A question of bias

Now this might surprise you. I have, on a few occasions in my life as a sportswriter, given talks to teams and individuals on how to deal with the media.

That these groups have included the Springboks and the Sharks seem to indicate that there are some people out there who think that I’ve learnt a thing or two in my 30-plus years in the Pressbox.

One of the pieces of advice I have always passed on is: Never whine or complain when you lose. All you will achieve is being branded a bad loser. So grin and bear it, take it on the chin, turn the other cheek, remember that all’s fair in love and war… you pick your own proverb.

It is a thought that occurred to me while I was writing a match report on the Sharks vs Brumbies game and found myself debating whether to include a carping thought.

In the end I did, and this is it. “And, even though one was again concerned to see more evidence of what appears to be a trend of borderline decisions going against the South African side, the Sharks did contrive to spoil some excellent try-scoring opportunities.”

Quite tame I know, but I had finally brought myself to allude to an impression I have had that South African sides in the Super 12 tend to suffer at the hands of the referees. It is a notion that has been with me for some time – in fact since 1998 and the days of Ian McIntosh when Peter Marshall’s rulings had quite a negative impact on the fortunes of the Sharks – that South African sides face a certain prejudice when it comes to the Kiwis and Aussies who handle their matches against Australian and New Zealand opposition.

Mind, I have no facts. I have not made a study. It’s just a feeling that has been with me that our teams tend to come off second best; that those crucial 50/50 decisions more often than not go against them.

In addition I know our players believe they are more harshly treated when it comes to the handing out of yellow cards and that punishments imposed by the judicial machinery are often more severe.

There was some confirmation of these feelings of persecution in the infamous e-gate incident when mail between the referees’ chiefs of Australia and New Zealand ended up in Sarfu’s offices. In it they referred to South Africans as “the Japies” – a term intended to be as insulting as us calling the Aussies a nation of convicts – and there were alarming references to not informing South Africa of decisions and the correspondence allegedly ended with the statement: “Let’s get the Japies.”

I always thought Sarfu should have kicked up more of a fuss; demanded a public apology, threatened to withdraw from the Super 12. We did none of these things. Instead we stoically, as is our wont, turned the other cheek.

I was told the New Zealanders apologised. The Australians never did. With five New Zealand teams in the tournament our teams end up with Australian referees a good deal of the time. As they say in the States, “go figure.”

Having been concerned about my own grousing I was surprised to see a report from Canberra quoting the normally tight-lipped Rudolf Straeuli on this question of bias.

“The Brumbies deserved to win, I am not disputing that,” Straeuli told Mike Greenaway. “But some unfair things happened out there and I believe it is time South Africans stopped allowing themselves to be bullied. It is time we fought back. We always turn the other cheek and are afraid to stand up for ourselves.

“And when overseas teams tour South Africa we treat them like gods. We seem afraid of upsetting them. But they feel nothing for us when we go overseas,” said Straeuli in confirming his decision to cite Brumbies No8 Peter Ryan for a vicious assault on AJ Venter.

“There is no consistency in the application of the rules, and it seems South Africans always come off second best,” added Straeuli. Imagine the new Springbok coach’s anger when a Canberra disciplinary tribunal found Ryan guilty and sentenced him to, wait for it, a yellow card! Outrageous, but at least it confirms Straeuli’s view that there is a lack of consistency. Whether South African teams are also the victims of prejudice – perhaps subconscious discrimination – is another matter altogether. As I said, it’s just a feeling, a notion, a niggle. Then again, perhaps I’m just a bad loser and a closet jingoist. What do you think? Are our teams being shafted?