By CHRIS RATTUE
Super 12 semifinal referee Paddy O'Brien has knocked back claims from Cats coach Laurie Mains that the Brumbies are running obstruction plays.
The Southland referee said the only time the Brumbies did run into problems was the odd occasion when their timing was astray, and he did not believe the moves were purposely designed to obstruct defenders.
O'Brien refereed the Brumbies' win over the Stormers in Cape Town and has been a touch judge for three of their other Super 12 matches this year, including the 64-0 win over the Cats in Canberra in early April.
Mains hit out at the Brumbies' tactics after that match, and has again raised the issue on the eve of the semifinal.
But O'Brien said he would have no preconceived ideas going into the match at Bruce Stadium.
He said the Brumbies' tactics had been a topic of conversation among Super 12 referees, and the slick moves from the Eddie Jones-coached side had added a new dimension to refereeing.
O'Brien said penalties for obstruction were given when a decoy runner prevented a tackler from getting to his target, even if contact was not made and the action was accidental.
The assistance of the touch judges was vital in helping to pick up those sort of offences, he said.
"It's all about space and timing and probably the tricky area is if contact isn't made," said O'Brien.
"The Brumbies have been penalised a few times when they don't get their moves right, but I don't believe they deliberately try to obstruct.
"Most of the time, what they are doing is no different from throwing a dummy pass ...
"It is certainly not something that is occupying my mind going into the game. There will be no change in refereeing from the round-robin to the semifinals."
The Sydney Morning Herald said that Mains believed obstruction had been policed better since he first raised the issue, but he wanted O'Brien to closely monitor the situation in the semifinal.
"The referees throughout the Super 12 have taken a stand on it since that time, and it has been reduced a lot. But it is still occurring. It is not only ACT, but a number of teams have been guilty of doing it," Mains said.
"From my point of view, all I would want clear from the referee before the game is what they are going to allow, and what they are not."
The Brumbies' game plan has become a major talking point this season as they have jumped ahead of the pack in designing how to play the game. Other sides will surely have to follow their approach.
But Mains will undoubtedly want to put some doubt in the Brumbies' minds about the legitimacy of their tactics and/or persuade O'Brien to dish out the odd penalty.
The Brumbies' chances are expected to be bolstered by the return of World Cup lock David Giffin, who has been out of action for a month after having a plate inserted into a broken hand.
Star back Joe Roff is also expected to return, although captain and flanker Brett Robinson is still sidelined.
Meanwhile, All Black prop Kees Meeuws will faces a fitness test this morning, although a decision on whether he can play in the Highlanders' semifinal against the Crusaders in Christchurch may be left another day.
Meeuws is rated extremely unlikely to play because of a hamstring injury, which flared up again after he put in a strong first-half comeback performance against the Waratahs in Sydney.
Rugby: Ref dismisses Mains gripe
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