Samoa Skipper's Ref Rant
Sep 30,2011
Samoa captain Mahonri Schwalger thinks referee Nigel Owens was harsh on his team during a spirited 13-5 defeat to South Africa that ended its Rugby World Cup in the pool round on Friday.
The Samoans were desperate to beat the defending champion Springboks for the first time to end a 16-year quarterfinals drought.
Schwalger said the Welsh referee didn't help.
"The ref was pretty harsh on us," he said. "If a few calls had gone our way we would have put some more points on the South Africans.
"The ref has got to be fair for us as well for us to compete in a game like that. I felt like it was one way, but at the end of the day you can't change the result. It's done."
Owens ended Samoa's hopes in the 70th minute when he sent off fullback Paul Williams, on the recommendation of English assistant Graham Hughes.
Williams wouldn't release Springboks flanker Heinrich Brussow, who kept punching his arm trying to break free and protesting to the sideline official.
Williams retaliated with an open-hand push of his face. Brussow fell to the ground, an act Schwalger later described as "a little bit of acting."
But Williams became the first Samoan to be red-carded in the World Cup since Mata'afa Keenan in 1991.
Schwalger said that was a harsh call, too.
He said the South Africans got away with slowing down ruck ball, and were cheating in the scrums in the first half, "but we sorted it out later in the game."
In the end, Owens handed out 19 penalties, 10 against and nine to Samoa. But some decisions rankled the Samoans, especially when quicksilver wing David Lemi broke into open field in the 56th and was just dragged down by South Africa fullback Pat Lambie. Lemi was penalized for not releasing the ball, despite the fact he clearly wasn't held.
Schwalger and Owens kept up a running chatter as the skipper tried to understand the calls. At one point, Owens told him, "I'll never make a hooker and you'll never make a referee. Let me do my job."
Lock Kane Thompson was fortunate not to be yellow-carded in the first half for throwing a punch, not long after he'd been wrongly penalized for infringing in a maul. Regardless, the resulting penalty sent South Africa to a 13-0 lead.
Twice Owens had to overturn calls after receiving advice from touchline officials after incorrectly giving South Africa the advantage for knock-ons in general play that he should have ruled in Samoa's favor.
The Samoans wore armbands to honor the second anniversary of the deadly 2009 tsunami, which made them even more conscious of the people they were playing for.
They were emotional when they walked out before more than 29,000-plus crowd in North Harbour Stadium, and bitterly disappointed afterwards.
"Lots of guys are shedding tears," prop Census Johnston said. "They're not ready to go home."
Schwalger added: "This is the end of the road for us. The thing is, the team is going to do well in the next couple of years if they get a chance to play bigger teams. We'd give them a go. I hope we get a chance."
Samoa has proved that already, having beaten eventual Tri-Nations champion Australia in Sydney in July. At the World Cup, they narrowly missed a chance to beat Wales in Hamilton, then gave a good scare into the South Africans, whose previous six wins over Samoa had netted an average winning margin of 42.
"We've got to take a lot of positives out of this game," Johnston said. "Beating Australia earlier in the year, coming close to beating Wales, we are getting better. But the only way for us to get better is for the IRB to help us out."
The International Rugby Board has poured $2 million into opening a new High Performance Centre in Apia, but it's more games against the Tier One teams the two-time World Cup quarterfinalists Samoans want and need.
"No disrespect to Tonga and Japan, but playing in the Pacific Nations Cup is not good enough," Johnston said.
"I'm hoping the IRB can line us up against the top sides, like the All Blacks and Australia. I think we deserve it."
SAPA
Comments (19)
Sep 30, 2011 at 22:57:00
"The ref was pretty harsh on us," he said. "If a few calls had gone our way we would have put some more points on the South Africans.
"The ref has got to be fair for us as well for us to compete in a game like that. I felt like it was one way, but at the end of the day you can't change the result. It's done."
