Comments on: Rolland’s retirement raises questions over the future of refereeing

By: Dazza

Dazza — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:00:50 +0000

Give Glen Jackson a couple more years, and he will be right up there. He was a very accomplished and able player, but a much better ref. He has even admitted he feels he is fitter now than when he was playing. The few games I have seen him officiate he has communicated better with his assistants and the players than most referees I can think of.
Rolland was a good ref, and I think he sometimes got a rough deal being selected to referee French games because it always gave the opposing team an excuse to blame him if they lost.
I still don’t think the northern hemisphere has produced a ref much better than Nigel Owens or Tony Spreadbury.

By: Pablito

Pablito — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:30:21 +0000

Brighty – if people cannot see what the problem with Walsh is, then a quick trip to the opticians is in order…

As you well know, he has a long history (including 3 suspensions and being removed from reffing a super 15 match) of altercations with players – and not just with England, but with Australians and Kiwis as well.

I wouldn’t say Walsh was flamboyant in the style of Norling or Owens – just a man with a colossal ego and problems with self-control

By: Staggy

Staggy — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:11:14 +0000

As far as I’m concerned, Steve Walsh can’t be criticised too badly for much of what he does, it’s just that he doesn’t understand the scrum. He wouldn’t be the only one. The personality thing makes it harder to like him – think Henson, Cipriani, Ashton, etc. Who’d want to be a ref anyway – they ought to get paid way more than the players. Money no doubt is the root to this problem (as well as many more!). Pay refs really well and quality individuals will want to get involved and see it as a career. Slightly random musings I know, but I think there are some points worth discussing in there somewhere!

By: brighty

brighty — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 13:05:24 +0000

Great stuff Pabs – Rolland right to penalise Wales, Walsh though is bang out of order… I personally think Steve Walsh is great and no, this isn’t a windup. I don’t care about the flamboyance – a lot of the best refs are like that e.g. Nigel Owens at the moment and who can forget the legend that is Norling?

I think we’ll see a strong split on national lines here – Rolland has rarely presided over a Welsh win and one could get paranoid about that. Walsh will no doubt get short shrift from English fans when a lot of the rest of us cannot see what the problem is.

By: brighty

brighty — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 13:02:33 +0000

Bill, you’ve just praised Steve Walsh on this blog. Better get your hard hat on and start digging a bunker….

By: brighty

brighty — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 13:01:56 +0000

TPE – Rolland has officiated at Wales games since then.

I never liked him – way, way before he sent Sam off the joke was that Rolland hated the Welsh and never gave us any decisions, it always went the other way. Most countries have a ref who they think (usually wrongly I will say in this rare moment of calm) is dead set against them. We all know who I am talking about.

As for the WC semi – I’d have thought yellow was enough but could not swear hand on heart that a red card was wrong. According to the rulebook it’s justified. I’d like to think that WC semifinal occasion, first offence, no intent, etc. would have swayed him towards ending the match as a contest but as for the rule, red card is justified. Still hurts though.

By: Pablito

Pablito — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 11:12:03 +0000

I think the decision shows what a good ref he was. By the IRB regs it was clearly a red card and yet some refs would not have had the guts to make that call in a match like that – which would have been wrong.

Rolland did the right thing and made the right call in a very difficult situation. Chapeau to him

BTW – to Bill below, Steve Walsh is lucky to still be allowed to pick up a whistle – he does not even come close to the first division of refs and won’t until he realises that the crowd have not come to watch the Steve Walsh Show

By: Bill Burgess

Bill Burgess — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 10:52:41 +0000

Alain Rolland has been one of the best referees in world rugby for many years although i think he was hasty in sending off Sam 2011 RWC. I dont remember watching to many games he officiated and saying after the game that the “the ref was terrible” As we stand today there are only two referees who get close to him, Craig Joubert and Steve Walsh. The rest are not in same league and even with the TMO/Assistant referees there are too many mistakes being made, especially at scrum time. I am sure that the referees just close their eyes, and decide,either Reset or penalty.Glen Jackson, I believe, is not ready for international level even although he played at highest level. The IRB Referee panel have much to sort out. Have good retirement Alain.You deserve it!

By: JLyall

JLyall — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 14:22:23 +0000

TPE – I anticipated this sort of response from some, Welsh fans in particular. I don’t think I claimed that he was a “great” ref as you suggest. I stated he was highly-respected, high-ranking, and had lasted a long time at the top. None of those appraisals are false, and he certainly has plenty of supporters in the game.

Regardless, I understand the vitriol, but the article was less about Rolland and more to do with the questions his retirement raises.

Cheers, J

By: The Prophet Enoch

The Prophet Enoch — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 11:34:41 +0000

Will always be remembered as the man who ruined Wales’ chance of playing in the RWC Final 2011.

How the IRB allowed an Irish ref with a French father to officiate at such a game a week after Wales put Ireland out of the tournament face and square is a mystery?

Imagine if it had been the final and he has sent off Richie McCaw and France has won by a single point? Hmm

If he was a great a ref as this article and some comments claim I wonder why he has never officiated at a Welsh international since that tournament. Good riddance.

By: Mitchell

Mitchell — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 10:48:46 +0000

A players ref. He knows the game. 2nd only to Craig Joubert imo.

By: Jan

Jan — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 10:18:24 +0000

A referee with unquestionable integrity, who ruled consistently fair in terms of the laws of the games, whilst at the same time adhering to the spirit of the game. Definitely one of the best of the modern era, if not the best that adjudicated play for the last decade or so. His multi linguistic skill further enhanced his standing amongst players, coaches and officials alike. Rugby Football will be the poorer for his decision. Is there not a chance that he could be involved somehow in mentoring test level referees? A senior referee’s coach, if you like?