PAUL O’CONNELL SLAMS REF
Penalty calls out of order claims Lions star
PAUL O'CONNELL accused ref Bryce Lawrence of being one-eyed after The Beast silenced the Raging Bull.
South Africa's Tendai Mtawarira, 23, destroyed veteran opposite number Phil Vickery as the Lions' scrum was overpowered.
The tourists conceded a string of damaging penalties before coach Ian McGeechan put England's Vickery, 33, out of his misery just after half-time.
But Lions skipper O'Connell defended the tighthead prop's performance - and slammed the display of New Zealander Lawrence.
O'Connell said: "Bryce was saying Phil was constantly driving in at the scrum but I didn't think so.
"Phil is a very experienced prop who has played rugby for a long time. How he could be seen to be making the same mistake four or five scrums in a row is beyond me.
"Bryce said Phil was going in all the time but I said he has never had a problem before.
"I can understand a guy giving away one or two penalties but every time he seemed to be refereeing us, not them.
"We ran out of time, but when the referee gives that many penalties against you then you don't stand a chance. Those penalties killed us."
The Lions will seek emergency talks with International Rugby Board referees chief Paddy O'Brien this week.
They have six days to solve their scrummaging problems ahead of the Second Test and Andrew Sheridan is in line for a call-up.
McGeechan said: "We'll have a look at some of those decisions and try and get some explanation from them.
"Obviously that's important for next week. We need to know what is expected of our tighthead prop. Of course Phil is disappointed."
The Lions' late surge saw Mike Phillips and Tom Croft grab tries to close the gap - but it was not to be.
O'Connell added: "If we hadn't played well then it would be hard to get ourselves up for next week. There has to be belief after that display."
Mtawarira - nicknamed The Beast - said: "Vickery is a great scrummager but we had looked at the scrum as an area we could work on. There is definitely more to come from us."
This article has 6 comments
Vickery is a tight head, he has two shoulders to push on. the loose head has one shoulder to push on. Look at the vidio, Vickery is initially standing up because he can't take the pressure. He then resorts to boring in on the opposite hooker but the loose head is strong and the tight head, Vickery is getting pushed from behind by his sec row O'connell, Vickery then, because his body can't take the pressure, either broken ribs if he maintains the bind or ,what did happen his whole body goes up in the air and he needs a parachute to bring him down! May I say how dissappointed I am at the attacks by O'connell on thr ref. Vickery should perhaps have been yellow carded, how many times has he to br warned? The penalty count in the sec half had to be at least 4-1 against the boks. the ref only saw one side and I'm afraid that if the Lions could not win then they never will.
By des egan. Posted June 21 2009 at 1:02 PM.
If you think Vickery was outscrummaged then you don't know the rules - Mtawarira was always at an angle - which is illegal - and continuously put his left arm on the floor first and then bound on from below Vickery - also illegal - allowing him to succesfully push up - is it any wonder Vickery was finding it difficult to bind and therefore outscrummaged - nothing like moaning - just facts !! Despite all of this, we could have won by ten points plus if Monye and Phillips had touched down and without the heroical defence of the Boks !
By Steve. Posted June 21 2009 at 10:13 AM.
Here we go again ... moan, moan, moan ...
It's OK for silly wendy-ball players to criticise and abuse the referee ... it is disgraceful for rugby players to do so.
In my rugger playing days the mantra was:
... the referee is never more right than when he is wrong ...
The truth is that Vickery was out-scrummed ... tough s**t ... live with it.
C,mon O'Driscoll - grow up and take it on the chin
By mike v. Posted June 21 2009 at 9:50 AM.
@Northern boy...Vickery constantly released his right arm bind. That is illegal under the laws. He did so because The Beast was about to snap him in half. If Beast was driving in why did he stop when the powerful Jones came on?? and then the penalties stopped...amazing!!
By Simon. Posted June 21 2009 at 9:23 AM.
Which one of Paul O'Connell's parents is English? Or has he has just become a whinging pom since he got the Lions captaincy. Face facts Paul....Vickery got scrummed right out of an international career and the only way to stop himself getting folded in half was to cheat!!!!!!!!!!
By Simon. Posted June 21 2009 at 9:17 AM.
Personally I thought Mtawarira was constantly going in on an angle and as not going in straight is a penalty the referee got the decision wrong every time .....
Also why didn't Vickery come off at half time, what was the point of being subbed 4 mins into the second half, this just adds another distruption to an already disruptive game. Question marks over the gutts of the management team there ....
By Nothern boy. Posted June 21 2009 at 8:53 AM.