After the farcical scenes during the Cardiff Blues and Connacht match that lead to that amazing post match press conference from Pat Lam, another Irish head coach has come out against the officiating in the Pro 12.
After Leinster's display away to the Scarlets yesterday, Matt O'Connor came out against the non-use of neutral referees in the Pro 12. He believes that the credibility of the tournament is at stake now that the league makes as much influence as it does on European competitions.
It has to be looked at how they're put together across the board because with meritocracy (European qualification), everything is important.
Leinster slipped outside the playoff places with the loss to the Scarlets, and O'Connor was incensed that a Welsh TMO correctly ruled out Zane Kirchner's try that would have given them a losing bonus point and four minutes to push for a win. "I think it was a Welsh TMO – I don’t know.", O'Connor said after the game, as he urged the importance of neutral officials.
That results also means that the Scarlets are just three points behind Connacht in the race for 6th and the final automatic spot for European spot, albeit that Scarlets have a significant advantage with their schedule in the remaining five games.
As of now, Pro 12 referees are assigned once they are not part of a regional/provincial system, but not a national bias. This leads to games where Limerick's George Clancy can referee a game between Leinster and Scarlets or how Leighton Hodges from the Neath area can be the touch judge for Cardiff Blues v Connacht.
