New Zealand’s NPC refs have improved over the season
Semi-Final #1 Canterbury v Hawkes Bay
Referee Jonathon White had a good game here. The game flowed, White went largely unnoticed and when required to act, he did so with a level head.
This was exemplified with the common sense decision around a potentially dangerous tackle that saw the tackled player’s legs being lifted up beyond 90 degrees.
Hawkes Bay were struggling to compete and would certainly have been devastated by the loss of their Tongan international prop, Sona Taumalolo had the letter of the law been adhered to and he been sin-binned.
White sought the feedback of his linesman Keith Brown (pictured below) who calmly and accurately recounted what happened – Taumalolo lifted the legs up in a potentially dangerous motion but then took care to put his opponent down without injury.
New Zealand referee, Keith Brown
White indicated he was going for a ‘penalty only’ and Brown concurred.
White, Brown and sideline assessor, Vinny Munroe have all come along in their refereeing as has Wellington’s Garrett Williamson.
Light at the end of the tunnel for New Zealand referees.
Jonathon White is training to be a surgeon and so we may not see him for much longer but hopefully the returning Glen Jackson has some promise with the whistle.