That to me proves just how far they still have to go in terms of a professional mindset, especially the 1st two sentences. Naivety like that isn't gonna get you anywhere, and if they don't get their emotions under control they'll never amount to much. Yes, their short breaks between matches were inadequate and unfair, and I understand the emotion they would've felt playing for the tsunami victims, but that doesn't give you a preordained right to win a rugby match. With the biased support in the stands and the pre-match build-up you probably can't blame them for thinking they had that right. It reminds me a bit of the Lions tour in '09, players believing their own hype and then going on as if they've suffered the world's greatest injustice when they lose.
A win is EARNED, and we did that today by making 150+(correct me if I'm wrong) tackles - yes, it shouldn't have got to that and we definitely went AWOL in the 2nd half, but we dominated the 1st half and from there it was green walls everywhere. We could whinge if we wanted about Bismarck's clear try but we won't, 'cause the ball literally couldn't be seen and we understand that that's how it works. We could moan that Nigel Owens didn't have control over the game and therefore didn't yellow card the Samoans earlier but we won't 'cause that shit happens from time to time. The Samoans have only themselves to blame for all the penalties they conceded, and I will not be told by anyone that we were lucky to win or didn't deserve the victory.
Sep 30, 2011 at 23:02:39
I think the Samoans were lucky not to have been yello carded sooner in the game, their off the ball tactics was shown a blind eye by Owens and co.
Oct 01, 2011 at 00:25:58
Yup, Nigel Owens was extremely one eyed when it came to making calls against the Bokke. I was at the game and saw most of the Bokke infringing was off the ball beyond the gaze of the impartial camera. The Bokke were definately the agressors and it was only through sheer frustration (because Owens wants his Bulls tickled by that abberant growth on Guthros face and wont penalised his blossoms) that the Samoans fought back.
Lets review just SOME of the MANY calls Owens got wrong on the night. Anyone with a conscience would agree but I need to remember we are in the bowels of the morally bankrupt Saffers here on SArugby and most wont ever concede the point, even on an anonymous rugby blog..
Samoan foward penalised for allegedly coming around the Bokke maul when anyone with two eyes and a rewind button could clearly see he came "right through the middle".
FdP knocked down Samoan attacking ball with only one hand. You cannot intercept the ball with 1 hand. Cynical play and should have been yellow careded like lord lardya$$.
Sacrificial Lambie ferrets the ball into touch (in his own 22) with his hands whilst the Samoans were bearing down on him. Obvious foul, penalty to Samoa not given.
Lemi hot on attack (again) cuts straight through the middle and is bought dowm by Lambie. Lemi gets back up and steals 2-3 more metres. Samoa penalised for not releasing the ball even though anyone with more than one eye could plainly see that Lemi was not held.
Then there is Brussow's habit of bridging over tackled players whist trying to steal the ball. HE IS NOT DEEMED ON HIS FEET IF HE CANT SUPPORT HIS OWN WEIGHT!!! He is a cheat and the refs have finally seen his play for the farce it is. Lets not forget his fanny dive. He should have been penalised for being such a CHOP. 1 open handed slap to the side of his face (after Williams copped half a dozen of Blossom Brussows best SLAPS) and he floors it ? Reminded me of Joost in the mid 90s when he attempted a similar hollywood dramatisation after Marshal fended him in the FACE. Bokke= DIVA!
Oh, and the usual run of the mill slowing the ball down, hands in rucks, offside play and the like. You all know what Im talking about LOLZ!!
Oct 01, 2011 at 00:42:57
OH and lets not forget the "truck and trailoring" (not to be confused with Bokke changing room party games) which lead to that try that was disallowed (inconclusive). Ity happened 3 times from memory. Once off of a lineout Spies palms the ball off to the man behind him even though they werent bound then allows his body to deflect Samoan defenders. Once off a scrum (Spies again) which lead up to that NO TRY. And once more (Spies again) off the back of the scrum but Nigel FINALLY thought enough was enough and penalised the Bokke. Gee, 1 penalty from 3 attempts aint to bad for the Blossoms. Its almost worth persevering with. Lets see if this CHEATING makes its way into the knockout rounds?
