Controversy fuelled as Crockett gets rocket from referee
‘Up until [last week] there has been no issue with it all, until Jonathan Kaplan made out there was. Whether the referee was influenced by that I could never say so, but it certainly felt like that.’
REFEREE Angus Gardner couldn’t resist flicking a firecracker into Crockett-gate.
Last week ex-test ref Jonathan Kaplan led the bayonet charge into Crockett’s reputation, stating the Crusaders loosehead prop was scrummaging illegally by driving in on an angle.
Crockett was replaced by Joe Moody in the starting side for yesterday morning’s match against the Bulls but the Crusaders coaches denied it was a reaction to Kaplan’s criticism, stating it was part of their rotation policy.
So all eyes were on Crockett, who replaced Moody in the 48th minute of the match in Pretoria. In his first scrum he copped an earful from the unhappy Aussie whistler.
In the next scrum Gardner immediately penalised Crockett.
‘‘You stay square and steady,’’ Gardner remonstrated in the 73rd minute. ‘‘That’s the second one [scrum he was unhappy with].’’
Captain Kieran Read marched forward to plead Crockett’s case.
‘‘The ball hasn’t even been fed yet and the scrum is already crabbing across,’’ Gardner said.
‘‘What I am seeing is that all the power is coming from his [Crockett’s] side. When the starting prop [Moody] was on before him, there was no issue.’’
This topic may not be dropped in a hurry. The Crusaders’ next opponent is the Sharks in Durban and Kaplan, a South African, might want to have another lick.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder wondered whether Kaplan’s comments had influenced Gardner.
Todd Blackadder ‘‘Up until [last week] there has been no issue with it all, until Jonathan Kaplan made out there was,’’ Blackadder stated.
‘‘Whether the referee was influenced by that I could never say so, but it certainly felt like that. We have had a good dominant scrum. But, hey, we will certainly have a look at it. I know when I was watching the game, some of those penalties were justified so you don’t always get it right.’’
The Crusaders’ scrum remained a powerful weapon at Loftus Versfeld, although against a much stronger Bulls pack it wasn’t as destructive as in previous weeks.
‘‘We are not a team that goes out to cheat,’’ Blackadder stated. ‘‘But there is a lot of pressure on and sometimes you don’t hit square and the referee is asking you to do that, then, hey, you have to put your hand up. It is just part of the game.’’
Gardner controversially penalised openside flanker Richie McCaw twice; for contesting a high ball and for grabbing the ball when it appeared to be out of a ruck.
The sight of McCaw being penalised when he brushed an opponent in the air raises the spectre that contestable kicks could be rubbed out of the game.
‘‘We haven’t really experienced it [getting rough calls from the referee] so far . . . but we just couldn’t buy a trick,’’ Blackadder lamented.
‘‘It was just one of those games where it felt like it was a contest and there was nothing we could do. You are allowed to contest the ball in the air but none of those decisions or calls went our way.’’