As predicted:
Wales v France
Ref A. Rolland
AR J. Kaplan W. Barnes
TMO G. De Santis
Australia v New Zealand
Ref C. Joubert
AR N. Owens R. Poite
TMO S. Veldsman
Thus leaving Kaplan, Barnes or Owens to referee the final, it would seem.
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As predicted:
Wales v France
Ref A. Rolland
AR J. Kaplan W. Barnes
TMO G. De Santis
Australia v New Zealand
Ref C. Joubert
AR N. Owens R. Poite
TMO S. Veldsman
Thus leaving Kaplan, Barnes or Owens to referee the final, it would seem.
IMO Joubert is the best ref in the world, by a long shot..
he should be allowed to ref the final too.
No chance of blaming the ref if we lose this week!
Didn't Joubert ref this weekend? Does that mean he's a possibility for the final :approve:
Yes. He did Ireland v Wales
I very much doubt he is a possibility for the final, sad to say. I think the appointments for quarters & semis were made at the same time, some time last week, and the appointment for the final was also made, but depending upon the results.
Rolland, Joubert, Kaplan, Barnes and Owens are the ones who were in the frame I think.
Kaplan was not available last weekend, I am told, as he is of Jewish faith and their big celebration was last weekend. That may have dudded his chances.
I think the final appointment will be either Barnes or Owens.
DISCLAIMER: This is purely my speculation only, based on previous years' RWC appointment philosophy. I will be most glad to see Joubert getting the gig as he has been one the the stand-out refs of the tournament. For what it's worth, I think Steve Walsh has had a good tournament as well, as has Barnesy, except his last game (I'm told - didn't see it meself). Kaplan is Kaplan. Previously held in very high regard. Still held quite highly to be in the top ten. (And certainly a crapload better than Bryce Lawrence)
Must rush to Facebook!
here you go GIGS:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Petiti...86992594653732
the interesting thing about this page is that there is the assumption that bryce is working for the wallabies.
i've watched the replay twice now (there isnt a lot to do up here after work seeing as i have to have a 0 BAC in the mornings) and he seemed his usual self. but he was still pretty even.
i guess that the page was made by a South African who is a wee bit bitter because of how the game turned out, and hasnt ever looked into his statistics over any length of time.
ill also add Steve Walsh to that list of sh1t refs.
Walsh has been pretty good over the last couple of years.
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Charlie Fear
Hansie!
Be nice.
Where's the link please?
As above. I posted it this morning. They are almost at 50k now. After 2 days. Bryce is hated!
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I would be surprised if the RWC final referee is one that has not done a 1/4 final or semi final game.
As the IRB usually announces the referee before the semis then that only leaves Joubert and Rolland - as Walsh is a Kiwi come Aussie, Owens a Welshman, and Lawrence a Kiwi and crap referee. Barnes should be out as he has not reffed in the last couple of weeks nor has Kaplin.
If the IRB breaks tradition and waits to see the performance of the semi final referees and which two teams are playing in the final, then it will be down to Joubert or Rolland with Owens an outside chance if Wales are eliminated.
As the IRB is an old man's club they will probably go for the safe bet and appoint their home grown boy Rolland. I hope I am wrong.
They have already broken with tradition by giving Joubert a quarter final and a semi final.
I hope this means he is the flavour of the month and will get the final, subject to his performance on the weekend. I doubt it though.
Kaplan didn't get a quarter final as he was not available. He might have otherwise been selected.
So it's now a bit more open than when I first posted. I think Rolland is the most likely, subject to the performances I have seen. Kaplan is unlikley, based on his performances. Walsh is unlikely, based on the :wallabies: featuring in the final. Owens similarly due to Wales playing them.
:P
Maybe it depends on who goes through. Surely if its France it would be Rolland because he can speak French, can't he?
This would make an interesting vBook.
How would you get odds on this!?
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