Rugby: Aussies seek to get NZ in line on videos

The Australian Rugby Union is confident video referees will be introduced for the Tri-Nations test series in July and August.

Both Australia and South Africa have experimented with video referees and had been gearing up for their use to determine disputed tries and goalkicks in this year's Super 12.

But New Zealand concerns over a number of technical issues have meant the technology will not make its debut when the Super 12 starts in just over two weeks.

ARU Sanzar representative Matt Carroll said yesterday that Australia was confident New Zealand could be "brought up to speed" in time for the Tri-Nations.

"We have the technical ability and the people to do it in Australia, so we are confident it will happen," he said. "South Africa would be the same. It's just a matter of getting New Zealand rugby up to speed and agreeing on the protocols and formats."

Carroll said the trialing of video referees in South African rugby had been different from that in Australia, but not radically so.

He doubted there would be problems in getting agreement on issues such as standard camera positions for all matches, when a video referee could be called in and the decision-making process involved.

Carroll said Australia was disappointed rather than annoyed that video referees would not be used in the Super 12.

But he said Australian officials understood the position of their New Zealand counterparts.

"They haven't actually undertaken a trial in their country, therefore their people haven't had much experience in video refereeing and the management of it," he said.

"There was also a question of cost, because they have far more games than we do and they play at multiple venues.

"They were concerned about being able to deliver a quality product and for that reason we can accept their position."

New Zealand Rugby Football Union chief executive David Rutherford said his union still favoured the use of video referees, but felt there had not been enough done on the regulations to cover the concept.

He indicated that New Zealand's reluctance was more about getting consistent rulings and a framework for using video referees than financial concerns.

Australia's expression of understanding differed from the concern of South African union chief executive Rian Oberholzer, who said "the whole idea will just die" if it did not get off the ground now.

Oberholzer said Sanzar went to the International Rugby Board to get permission to experiment for a season with video referees.

"But after being granted that permission, it will not look very good if we go back to the IRB and inform them that we do not want to implement it this season."

- NZPA