Hansen turns whistleblower
several other coaches suggested World Rugby introduce a ‘‘challenge’’ system but got nowhere.
‘‘Get rid of the TMO and say ‘righto coaches, you get two challenges’. If your challenge is correct, then you keep your two challenges. If you don’t you lose it.’’
The problem for World Rugby is that if it refuses to listen to suggestions from the likes of Hansen and co, it will alienate its referees. Hansen spoke to Gardner, an assistant referee in Dunedin, and the latter said he was confused by World Rugby’s decision to rub out Fall’s red card.
The referees need more direction and support, Hansen said: ‘‘It is affecting the people reffing the game,’’ he said. ‘‘They are doing their very best. I was talking to Gus [Angus Gardner] and he is shrugging his shoulders [saying] ‘what do I do?’
‘‘I said ‘well, you can’t do anything other than what you did’.’’
Hansen was asked how can he and his partners at NZ Rugby can get World Rugby to tune in to these messages.
‘‘To get them to listen? If you can answer that you are a better man than me,’’ he said. ‘‘I am not sure. You have just got to keep talking to them, I suppose. I think they have set a precedence, haven’t they, when Angus [Gardner] did everything by the book with the French red card and then they let him off.
‘‘They now have to go away and have a look at it themselves.’’