Champions Cup Final - Leinster v Racing

[olaf the fat]

If (big ifs and buts) we managed to collect one of the missed penalties and gone ahead earlier in the 2nd half or if Barnes had actually reffed both sides, Racing would have had to change the plan. This would have opened up the game which would have suited us much more, then you may have gotten the predicted points spread.

Hats off the Racing- great challenge, if not a great game.

[Scooby Shaggy Swerve]

No Cheers when the attendance was announced was telling for ERC. No Cheers and quite a few boos for the officials when they collected their medals also. We did well to unstrangle ourselves and win that. Our defence on our own line twice when they had penalty advantage were the turning points in the game. A try for either side would have won it.

I realise I'm old school but I found the booing of the ref team at the end a little distasteful.

Was it me or did Barnes never go to the TMO?

Unusual, especially re the deliberate knock-on

In Section 311, amogst our own, atmosphere was great, celebrations even better. Bilbao 2018 was fun.

[Lar]

No Cheers when the attendance was announced was telling for ERC. No Cheers and quite a few boos for the officials when they collected their medals also. We did well to unstrangle ourselves and win that. Our defence on our own line twice when they had penalty advantage were the turning points in the game. A try for either side would have won it.

Wayne Barnes had a poor game on Saturday. He and the rest of the match officials happened to be on the same flight as me from Bilbao back to Madrid around one o'clock yesterday. [As an aside Barnes looked ridiculous in a white t-shirt and pair of shorts]. I managed to catch a moment when there was a break in the conversation he was having with Martin Bayfield in the departure lounge and said a polite 'Not one of your better games yesterday, Wayne', to which he just replied, 'Thanks'.

What a great week-end though. Hats off to the Bilbao police who at 2.45am yesterday managed to return my mobile phone to me complete with my debit card and passport card.

[the spoofer]

No Cheers when the attendance was announced was telling for ERC. No Cheers and quite a few boos for the officials when they collected their medals also. We did well to unstrangle ourselves and win that. Our defence on our own line twice when they had penalty advantage were the turning points in the game. A try for either side would have won it.

Wayne Barnes had a poor game on Saturday. He and the rest of the match officials happened to be on the same flight as me from Bilbao back to Madrid around one o'clock yesterday. [As an aside Barnes looked ridiculous in a white t-shirt and pair of shorts]. I managed to catch a moment when there was a break in the conversation he was having with Martin Bayfield in the departure lounge and said a polite 'Not one of your better games yesterday, Wayne', to which he just replied, 'Thanks'.

What a great week-end though. Hats off to the Bilbao police who at 2.45am yesterday managed to return my mobile phone to me complete with my debit card and passport card.

Why did you think it was appropriate to approach a ref other than to thank him and congratulate him on doing a good job?

[Lar]

Primarily because I thought he had not done a good job.

[neiliog93]

I'm not sure that justifies approaching him as a random stranger and giving him negative feedback. It's not really your place and no matter how polite you were, could be quite intimidating for him.

[neilinboston]

There were some bad refereeing decisions. There was a very pedantic jp Doyle on the side determined not to be biased.

But to think that they set out to have a bad game or wont review the match with as much detail as the teams is insulting. They don’t need some chippy pr!*k in an airport telling them how to do their job.

[FLIP]

If the powers that be will whitewash referees being biased and ineffectual it's up to the fans and the media to bring them to task.

While respect for the referee is important, this doesn't mean they should be absolved of all sins - they are professionals, and they and their masters should act like it.

[TrapperChamonix]

Primarily because I thought he had not done a good job.

The booing (from both sets of supporters) was very bad but understandable in the heat of the moment. But approaching him a day afterwards is even worse.

[TrapperChamonix]

If the powers that be will whitewash referees being biased and ineffectual it's up to the fans and the media to bring them to task.

While respect for the referee is important, this doesn't mean they should be absolved of all sins - they are professionals, and they and their masters should act like it.

I really didn't think he had a good game but at no stage did I think he was biased against Leinster. Have a look at some of the English supporters forums and they accuse Barnes of being pro Leinster.

[kermischocolate]

No Cheers when the attendance was announced was telling for ERC. No Cheers and quite a few boos for the officials when they collected their medals also. We did well to unstrangle ourselves and win that. Our defence on our own line twice when they had penalty advantage were the turning points in the game. A try for either side would have won it.

I realise I'm old school but I found the booing of the ref team at the end a little distasteful.

Was it me or did Barnes never go to the TMO?

Unusual, especially re the deliberate knock-on

In Section 311, amogst our own, atmosphere was great, celebrations even better. Bilbao 2018 was fun.

He didn't need to as JP Doyle seemed to be making most of the decisions, especially the "controversial" ones.

[Xanthippe]

I'm surprised Girv hasn't been linked with other jobs...if I was involved with Connacht or Ulster I'd be picking up the phone.

If only you'd mentioned Bath in your post we'd all be thinking you're the new ROR!!!!!

[Grumpy Old Man]

There were some bad refereeing decisions. There was a very pedantic jp Doyle on the side determined not to be biased.

