Jaco Peyper said Matthew Carley and the three referees who will follow are "incredibly strong characters" who will be impartial.
Referee Matthew Carley in action during this year’s Six Nations match between Wales and Scotland. Picture: Dan Istitene/Getty Images
The four referees chosen to oversee Tests between the Springboks and All Blacks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series are all experienced, have been very fair over the last 12 months, and pride themselves on their impartiality.
That was the view of former Test referee and current Springbok laws advisor, Jaco Peyper.
The head of South Africa’s elite referee panel joined Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus’ press conference on Monday, where they addressed a narrative about the Springboks’ supposed slow game style that could be interpreted as an effort to influence referees.
Especially as the All Blacks have been driving a high-tempo game under coach Dave Rennie.
‘Not pushovers’
England’s Matthew Carley will referee the first Test between the sides at Ellis Park on Saturday (kick-off 5.10pm).
He will be followed by Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli in Cape Town, Australia’s Angus Gardner at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, and England’s Karl Dickson in Baltimore over the following three weeks.
Dickson has already refereed the All Blacks’ match against the Stormers, Carley the match against the Sharks and Amashukeli the match against the Bulls.
Gardner will referee the All Blacks’ match against the Lions at Ellis Park on Tuesday.
“You know you will have a firm referee,” Peyper said of Carley.
“Someone who will deal with the breakdown and anything that is negative or cynical. And he does not get influenced by home and away.”
Peyper backed the other referees, especially Amashukeli and Gardner, as likewise being up to the task of fairly officiating what are bound to be intense contests between the two best teams in the world.
“I can say the same thing about the first three referees for the games based in South Africa. They got these appointments based on experience, and what they’ve done in the last 12 months.
“They are incredibly strong characters; they are not pushovers. I think they get annoyed when we tell them how to referee the game because they’ve earned the right to be here, and they know the game.”
Referees will be strict in Springbok-All Black Tests
Weighing in on the issue of the All Blacks’ high-tempo game and criticisms of the times the Springboks have ground out wins, Peyper explained that the law was clear: attacking teams had exactly 30 seconds from the time the referee made his mark to form up for a scrum or lineout.
Teams had to adhere to that.
But there was nothing in the laws against having a huddle or prayer in that time. If the defending team wanted to do so, the attacking team was under no obligation to wait for them.
“I’ve reffed many Super Rugby teams that have travelled [to altitude] and slowed the games down. The Lions and Bulls didn’t want that.
“But you can also slow the game down by continuously infringing at the breakdown or maul. The good thing is there are strong referees in these matches. We are very clear on the guidelines.”
