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Kiwis struggled to adapt to referee

NZPA - November 8, 2009, 1:53 pm

"Stop making excuses bro," Adam Blair told Frank Pritchard. "The better team won."

The Kiwis missed out on the final of the Four Nations rugby league tournament this morning (NZtime) after going down to England 12-20.

Pritchard was in the middle of discussing New Zealand's difficulties with French referee Thierry Alibert in an interview with NZPA in the beaten dressingroom at Galpharm Stadium.

But he had clearly drifted too far from the party line and was pulled back by his fellow forward.

Perhaps reminded of Australia coach Ricky Stuart abusing referee Ashley Klein the morning after the World Cup final last year, the Kiwis decided as soon as the fulltime whistle was blown that they would not allow themselves to be portrayed as bad sports.

Supporters of both New Zealand and England last night questioned the decisions and interpretations of the Super League referee of French origin.

"You wouldn't get that back in the NRL," said second rower Pritchard. "The ruck speed was very slow. There were too many hands in the play-the-ball."

Halfback Nathan Fien said: " The French ref had a few different interpretations. The 20-metre taps were just one of those. They were very quick."

Alibert, who Australia initially refused to play under, called a forward pass from Benji Marshall that went a metre backwards onto the ground at a crucial stage of the game. He missed Bryson Goodwin tackling Peter Fox in the air, Marshall swinging an arm at Sam Tomkins and failed to report Fuifui Moimoi for a high tackle on Ben Westwood.

Issac Luke managed to con one, even two penalties out of him. Former Great Britain stalwart Mike Stephenson said in commentary Alibert "wasn't up to it".

"It was pretty hard -- I just couldn't seem to get the interpretation right, what he was saying," Marshall said.

"bI was talking to him on the field about it going both ways.

" To tell you the truth, I couldn't really get a couple of words in."

But still, the beaten World Cup holders were determined not to go down in league history as whingers. They would fight another day, dignity intact.

"Look, I'm not going to make any excuses and blame the referee," Marshall said.

"The simple matter is they were good, we were bad. That's what happens when you're bad -- you lose."

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dacoach2010 01:01pm Monday 09th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Hard Luck KIWIs. THe REf definitely played apart in our Loss but we looked like we had played 2 hard games and couldnt get it up for the next. Blame ourselves for the Loss but dont despair next year is only around the corner. Need a new captain I think, Benji way out of your class to captain. A Capt ...
Dave 07:44am Monday 09th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
we are still world champs well done to th poms for slowing the game down hands in ruck we were playing the ball with there hands still on the ball they got away with murder. did the useless french ref have an england shirt on
pam 03:43am Monday 09th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Even though we lost the game, this refferee should have made a better job. But refferies do make a lot of mistakes and it should not happen at all. Just reading all comments it sounds like there should be a rematch and no french refferies....
jwillerton 02:16am Monday 09th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
I'm an England fan and really pleased with the way our boys played last night, but I wouldn't be too depressed as a Kiwi. To be so competitive in the tournament with so many first-line players missing bodes very well for the future and strength in depth you have. As long as one o ...
outskiiz 07:25pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Come on. We need to get over it, its not like the world is going to end. Crap calls went both ways but the poms were able to capitalise on our mistakes. The big game players didnt step up and play as well as they could've. Hopefully the boys will able to learn from their mistakes and get em ...
Jojo 06:33pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Well Bloody Good Job Then Kiwi's ! !, England Had Yo Ass from The get go on there, From foward pack ohh and Very Well From There Good Defence..HaHaHaHa Morley you Got Smashed....! ! Kiwis looked tired neway but ref was a@#$% 2 Lance Hohia should just get fired// lmao ...bloody useless.. mORE ...
m8rx 05:19pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
What a crap game. Didn't matter who won this game, that ref was so far behind for these two teams he ruined what should have been an awesome game. Good on ya England for making the final. Please give us a quality ref or the world will think our game is crap. Go the KIWIs
Un 04:33pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
only the kiwis can ride high then suck so bad the next week! They should have won!
James 04:22pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Brilliant. nuggets217 what are you the world champs of?
nuggets217 03:21pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
dont let up to that crap we are world champs we should have won