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Talking about refereeing ahead of the Super Rugby season, Lyndon Bray, the former Test referee who is now SANZAR's referee boss, spoke of the high standards set for referees.
SANZAR will use the Super Rugby competition this year to trial a new judicial system which will include white cards for referee referrals, off-field yellow cards, and a streamlined hearing process.
Super Rugby starts. Chris Pollock of New Zealand blows the first whistle to start the first match of Week 1. And in Europe the Six Nations and the European Nations Cup are again in action. It is, you may say, a busy weekend.
Blaming the ref is the easiest way-out for a rugby fan. If you lose, blame the ref. If you get penalised, blame the ref. If a game is called off, blame the ref.
The rugby world is perhaps a bit more peaceful this weekend without Six Nations but still what is happening is getting more anxious for many clubs, those who have ambitions of being champions and those in danger of relegation. That keeps the referees as busy as ever.
English referee Dave Pearson was not a popular man in Paris, after the Six Nations match between France and Ireland was postponed just before kick-off at the Stade de France on Saturday.
It's into the second round of the Six Nations. Wouldn't it be marvellous if this weekend's three match were all like the Ireland-Wales match? Interestingly all three of the referees in the Women's Six Nations are women - one of them from Spain.
South Africas top referees have just completed a four-day training camp prior to the start of the 2012 rugby season.
It's time for Six Nations to break out. January slipped away quickly and now it's Six Nations and its many heads. And the Sevens start up again with Round 4 in Wellington, New Zealand.
Referees in this season's Super Rugby tournament and southern hemisphere Test championship will have powers to put players "on report" for suspected foul play under a system being trialed in Rugby Union for the first time.
Following the usual pre-Six Nations meeting of interested parties in London on Tuesday, the IRB's referee boss, Paddy O'Brien was able to confirm that there would be no change of emphasis in refereeing in the Six Nations.
The hurly-burly of the Heineken Cup is suddenly over, quarterfinalists are decided and we are back to clubs as they fight for glory or to avoid ignominy.
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