Kaplan love affair may be misplaced

Jonathan Kaplan

The All Blacks' infatuation with Jonathan Kaplan seems a trifle misplaced if the test record of the South African rugby referee is scrutinised.

Increasingly regarded as the best referee in the Southern Hemisphere, Kaplan will control the second test between the All Blacks and Ireland at Eden Park tonight.

He has officiated in more New Zealand test losses than any other referee during the professional era.

The All Blacks barely have a better than 50 per cent win rate when Kaplan is in control, having lost four of their nine tests.

Over the past decade no other referee has overseen any more than two All Blacks' losses and of those to have controlled three or more New Zealand tests, only Scotland's Jim Fleming has handed them a worse success rate.

Fleming officiated in two losses and a draw from five tests.

Yet the All Blacks coaches were this week singing the praises of Kaplan, 39, echoing the sentiments of New Zealand's Super 14 players and coaches, who always pronounce joy at Kaplan's appointment for their games.

Kaplan will officiate his 30th test tonight.

The first involving the All Blacks was their 24-23 loss to Australia in Wellington in 2000, when he awarded a last-minute penalty which Wallabies lock John Eales converted into three points to snatch victory.

The All Blacks lost three of their first four Kaplan tests but have performed better in recent times, including the 45-7 hammering of Ireland in Dublin and the 38-19 third test defeat of the Lions last year.

Kaplan will move level with retired Australian Peter Marshall as having controlled 10 New Zealand tests in the professional era dating back to 1996, two more than another Australian, Wayne Erickson.

In All Blacks history only three referees can better Kaplan's losing record. Welshman Derek Bevan was in charge of six losses while Fleming refereed four losses and one draw, the same as South African Ralph Burmeister - whose career spanned from 1949 to 1960, officiating in tests purely in South Africa.

Kaplan's record has already come under the spotlight from the Sydney media, who revealed the Waratahs had won just one game from 15 Super matches with him in charge.

How they stand

All Blacks' success rate with leading refs

100 per cent success rate:
Wayne Erickson (Australia) won 8, lost 0. Tony Spreadbury (England) won 6, lost 0.

92 per cent:
Scott Young (Australia) won 5, drawn 1.

83 per cent:
Ed Morrison (England) won 5, lost 1.

80 per cent:
Peter Marshall (Australia) won 8, lost 2. Stuart Dickinson (Australia) won 4, lost 1. Chris White (England) won 4, lost 1. Derek Bevan (Wales) won 4, lost 1.

66 per cent:
Andrew Cole (Australia) won 4, lost 2. Andre Watson (South Africa) won 4, lost 2.

56 per cent:
Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa) won 5, lost 4.

50 per cent:
Jim Fleming (Scotland) won 2, drawn 1, lost 2.

- NZPA