But to think that they set out to have a bad game or wont review the match with as much detail as the teams is insulting. They don’t need some chippy pr!*k in an airport telling them how to do their job.

This.

[Lar]

Clearly the majority here think I overstepped a mark. I was not in any way aggressive or intimidating. I certainly was not going to get into an argument or seek to debate the matter with him. I'm hardly going to get a chance to apologise to him personally so I'll apologise to those on here and Leinster fans generally for letting the side down.

[Mackeroo]

I rewatched the game yesterday evening and it was very stop start. We only looked like scoring a try once, around 15 minutes in when Isa got away and was tackled 6/7m out and then Leavy went again. Ultimately Racing gave up a penalty which we scored, but that was the only time either team looked like crossing the whitewash. I thought Wayne Barnes had improved as a referee this season but some of the decisions on Saturday (on both sides, not just against us) were baffling to say the least. The non yellow cards being particularly strange.

The fussy refereeing and poor conditions didn't make for a great spectacle but it was a privilege to be there and witness it. Really enjoyed the trip but would have liked to have had more time to soak up the atmosphere. Left the house at 5.30am, our flight was due to leave Dublin at 9, eventually took off at 11.40 and we got off the bus in Bilbao at 4pm. Got into bed on Sunday morning at 3.45 so was absolutely shattered yesterday.

EDIT: As an aside, the attendance was announced as 52,000 but there definitely wasn't that many at the game. Seemed to be loads of empty seats. There were at least 10 blocks of the corporate level with nobody in them, and the first 8 or 10 rows in Block 110 were empty also.

[Oldschool]

If the powers that be will whitewash referees being biased and ineffectual it's up to the fans and the media to bring them to task.

While respect for the referee is important, this doesn't mean they should be absolved of all sins - they are professionals, and they and their masters should act like it.

I really didn't think he had a good game but at no stage did I think he was biased against Leinster. Have a look at some of the English supporters forums and they accuse Barnes of being pro Leinster.

Agree.
Barnes didn't influence the result particularly but he perhaps affected the entertainment value.
The main reason I like him as a ref is because he tries to ensure the safety of the players, which is paramount.

[Dave Cahill]

The way Barnes spoke french to the french players disgusted me.

[the spoofer]

If the powers that be will whitewash referees being biased and ineffectual it's up to the fans and the media to bring them to task.

While respect for the referee is important, this doesn't mean they should be absolved of all sins - they are professionals, and they and their masters should act like it.

I really didn't think he had a good game but at no stage did I think he was biased against Leinster. Have a look at some of the English supporters forums and they accuse Barnes of being pro Leinster.

Agree.
Barnes didn't influence the result particularly but he perhaps affected the entertainment value.
The main reason I like him as a ref is because he tries to ensure the safety of the players, which is paramount.[/quote]

Didn't have much interest in the head high charge on Luke McGrath.

[Fireworks]

I rewatched the game yesterday evening and it was very stop start. We only looked like scoring a try once, around 15 minutes in when Isa got away and was tackled 6/7m out and then Leavy went again. Ultimately Racing gave up a penalty which we scored, but that was the only time either team looked like crossing the whitewash. I thought Wayne Barnes had improved as a referee this season but some of the decisions on Saturday (on both sides, not just against us) were baffling to say the least. The non yellow cards being particularly strange.

The fussy refereeing and poor conditions didn't make for a great spectacle but it was a privilege to be there and witness it. Really enjoyed the trip but would have liked to have had more time to soak up the atmosphere. Left the house at 5.30am, our flight was due to leave Dublin at 9, eventually took off at 11.40 and we got off the bus in Bilbao at 4pm. Got into bed on Sunday morning at 3.45 so was absolutely shattered yesterday.

EDIT: As an aside, the attendance was announced as 52,000 but there definitely wasn't that many at the game. Seemed to be loads of empty seats. There were at least 10 blocks of the corporate level with nobody in them, and the first 8 or 10 rows in Block 110 were empty also.

You must be one of a very small number who will rewatch that game. I am not sure it will sell too many DVD's.

The conditions and the ref did not help but I think Racing did a good analyses job and brought a game plan to neutralise us.

The ref was not good for either side or the spectators. The yellow that wasn't is baffling. I am not sure what else he had to do to earn a yellow.

[TrapperChamonix]

If the powers that be will whitewash referees being biased and ineffectual it's up to the fans and the media to bring them to task.

While respect for the referee is important, this doesn't mean they should be absolved of all sins - they are professionals, and they and their masters should act like it.

I really didn't think he had a good game but at no stage did I think he was biased against Leinster. Have a look at some of the English supporters forums and they accuse Barnes of being pro Leinster.

Agree.
Barnes didn't influence the result particularly but he perhaps affected the entertainment value.
The main reason I like him as a ref is because he tries to ensure the safety of the players, which is paramount.

Didn't have much interest in the head high charge on Luke McGrath.[/quote]


FAKE NEWS Spoofer!!!!! FLIP wrote "If the powers that be will whitewash referees being ............"


my solicitor will be in contact in the morning..



SOMETHING CLEARLY GOING WRONG WITH Quotations