Aw, C'mon, Ref

- Paul Thomas

A few headlines have had a good workout lately: “Mother and child both well” and “Mother and child torn asunder”, for instance. Meanwhile, in the sports sections, there have been numerous variations on “Refereeing blunder gifts All Blacks victory”.

The All Blacks whitewashed France in the three-test series, scoring 127 points to 38, 20 tries to four. Yet a casual follower could be excused for thinking they were spared embarrassment only by incompetent, if not corrupt, officiating. Each game supposedly featured refereeing mistakes that benefited the home side and disadvantaged the visitors in equal measure. Then again, that shouldn’t come as a surprise, since referees invariably favour the men in black. Or, as France’s Timaru-born prop Uini Antonio put it, it’s always “15 against 16” when you play the All Blacks.

Defamation actions can be weapons of self-destruction. The only sure winners are the lawyers. That said, it would be interesting to watch those who blithely accuse referees of corruption try to justify their smears in a court of law.

The French didn’t have luck on their side – and luck has more influence than we care to admit – but anyone who has played competitive sport knows that’s the way it goes: you win some, you lose some, whether you’re talking about the bounce of the ball, the rub of the green or contentious refereeing decisions.