Final referee in scrum spotlight

It is the last thing referee Craig Joubert would have wanted, but his performance at scrum-time has been put into the spotlight ahead of the Currie Cup Final.

Western Province coach Allister Coetzee was spitting mad about suggestions that his team will not be able to hold their own in the scrums against the Golden Lions – their opponents at Newlands on Saturday.

Coetzee described Joubert as the best referee in the World and said he won't be swayed by public opinion, while he implored the media to 'look at the facts' and not who said what.

It started earlier this week when World Cup-winning former Springbok prop Balie Swart spoke out about the perceived weakness of the Province set piece.

Swart, who coaches South Africa's top referees on scrum techniques and tactics, also helps out at the provinces from time-to-time.

He was quoted in the media as having said that the Lions are "a step ahead" of the rest of the teams he worked it.

The report found its way from Johannesburg, where Swart helped the Lions this week, to the Cape Town-based Afrikaans daily, Die Burger.

"I've visited most of the teams in the Currie Cup to ensure they get their scrumming right and play according to the laws, but the Lions have always been a step ahead," Swart was quoted as saying.

"Ackermann has a no-nonsense approach regarding the laws at scrums.

"He makes sure his players do everything correctly. He [Ackermann] is close to his players and they know exactly what is expected of them.

"They're a close-knit unit and for the Lions it is a case of all for one and one for all. Look at their scrum, all 16 feet [the eight forwards] are working together, they're all pushing."

It was a report that raised the ire of Coetzee, who seemed to take exception when questioned about his decision to select just one prop on the replacement bench – for a game against the competition's most highly-rated scrumming unit, who in turn have a full front row on the bench.

While initially his jovial self, Coetzee became more and more animated as the pre-match media briefing at Newlands dragged on.

"One has to take the emotion out of it," when rugby365 asked him if he considered having an extra prop on the bench, given the quality of the opposition.

"I don't think we should do that," Coetzee continued.

"[The rules of] this competition requires us to use 22 player and you have to make sure you cover all your basis. Going with a four [forwards], three [backs] split gives us the best possible cover.

"I know we are playing against the Lions, but we also have a very good scrum."

Coetzee hinted that he may employ some tactical front row substitutions to counter the Lions' perceived strength – should his team struggle.

"A prop can go back before you have to go to uncontested scrums," the WP mentor said, adding: "It is not necessary to have a second prop, like in a 23-man squad in Super Rugby.

"[If you have two props] you might sit with an extra player on the bench that you might not play and I don't want to take that chance.

"I would rather make sure that everyone on the bench will get game time, because we will need some fresh legs towards the end."

Later in the media briefing the scrum issue was raised again and this time Coetzee was a lot more pronounced and discomposed.

"This scrum issue, this is FACT, not hearsay or emotions," he said, adding: "Just on Craig Joubert, he has refereed our game against the Lions here [a 27-14 win at Newlands back in August] and Jaco Peyper blew the game away [a 35-33 Lions win at Ellis Park in September].

"In those matches we had 25 scrums, the two teams together. We conceded four penalties and they conceded two.

"I don't know what the issue is.

"Fortunately we have the best referee, who will never be put under pressure by opinions out there [in the public domain]. That is why he is No.1 and he will look at the scrum processes, whether the alignment is solid and legal, and he will reward dominance."

Coetzee warned the media that they get dragged in by who says what.

"For us it is just to look at the facts, how many penalties we have conceded, who is legal and illegal, and it is a matter of watching both sides.

"That is how I know Craig Joubert is. He'll want the process to be followed, shoulders out, giving enough space.

"[There will be] no preconceived idea by some ref assessor [Swart], that he has to appease and say: 'Watch this person, he is at an angle.'

"He will make sure everyone's shoulders are out, square, he will give them a fair chance and the one that is then dominant will be rewarded.

"Please people, let's make sure that we are fair and look at both sides and then it is game on. Don't tell me one oak is supposedly a 'no nonsense' approach and they scrum better that the other side.

"Like I said, the facts are: twenty-five scrums [in two games], we conceded four penalties and they conceded two.

"That was a game where Craig Joubert mentioned he had the best stability at scrum time and he was pleased that both [WP forwards coach] Mathew Proudfoot and [Lions head coach] Johan Ackermann bought into the principle of good and fair scrummaging."

By Jan de Koning

@King365ed

@rugby365com