MARTIN SAMUEL: The Lions owe South African video ref Marius Jonker an apology

MARTIN SAMUEL: The Lions owe video referee Marius Jonker an apology as their fears over his impartiality were unfounded… and if anything, the South African official veered on the side of the tourists in the first Test

  • The decisions of TMO Marius Jonker during the first Test were scrupulously fair
  • He was party to four big calls during the match – all but one benefitting the Lions
  • The decision not to yellow card Hamish Watson for a tip-tackle was controversial 
  • The only team that may have felt aggrieved on Saturday were the Springboks

There was only one thing missing from a magnificent display by the British and Irish Lions on Saturday: an apology.

It didn’t have to be a huge one. Just an expression of remorse for the way the tourists’ coaching staff doubted the integrity of television match official Marius Jonker before the game.

Not only were their fears unfounded because Jonker’s decisions were scrupulously fair, if anything the South African official veered on the side of the Lions. If that was to prove his impartiality in the face of doubts then the balance was indeed clumsily skewed by World Rugby — against the Springboks.

The Lions beat world champions South Africa to go 1-0 up in the three-match series

South African TMO Marius Jonker was extremely fair during the first Test on Saturday

South African TMO Marius Jonker was extremely fair during the first Test on Saturday 

Of course, it is far from ideal that when TMO Brendon Pickerill, a New Zealander, was unable to travel, no substitute with equivalent impartiality could be found. Surely World Rugby could have foreseen the potential complications of the pandemic era and had a replacement ready to go, in the event of changed circumstances.

Obviously, even a small squad of match officials will be exhaustible, but it seems less than competent to have failed the first test of human resources.

Yet when Jonker was appointed, the duty of the tourists was to put up and shut up — certainly in public, given the way social media allows unfounded conspiracies to thrive.

At the recent European Championship, there was outrage after Felix Brych was appointed for England’s quarter-final with Ukraine. Brych, one of the finest officials in Europe, was German — the tin foil hat brigade correctly identified — and would no doubt be seeking revenge for his country’s loss to England in the previous round. England beat Ukraine 4-0. Brych’s performance was beyond reproach.

Hamish Watson was fortunate not to be yellow carded for a tip-tackle on Willie Le Roux

The difference being that Gareth Southgate, and his players, never bought into conspiracist fantasies. Yet on the eve of this Test, Lions forward coach Robin McBryde as good as questioned Jonker’s honour. ‘There’s a reason why that position is neutral,’ he said.

What happened next? Jonker was party to four big calls during the match, and all but one resulted in a decision benefitting the Lions. The only team that may have felt aggrieved were the Springboks. Certainly, a decision not to intervene over Hamish Watson’s tackle on Willie Le Roux was controversial.

‘That’s a yellow card all day,’ said former Lions captain Brian O’Driscoll, and the former Ireland flanker Alan Quinlan agreed.

Equally, for Le Roux’s try, disallowed for offside on 47 minutes, Jonker seemed to be working with a dismal television angle and could easily have hid behind that to fudge the decision and let referee Nic Berry’s on-field award stand. He did not.

Jonker ruled out Le Roux's try despite having a dismal television angle to work with

Jonker ruled out Le Roux’s try despite having a dismal television angle to work with

Had South Africa scored and converted at that point they would have led 19-10, and it is hard to imagine a Lions win from such a position. This, more than any call, turned the game.

So maybe an apology is in order. An acknowledgement that World Rugby’s inefficiency placed Jonker in an impossible position, that he rose above it, and comments that called his professional honesty into question could have made it intolerable for him had the game unfolded differently.

Imagine he had ruled for Le Roux’s try and against Watson —what backlash might there be now? And it was possible to have reached these verdicts — it is not as if the professional game was unanimous about either call.

Jonker was party to four big calls on Saturday and all but one benefited the Lions in Cape Town

There are some poor decision-makers out there, and there are mistakes. Yet referees are, almost without exception, genuine. Jonker is TMO for the final two Tests as well, and not every judgment will go the Lions’ way.

When a borderline call happens, however, it is to be hoped that those in charge respect the job the man is doing, and the integrity with which he does it.

Rugby prides itself on the relationship between players and officials; certainly Jonker’s role in a great occasion merits recognition and more than an even break.

Advertisement