Munster fury at Welsh ref

MUNSTER’S coach and supporters have vented their anger at a Welsh referee after two controversial decisions in their 30-22 Guinness PRO14 derby defeat to Leinster on the weekend.

Despite the high-tempo quality rugby on offer, much of the talk afterwards surrounded the refereeing of Ben Whitehouse and his team at the Aviva Stadium.

Whitehouse yellow carded Irish wing Keith Earls in the 10th minute for tackling James Lowe as he was about to receive a pass from Jamison Gibson-Park with the try-line beckoning.

And in the second-half in the Aviva Stadium clash, Earls was denied a try of his own when breaking from inside his own 22.

The referee and his assistant called the play back after ruling Sam Arnold had deliberately knocked on while tackling Robbie Henshaw.

“The first one cost us 14 points,” said Munster coach Johann Van Graan.

“We’ve worked very hard on composure when we go two scores behind and we did fantastically well to come back to 14-12.

“Then in the 42nd minute, it was a 14-point swing.

“We got called back with a certain try, a call was made and the opposition go to the corner and score a try.

“I guess all you can say is you want consistency.

“For the first one, if the referee say there was interference with the blue player, the laws of the game decree it is a penalty try and a yellow card so we stick with that decision.

“We got beaten by the better team on a brilliant occasion for Irish rugby. Unfortunately certain calls went against us in the game.”

It’s not the first time Whitehouse has come in for stick across the Irish Sea.

Former international outsidehalf and newspaper columnist Tony Ward was highly critical of his handling of the Connacht-Glasgow clash at the start of last season.