KEY POINTS:
So you think it's a pretty cushy life being a Super 14 referee.
Once you're on the panel you're safe as houses, no need to fret over trifling matters like assessments, put the feet up and cruise through the season chaps.
That's a view put about from time to time, most recently, by former All Black captain Tana Umaga.
Last week Umaga, in fierce referee-bashing mode, said: "It's got to a stage where I want to tell my son to ref because it's the safest job going around and they get paid a lot."
Cue clouds of smoke leaving referees' ears at a great rate of knots.
The referees' are accountable in terms of their decision-making and they are assessed. But should it be a more visible process?
There's a school of thought that they should - as captains, coaches and high-achieving players' each week do - front up at media conferences after matches to explain any controversial decisions which may require clarification.
On one level, that's fine and can add clarity to a muddled picture.
But there's a snag, and referees have a good argument that it won't necessarily work. Expecting referees to answer questions, say, 30 minutes after a match doesn't put them on a level playing field with television viewers or those who've had the opportunity to see incidents in slow motion from three different angles. They would still be talking with the perspective from which they made their decision.
Therefore, they would not have seen a forward pass, or marginal knock on, just as they hadn't at the time of making the split second decision to play on.
"When you come off the ground, you basically believe you got most of the decisions correct," Paul Honiss, New Zealand's leading whistler, said. "But we all make mistakes and we don't try to hide from it.
"I'm all for speaking to the media about events that have occurred during the game, but we'd have to have the same facilities available to us, and that can take some time."
Honiss believes referees might, through no one's fault, be treading dangerous ground if they haven't seen incidents in the same degree of fine detail as those asking the questions.
"You could actually be putting yourself up to be further criticised because you're trying to defend something which isn't really defendable, but you're not aware of it at the time. Live, you only have one view of it and have to make a call."
New Zealand Rugby Union professional referees' manager Keith Lawrence reckons there would be "some very, very grey answers" unless referees' had a chance to review their performance before talking.
Referees are subject to scrutiny. Each Thursday during the Super 14, three assessors have a conference call and rate the whistlers. Australian Ian Scotney, South African Tappe Henning and New Zealand's Glenn Wahlstrom mark the officials cards.
From that can spring decisions such as whether officials should be dropped or promoted. Midway through the Super 14, Australian Brett Bowden was dropped from the referees' panel; in the final round, South African referees Craig Joubert and JC Fortuin were switched. It's understood Fortuin was down to control the Highlanders-Brumbies match, which had semifinal hopes hanging on it; Joubert was up for the no-account Hurricanes-Waratahs game. The Herald understands they were swapped, the well-performed Joubert getting the bigger game.
Before the first round, a draft appointment list was done for the season. Lawrence, a former top referee, said several changes were made, either through a referee losing form or the status of a game changing, the idea being to have the best referees on the big games whenever possible.
Lawrence reckoned with spinoff effects from that, about 20 changes were made to the officials over the competition. That reflects the seriousness with which the appointments panel takes its role. Broadly speaking, New Zealand and South African officials are in the reasonably to highly regarded range. The Australians are below that.
"Since the last World Cup, they have lost three top referees, Peter Marshall, Andrew Cole and Scott Young. That's significant," he said. "You can't replace the likes of those three overnight."
In Lawrence's day, journalists would nip down to their changing room, pop their head round the door, get the clarification they needed and be gone. Simpler times.
RATING THE MEN IN THE MIDDLE
PAUL HONISS (NZ) The senior pro among the New Zealand mob. Knows his rules. Among the best around. Very fit. Rarely wrong. World Cup bound.
LYNDON BRAY (NZ) Calm, well regarded whistler. Rated highly because he doesn't try to coach. None of that "hands out No 6" stuff.
STEVE WALSH (NZ) Having a good season. Gets on well with players, gets the job done. NZ's youngest on the panel at 35. World Cup bound. But Steve, please stop saying sorry.
KELVIN DEAKER (NZ) Does reasonable job. Player rapport okay. Not our finest whistle, but generally good.
CHRIS POLLOCK (NZ) Newest NZ member of the panel. Promising. Can get slightly wide-eyed look talking up to the giants. Sin-binned Tana Umaga after 11 minutes against the Highlanders, suggesting he's not afraid to be decisive.
BRYCE LAWRENCE (NZ) Can look a touch nervous but getting a reputation as tidy operator. Growing in confidence and authority. Once told repeat offending collapsed front rows "no, no, no" in best losing-patience-with-errant-kids style.
JONATHAN KAPLAN (SA)Top of the pops. Rated perhaps the best in the game. A calm manner, well regarded by South African players. Not afraid to reach into his pocket, but gives players every chance to stay on the park.
CRAIG JOUBERT (SA) Warmly regarded in his home land, good rapport with the players, positive type of referee. A good prospect. Rated a bit stiff to miss a World Cup refereeing job.
MARK LAWRENCE (SA) Can be officious, can be quick to grab a card. Known to be a confident person.
MARIUS JONKER (SA) A bit anonymous - no bad thing - but regarded as a good prospect who has decent relationship with players. The word is he's among the rising stars. World Cup bound.
WILLIE ROOS (SA) No thanks. Regarded in the Republic as a bit big for his boots. On what we've seen, not much good.
JC FORTUIN (SA) Oh dear. Where to start. His flapping arms as the Highlanders appealed for a match-drawing try in the final moments against the Sharks told plenty. Out of his depth.
STUART DICKINSON (Aust) Best of the Aussies, but right now that's not saying much. Dudded the Blues against the Sharks and the Bulls in last few weeks. Has tomorrow's Blues-Sharks semifinal. Ahem.
JAMES LECKIE (Aust) Raw. This was first full season. His name cropped up too often when errors were discussed. Still learning. Reckoned confident above his ability.
MATT GODDARD (Aust) Talkative, a touch officious. Tends to be seen more often than a referee should. Copped Eddie Jones' salvo early on, big boo boo on Troy Flavell sin-binning against the Stormers.
PAUL MARKS (Aust) First full season. Nothing outstanding on the blooper front. Largely anonymous. Perhaps unlucky to miss semifinal appointment.
BRETT BOWDEN (Aust) Was one of the two believed to have had his card marked during the season. Cost Crusaders a win against the Lions with bad missed forward pass. Average.
GEORGE AYOUB (Aust) Not required to referee a single game this season, which tells you something. Did his work from the touchline. Not a game went by without little George stepping in. No thanks.
