Kings see red over refs’ yellow card decisions
Yellow is a colour the Isuzu Southern Kings have been seeing a lot of recently as they feel the wrath of European-based Guinness PRO14 referees.
During their narrow 38-31 loss against PRO14 champions Leinster at the weekend, the Kings had four players sent to the naughty chair by Scottish referee Lloyd Linton.
Concern about the number of yellow cards being dished out, has resulted in the Kings talking to head of PRO14’s elite referee manager Greg Garner.
In the game against Leinster, Stephan Greeff, Schalk Ferreira, Tienie Burger and Burton Klaasen were shown yellow. In their previous game against Scarlets, Lupumlo Mguca received the same sanction.
Apart from cards, the penalty count has also been mounting against the Kings and matters reached a head when they had 22 penalties awarded against them during their clash against Ulster.
“We must look at ourselves and examine whether the decisions against us are worthy of yellow cards,” Kings head coach Deon Davids said.
“I think we can argue at times that some of the decisions were a bit tough on us.
“Last week after the match against Scarlets, the feedback we got about one or two decisions was that they could have gone for us.
“Those decisions cost us a bit. We must accept that this is part of the game and decisions can go either way,” he said.
Asked whether, because of the high number of yellow cards awarded against them in the competition, the Kings were now a marked team, Davids said: “Naturally, if you concede so many penalties and get yellow cards, then referees are inclined to develop a perception.
“Then those 50-50 decisions will go against you most of the time.
“We have spoken about this a lot and have spoken to referees Mark Lawrence and Stuart Berry.
“Perhaps we have to approach things differently. This is a process we will be engaged with and one that we will focus very hard on. We have to ensure that we receive fewer yellow cards and concede fewer penalties. That puts us under pressure and robs us of the good things we do. That gives the opposition a chance to capitalise,” Davids said.
“What we have done was to get in Mark Lawrence and Stuart Berry, who work for SA Rugby and also with the PRO14, to look at our game and areas that we can improve in.
“So they have been here in Port Elizabeth and we had an in-depth look at where we need to improve.
“Throughout the competition, on a weekly basis, I will be in contact with Lawrence and Berry to look at areas where we can improve,” he said.