Brumbies grumble about Roos

The Canberra Times reports that the Brumbies coach, Laurie Fisher, has sent a written complain to the Australian Rugby Union about the performance of Willie Roos, the South African Super 14 referee.

The complaint is about the high number of stoppages in the match - ten penalties and 29 free kicks.

Fisher has had support from the manager of Australian referees, Peter Marshall a former Test referee who has said that Roos's handling of the match "effectively blowing his whistle once every two minutes" had had "an unwanted negative impact on the game".

Marshall said that Roos, who has been in charge of only six Super 14 matches, should have yellow-carded players for repeated infringements if his penalty tally was so high.

Marshall is reported as saying: "While free-kicks are generally tap-and-go, we don't want so many stoppages, it's not good for the game.

"If there was a need for so many stoppages, maybe Willie could have looked at taking further action against players.

"You would think that with 39 cases, there should have been further action taken against players at some stage during the game."

Fisher is reported as saying: "I've sent an e-mail through to seek clarification on whether they're looking for any consistency or whether they're happy for each referee to just interpret it in their own fashion.

"Thirty nine free-kick penalties in a game of footy is not what anybody wants. I think better management and the re-introduction of a ruck to professional rugby would be good."

Marshall welcomed Fisher's feedback.

"Laurie has some gripes which is fine ... Most coaches after they lose have usually got gripes about the referee.

"Certainly there were some issues in the game and Laurie probably has some good points.

"We do encourage the referee and the coach to talk about any issue they may have, not so much to vent frustration but to talk things out, and I'll be encouraging Willie and Laurie to have a chat."

When Roos refereed the Super 14 match between the Stormers and the Bulls in the first round of Super 14 there were 13 penalties and 26 free kicks. His other Super 14 match in 2008 was the thriller between the Western Force and the Crusaders in which there were seven penalties and 31 free kicks.