and this is crucial)

5. Allen replies "Yes" because he is thinking quick line-out, not quick throw in, and he knows it doesn't matter which ball is used.

This was all down to a cock-up in communication. Kaplan asked the wrong question, and then would not allow Allen to talk to him. Allen may cop some of the blame for not being assertive enough, but the responsibility for this error lies fairly and squarely on Kaplan's shoulders.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ah, cheers for the clear up!
Certainly does seem like Kaplans fault (though the not-straight and Rees stepping in field to throw the quickly taken lineout are down to the touch judge )