Being the "reserve" referee last weekend meant inevitably I ended up not refereeing as it would appear there wasn't a shortage of us around the region, so I headed off to a local club and watched a second team game.
And soon got fed up of that (sorry, but it was dire) and my will to watch was tested beyond reason, with the referee (who I think I've seen at our society's monthly meeting once in the last three years) seemingly refereeing a completely different game.
Not being able to draw myself to watch the Welsh (grrr) beat the Aussies, it was England v New Zealand and irish refere Allain Rolland.
Far be it from me to criticise, but one couldn't help thinking he over-refereed the first half (especially England) and backed himself in a corner for the second. Four-yellow cards for one side? As for the penalty count 15-5 against England?? Mmmmmm...
Haskell (again- deliberate use of elbow and in full view of ref
Mears - in at side after warnings (doh!)
Rees - after yet more warnings, so had to go for obvious offence
Flood - unlucky to be carded with accidental high tackle
England played Rolland all wrong, communicated appallingly (Borthwick mainly), and I have never seen Rolland get so hacked off with a side before.
But then, Steve Borthwick is hardly the greatest leader of men and England were given enough warnings, but if the best he can do is "what was that for ref?" time and time again, it makes you wonder.
And how many times to England fail to listen to the instructions? The better team is always the one who works out the referee early on, just as the better referees are the ones who work out the teams early on.
England's hammering was not Rolland's fault, far from it, but one of the IRB's top guns was not as his best on Saturday at Twickenham.
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