Wynne Gray: Global referee crisis needs IRB action - and quickly

Situations vacant. Top referees wanted - all right, make that any half-pie-decent whistlers.

That may be the lament after the start of the Super 12 and the controversy which hovered over Lansdowne Rd after England lost their latest Six Nations test.

Plenty of hot air has been wasted in recent years on the merits of a global rugby season and how to mesh the playing schedules or political aspirations of the twin hemispheres.

On the evidence of the Super 12 and the protests of England coach Andy Robinson and even his referees manager Colin High, the IRB would be better off beginning a global search for quality referees.

It was less than a year ago that Sir Clive Woodward was erupting at Eden Park, blaming touchjudge Stuart Dickinson's interference for England's defeat.

We can take delight in England's squirming since their World Cup triumph, but the regular disquiet about referees should be a booming signal to the IRB about the global shortage of decent officials.

Either that or the game has become too fast and too complex for even a referee and two touchjudges to control.

Do they need to widen the jurisdiction for video officials or does the game need more referees?

Coaching opponents Woodward and Graham Henry suggested that this year's tests between the Lions and the All Blacks should be controlled by the best referees, irrespective of nationality. For such a high-powered series, the pair were united in wanting the best officials.

Don't be silly, the IRB replied, you will have country-neutral referees. It was foolish to think the IRB and good ideas would mix.

Super 12 rules have altered this season with referees able to control any match.

Not that you would have wanted to use control in the same sentence as Mark Lawrence, Shaun Veldsman and even Steve Walsh last weekend.

Their refereeing was as tepid as the matches. Walsh was hesitant and too willing to compromise, an over-friendly Lawrence could not grasp the concept of rucking, and Veldsman appeared to be well out of his depth.

Perhaps, like the players, it was a case of first-match blues. But if the pattern continues, the coaches' reports after a few rounds will provide some stinging literature.

There has been little comment about the NZRFU's decision to downgrade the status of the All Blacks' opening test against Fiji on June 10.

A day later, the NZ Maori side play the Lions and the NZRFU edict, endorsed by Henry, says the Maori side has selection priority ahead of the All Blacks for that match.

Strange that, as the restoration of the Junior All Blacks has pushed the Maori side down to third, at best, in importance.

These latest precedence decisions seem to further erode the All Blacks' status.

While the test against Fiji should not present the All Blacks with any problems, it is also the only chance for the test side to play together before the first test against the Lions on June 25.

There is an earlier All Black trial and Maori game against Fiji (both on June 3, and goodness knows which side has preference there) but Henry has also said any players involved in the May 28 Super 12 final will not be considered for the trial.

Buzz of the Week: Names being bandied about for the Waikato NPC coaching vacancy are Warren Gatland and Kevin Putt, but if that is too costly, watch for a Duane Monkley/Todd Miller alternative.