Oct 01, 2011 at 00:58:03
Explain your constant use of "Blossoms".... I'm sure that, whatever you mean by it, in your head it seems a truly evil genius-like insult.... You're so cute when you're worked up! xxxxxxx kisses
Oct 01, 2011 at 01:10:16
hey did you hear the latest news? Franna is out of the RWC>
Oct 01, 2011 at 01:18:40
LOLZ at Kisses! Gee you really are scrapping the bottom of the barrell having to plagiarise one on Nukies infamous one liners. Hey Sandy Cirvix, why dont you go put on a pair of crutchless knickers and you can throw Nuke some more gutter talk to mull over. Nukie has some special salty mouthwash for you if you want? Keen? Yeah, youre always keen for a salty mouth rinse aye Sandy. Kissess for Sandy XoxoxoxoxoxoXoxoxoxoxo!! LOLZ!
Oct 01, 2011 at 08:19:13
Cant wait for your precious AB's to start playing some real games now pukie!!! Their pool has been a walk in the park and how convienient that has been for the no.1 team to win it after 20 odd years. It must grate your balls that Aus and RSA have both won it twice.
Does your wife read your blogs or do you hide them just in case she will divorce your ass.
oh yes who give a damn if Franna is injured, its not the end of the word puke.
Oct 01, 2011 at 14:16:09
Does it turn you on to write such gay comments pukie. Christ you are so pathetic man!!!
Grow a pair and sod off this site you prick
Oct 01, 2011 at 12:37:32
I kinda agree with the kiwinuke - I think Samoa were on the receiving end of some bad reffing calls - particularly when winger was penalised for not releasing the ball.
At the end of the day - SA thru Frans out and Most likely playing the boys in gold who I think can turn it on again proivded berrick plays @ 12.
Not often Id side with the kiwinuke but as an impartial observer I think SA got the calls their way.
Ps imagine how good samoa could be if didnt have kiwis poaching all their best players....
Oct 01, 2011 at 12:37:38
I kinda agree with the kiwinuke - I think Samoa were on the receiving end of some bad reffing calls - particularly when winger was penalised for not releasing the ball.
At the end of the day - SA thru Frans out and Most likely playing the boys in gold who I think can turn it on again proivded berrick plays @ 12.
Not often Id side with the kiwinuke but as an impartial observer I think SA got the calls their way.
Ps imagine how good samoa could be if didnt have kiwis poaching all their best players....
Oct 01, 2011 at 01:16:47
The fact that we can debate descions and calls in a close SA vs Samoa match just shows how far the samoan team have actually come. It was definitely a game of two halves, SA winning the first and Samoa the second.
Oct 01, 2011 at 02:24:05
The referee did not take control of this game and he let it slip away in the first half. There should have been a few Samoan yellows in the first half which would have went a long way in calming their emotions down. The second half was absolutely anarchy, with the Samoans taking their fustrations out on the Bokke. I did not enjoy the way the Samoans responded in the second half. One could see they wanted to hurt the Bokke and cause injuries, that was their clear intention. Samoa, must earn the right to play with the big-boys and that includes conducting themselves in a sporting and professional manner, even when the ref gets it wrong!!
Oct 01, 2011 at 03:13:33
Instead of blaming the ref and saying the ref was harsh on us, it probably would have been smarter to say "calls didnt go our way" and left it at that. ill discipline cost our boys, when calls went against samoa it only fuelled schwalgers and the teams frustration. But yeah green I agree you conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times. Its samoan nature to hit and hit hard, with a, gonna hurt you mentality. Some of our hits were uneccessary and over the top at times. For a small island in the pacific ocean and considering we had to raise funds for our team to be at the world cup, we did pretty well, well done Manu.
Oct 01, 2011 at 08:22:51
@ henry
l am so glad that you are nothing like your NZ counterpart kiw puke, and have structured comments on this site. Any dig l have on this site that may be offensive to NZ or the PI's, please dont take offense as it is pointed at pukie
Oct 01, 2011 at 08:55:13
Yeah hey bok2011, totally understandable, no offense taken.
Sep 30, 2011 at 20:01:38
Every match they play they have a whine. Samoa lost and l certianly dont thing they could have won the game. True S.A fell asleep in the second half but the Samoans should have kept their tempers under control and the ref wouldnt have been so harsh. Time to move on. l am sure Samoa will only but improve and no doubt will make the quarters and maybe further next time round.