Coaches in row after Glaws fight back for victory
Dean Ryan - polite
By Cherry Picker
September 21 2008
War broke out between the two coaches and the referee after Gloucester's 24-20 GP win over Harlequins at Kingsholm. Quins coach Dean Richards accused Glaws opposite number Dean Richards of putting referee Rob Denby under undue pressure and Denby of "bottling" his responsibilities in the second half.
Richards told anybody who cared to listen: "When you come in at half-time and their head coach is lambasting the referee and when you go out in the second half and you lose the penalty count 8-0 it begs the question 'what is going on?'
"It cost us last year and I would imagine that it cost a lot of people when they come down to Kingsholm because in the second half the referee would bottle it.
"I know Rob Denby and I like him as a person. I think that he is a more than capable referee, but this is a very difficult environment to referee in and when you get undue pressure like that then it makes it more difficult."
So, refs can't handle the pressure at Kingsholm, according to Richards.
Dean Ryan's response was: "I didn't have a go at the referee. I think the interpretation of the ruck has been vastly different over the previous weeks.
"I asked him for clarity over the ruck law, I asked if people should be on their feet who clearly weren't.
"We've been contesting ball quite successfully for two weeks and suddenly we don't get one penalty to the attacking side or one turn-over so I asked him for clarity of his interpretation."
So, according to Ryan, all he did was ask a question of the ref at half-time.
Casting vote to ref Denby: "As I walked to my dressing room at half-time both coaches politely came up to me. When they do that I am not going to just put my fingers in my ears."
Storm in a teacup? Beaten coach throws toys out of the pram? Beaten coach can't take the pressure at Kingsholm?
You choose, but Glaws are hardly going to apologise because Kingsholm is a difficult place to play - though they could always issue the fans with a polite request not to support their team quite so strongly, but to be fair at all times, especially when senstive souls like Richards are the visitors.
Glaws were 13-5 down at half-time, Mike Brown and Danny Care cashing in on poor defending to score tries.
But last week's hero Willie Walker kept Glaws in the game with his kicking and by helping to set up Olly Morgan's try. Alasdair Strokosch scored another home try and as a bonus, Olly Barkley kicked a penalty on his debut to make Chris Malone's late try no more than a nuisance.
It was a vital win for Glaws, but of course we'll all spend a few days hoping that Dean Richards won't sulk for too long.
Won't we?
No point our blaming the ref. We should have kicked the points and then the whole debate might have been academic.
Had a good time despite the result. We must remember it's a game of two halves. For the second year running, we decided only to play with the ball for 40 minutes.
Well done
I found the ground-wide "shhh" noises when Glos were kicking compared with the chants when we were were far more suited to a soccer ground. To reiterate, it didn't have any impact on the score, it's just not needed at a rugby match.
Glos kick - all around tell anyone talking to 'shh'.
Quins kick - semi-encouraged shouting/noise making.
I don't for a minute think it made a difference to the score, and rather hope/assume the likes of Malone/Walker/Barkley can kick regardless of the atmosphere, but English rugby tradition is silence for kickers. We're not perfect (for our own let alone the oppo!) but I thought that the otherwise admirable support for your team slipped into soccer-esque behaviour there.
Not a big thing - was a nice day out etc - no offence intended, just the way I saw it.