'Tahs on crusade for fair line-outs
May 30 2008
Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie has appealed to South African referee Mark Lawrence to keep a close eye on the line-outs in Saturday's Super 14 Final against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
"We came with a pretty good line-out. One of our regrets was that there were probably six crooked throws called by the touchies. But we didn't get any action from the referee," McKenzie told the AAP remembering the 2005 final.
"To get the contest, the ball has to go down the middle. We are looking forward to having a contest. You have to get a result for your pressure there. We got the pressure [in 2005] but we didn't get the result on the crooked throws. A crooked throw is a turnover of possession. It can get you 40 metres up field.
"We know this game is about territory, and that it's about possession. The Crusaders have dominated their run in recent weeks in both those areas of the game. So if you don't get a reward for your pressure then you don't get to play the other end of the field."
The Waratahs line-out has plagued many a team this season and McKenzie wants to see his side reap the benefits of their skill in the set piece. McKenzie will speak about the issue with Lawrence before kick-off. The South African refereed the Waratahs game against Crusaders in 2004, when they claimed their only win over the six-time champions in Christchurch.
"The obligation is on both teams to throw straight. We have thrown crooked lines this year ourselves," McKenzie said.
"So I am not saying that that is an issue. I am just looking for a contest in the line-out."
McKenzie said all he wanted from Lawrence - and referees in general - is "consistency, so whatever they are doing in the first minute they are doing in the last".
"Mark is a pretty experienced campaigner. We have had him plenty of times. Not this year, but we have had him plenty of times over the years. I am pretty confident he will be doing the same thing at the start as he will be doing at the end," he added.