No More Bryce Blues For Boks
Jul 25,2012
SANZAR Head of Referees Lyndon Bray on Wednesday said controversial New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence’s Test career is most likely over.
Lawrence infamously took charge of last year’s World Cup quarter-final between the Springboks and Wallabies, which the defending champions lost despite dominating all facets of play.
Lawrence’s performance sparked a nationwide outcry in South Africa that was further fuelled when he was acknowledged as New Zealand Referee of the Year following the All Blacks’ triumph over France in the final.
Lawrence said that he had received threatening phone calls in the wake of the Springboks’ World Cup exit and that he had reservations about travelling to South Africa.
According to Bray, South Africans have seen the last of Lawrence at Test level, although he will still referee Super Rugby matches.
“His time is over at that [Test] level,” Bray told Eyewitness News Sport. “His challenge would be, if it’s possible, to find his way back again. And I think given the reality and what he has gone through and the situation he’s in at the moment that would be a huge ask,” added Bray.
Comments (26)
Jul 25, 2012 at 19:39:20
He's the fall guy for New Zealands effort to obtain the World Cup :).
All Blacks almost choked in that final - would have been steam rolled by Smit and sons
Jul 25, 2012 at 21:22:50
He has done rugby no favours....just a simple minded islander.
Jul 26, 2012 at 00:53:31
Quintin, I am surprised at the tone of your article. Death threats over just a rugby game? What is this world coming to?
Jul 26, 2012 at 03:58:41
Threatening phone calls is hardly death threads-however deplorable any kind of threads are. However,
the blatant nature of Bryces crappy decicions did rob SA of the result in that game and as such of a chance at the finals( Note that I dont say they would havewon) but they would have had the chance to contest the final and the way they played could very well have won.Only the refs bad decisions robbed
them of their chance.the article is NOT inflamatory at all, just stating the facts. Heshould be banned from ALL rugby!!!!!
Jul 26, 2012 at 08:02:01
Well said mate. And I don't even think you south African but English if I'm right. He robbed us of the chance to try and that is a huge theft if you ask me. This isn't just about sport but honesty by officials in the name of the game. NZ got off lightly with France would have been a different ball game with SA. But you guys were crying that earthquake song all the way to the whistle.
Jul 26, 2012 at 08:05:37
For such a strong rugby nation you sure did lift that cup in shame if you ask me. That is no way to win. Was a waist of a competition and the fans deserved more world wide. I don't even want to see that guy ref a SA side ever! True wanker with sticks for legs!
Jul 26, 2012 at 09:48:02
we were the only unbeaten Team in RWC 2011! We had to beat France TWICE to rightfully hoist the Cup - France, a Team that was beaten 3times during the Tournement! We would have loved to play the Boks instead of the Wallabies, the Tri-Nations Champion and the S15 Champions!
Jul 26, 2012 at 11:24:53
Not a single person is arguing the fact that NZ beat France, to be honest you really should have done it with second string side.
The point is, that it was/is extremely obvious that BL had a vendetta that day. Pocock was literally allowed to do whatever he wanted and spent the entire game off sides.
All we want was fair chance, win or lose, just a fair chance to beat Aus. Not sure what would happened, to be honest coming into it we were showing poor form and I don't think we have gotten to the final or won it.
But, what BL was allowed to do was simply unsporting and frankly should carry a severe punishment.
What’s done is done and there no team who deserves to world champions more than NZ.
Jul 26, 2012 at 12:18:57
don't be so disarmingly reasonable garethedwards - fight with me, fight with me!
Jul 26, 2012 at 05:17:45
can you gaurantee BL's safety if he visits SA as a tourist? Probably not! Wayne Barnes continued to be in charge of ABs games and came over to NZ without any fear for his life or safety!
I'm just saying that your tone and attitude is not helping your aim to host future RWC Tournments in SA - pity the ref that makes a decision against the Home Team! When Piet Van Zyl assaulted the ref, the Boks players just stood around and watched! Shame on you! A rugby game over a life!
Jul 26, 2012 at 08:07:47
And you not welcomed either! Actually if you do ever come put hakwa on the back of your Tshirts!
Jul 26, 2012 at 09:44:11
what, so you can shoot me in the back for speaking the truth?
Jul 27, 2012 at 05:35:29
There is only one person here talking shooting and killing-namely hakwa. Get over it mate,
you are the ONLY one stirring trouble here. I am very sure that BL can visit SA and even ref there
and get nothing more than some boos,so chill out man.
Jul 26, 2012 at 11:32:01
pfft honestly f*ck him... If he plays the same "I fear for life card" as WB did a few years ago, it just shows he is conscious of his mistakes and his feeling get hurt by words. He is a dirty cheat and should stripped of reffing status, which is finally happening, th
Threats against refs is nothing new, in any form of sport.
If you honestly believe that he would be assaulted for this, you are as ignorant as him.
Jul 26, 2012 at 06:45:53
Hakwa......Yawn!!!!!!
Jul 26, 2012 at 08:30:32
Worst dispay of reffing I have ever witnessed and went far beyong incompetence. His reward duly earned was being made nz ref of the year. This finall ydiscredited nz in all eyes.
I have to add thoough that our own Craig Joubert favoured Nz, not nearly as badly as BL had favoured OZ. France were clealry the better side andshould hav ewon comfortably if the ref had done his job.
It i squite evident tha tthsi mediocre nz side were there for the taking and the Boks woul dhave thumped them as we saw a big immprovement from the moment Rassie joined the caoching staff.
Only ou windpomp supported BL claiming that BL had made mistakes on borth sides of the fence. windpomp is now also discredited. Hahahahahaha
Hakwa stick to fantasy - Katie etc. Hehehhehehe
See ya all on the ruckers forum.
Jul 26, 2012 at 09:51:13
Mr Craig Joubert is a Legend! He has nerves of steel! That is also what Katie said about me Beeno ;-))
Jul 26, 2012 at 11:38:29
bla bla bla....In my eyes NZ are still chokers and NOT the current world champs on merit!! Wow, they beat the weakest side in the tournament...a side that list twice during the tournament.....bla bla bla!!!!! and they almost choked against that WEAK French side......they would have gone down against Australie OR South AFrica.
Jul 26, 2012 at 12:17:35
we did beat the Wallabies Green Lantern! and we did it without Dan Carter and with our 3rd and 4th string first 5/8, and with our captain carrying a toe injury and infection. If that is not a miracle, I don't know what is!
Jul 26, 2012 at 16:54:50
Hmmm, rant sounds familier! Me thinks Red has changed his name to green!
Jul 26, 2012 at 12:09:55
As he is so loved in NZ he should have been given this w-ends game in Hamilton.
This would have truly rewarded him for his contribution to NZ rugby.
However come Sat the NZ fans would be singing from a different hymn sheet
Jul 25, 2012 at 18:54:04
Guy should burn... He isn't even impartial enough for u9 rugby.