Wynne Gray: Lenient whistlers need to regain control

Wynne Gray

Fifty years ago, "The Boot" kicked the All Blacks to a penalty-laden 18-17 victory against the Lions at Carisbrook.

It was a personal triumph for DB Clarke but an embarrassing mark in New Zealand's test rugby. I have to take their word for that because, despite ugly rumours, I was not reporting that match with quill and parchment.

Some of those who absorbed that afternoon are still scarred by the iniquities of that day. All Black coach Graham Henry referred to those wounds the other day as he pondered the return of penalties rather than free kicks for his side's test campaign.

Discipline, he said, needed to be a primary plank for the All Blacks' first outing, otherwise they risked being kicked off the track.

Touche, Ted, touche.

There have been moments during Henry's tenure when the All Blacks have been grateful for penalties.

Early in the 2004 campaign, six penalties helped them scrape past the Springboks in Christchurch, while two years ago Daniel Carter's seven kicks were a primary plank in the All Blacks' victory against the Wallabies.

At other times, penalties have allowed them to save some credibility.

There were the six kicked between Carter, Carlos Spencer and Andrew Mehrtens in the 2004 loss to the Wallabies and the six penalties and drop goal Carter claimed to close the margin of defeat inflicted by the Boks at the Brook last winter.

Rather than reduce the three points for successful penalty kicks, referees should be encouraged to make greater use of their sinbin sanction for team fouls.

Once a side reached a team threshold of, say, four penalties for similar offences, whether it be for ruck, lineout, scrums or offside, the match officials should deliver a warning that the next offence equals a sinbin.

That would offer greater attacking chances for the team in possession and demand much better judgment from the side who were on the threshold of losing a player.

Professional fouls are a blight on the sport and too often we see and hear referees offering what seem to be a consistent stream of warnings without reaching for their pockets.

They need help from their assistants more than ever in a game that is gathering greater complication and pace.

Tonight's officials, referee George Clancy and his deputies Stuart Dickinson and Paul Marks, need to work in concert. They need to be tough, direct and consistent with early rulings. Too often officials' leniency at the start of a test, like waving players back onside, leaves them pursuing that policy throughout or making an occasional decision.

It does not work. Players will continue to crib metres, bend the rules and take their chances unless they are bounced early. Then they will have the option of tempting fate again or risk leaving their team a man down.

Refereeing has become far too lenient and players have preyed on that weakness. Everyone knows the rules. It is time for the whistlers to take back control of the game.