SEAN O’BRIEN WAS unhappy that some of Steffon Armitage’s “illegal” breakdown play was missed by referee Wayne Barnes during Leinster’s defeat to Toulon in the Champions Cup semi-finals.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
While the openside flanker admitted that the match official had a tough job during Sunday’s encounter in Marseille, he also stated that Barnes can be difficult to communicate with during games.
Armitage had a telling impact on the game after appearing off the bench in the 36th minute to replace South African back row Juan Smith, who departed with a knee injury.
The English openside flanker won three turnovers on the deck, adding to his pre-existing tournament tally of 15, the most by an individual player.
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“Yeah, well it’s completely illegal,” said Leinster’s O’Brien this afternoon in UCD when asked about Armitage’s influence. “You know, there was three instances where he’s completely illegal, his elbows were on the ground actually.
He’s so short, the pictures the referees are seeing, if you look back on the video, is actually a good picture. But when you go into the finer details of it, it’s hard in the moment to try and get that right.
“He is very strong, so when he gets over the ball he’s very hard to shift, him and Chris Masoe. That’s one of the things we have to try, I’ve said it before, we have to take the ref out of the equation. Myself included, I missed a barrel one time on him and was there that second too late.”
When asked by The42 whether Leinster had looked to flag the issues around Armitage with referee Barnes during the game, O’Brien said:
“No, you can’t say anything to that man. He’s not open to any kind of feedback, we’ve learned that in the past. So it was just one of those things where you get on with it and try and sort it out yourselves.”
Leinster captain Jamie Heaslip attempts to get a message across to Wayne Barnes. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
O’Brien was frustrated with Barnes’ refereeing in Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Wales this year too, when the English match official was particularly stringent against Ireland at the breakdown and ruck area.
Asked why Barnes was making what O’Brien perceives to be wrong decisions, the Tullow Tank said he is unsure:
“That’s a good question, it’s not for me to answer though. That’s for him to answer, or assessors to answer. That’s out of our control so we can’t comment on that. It’s a difficult job that he has and I don’t have answers to that.”
When The42 quizzed O’Brien as to whether pre-match channels for discussing relevant issues with referees were being used, he said such measures often make no difference, before going on to admit that Barnes’ job is a difficult one.
There is that, but once the game starts he’ll make his own mind up regardless,” said O’Brien. “Referees do that, regardless of what you say. The ref will have his mind made up, he knows who’s good at poaching and who’s not so good at poaching.
“He sees a picture on the field, as I said, and he mightn’t see the first instance of whether it’s a penalty or not.
“It’s difficult for refs as well, I’m not putting it on him. They have a job to do and we have to take the ref out of the equation and make sure we’re not half a yard off, or half a second off, and make sure we’re lower on the clean out.
“That’s stuff we’ll be looking at moving forward.”
'You can't say anything to that man' - Sean O'Brien on Wayne Barnes
SEAN O’BRIEN WAS unhappy that some of Steffon Armitage’s “illegal” breakdown play was missed by referee Wayne Barnes during Leinster’s defeat to Toulon in the Champions Cup semi-finals.
While the openside flanker admitted that the match official had a tough job during Sunday’s encounter in Marseille, he also stated that Barnes can be difficult to communicate with during games.
Armitage had a telling impact on the game after appearing off the bench in the 36th minute to replace South African back row Juan Smith, who departed with a knee injury.
The English openside flanker won three turnovers on the deck, adding to his pre-existing tournament tally of 15, the most by an individual player.
“Yeah, well it’s completely illegal,” said Leinster’s O’Brien this afternoon in UCD when asked about Armitage’s influence. “You know, there was three instances where he’s completely illegal, his elbows were on the ground actually.
“He is very strong, so when he gets over the ball he’s very hard to shift, him and Chris Masoe. That’s one of the things we have to try, I’ve said it before, we have to take the ref out of the equation. Myself included, I missed a barrel one time on him and was there that second too late.”
When asked by The42 whether Leinster had looked to flag the issues around Armitage with referee Barnes during the game, O’Brien said:
“No, you can’t say anything to that man. He’s not open to any kind of feedback, we’ve learned that in the past. So it was just one of those things where you get on with it and try and sort it out yourselves.”
O’Brien was frustrated with Barnes’ refereeing in Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Wales this year too, when the English match official was particularly stringent against Ireland at the breakdown and ruck area.
Asked why Barnes was making what O’Brien perceives to be wrong decisions, the Tullow Tank said he is unsure:
“That’s a good question, it’s not for me to answer though. That’s for him to answer, or assessors to answer. That’s out of our control so we can’t comment on that. It’s a difficult job that he has and I don’t have answers to that.”
When The42 quizzed O’Brien as to whether pre-match channels for discussing relevant issues with referees were being used, he said such measures often make no difference, before going on to admit that Barnes’ job is a difficult one.
“He sees a picture on the field, as I said, and he mightn’t see the first instance of whether it’s a penalty or not.
“It’s difficult for refs as well, I’m not putting it on him. They have a job to do and we have to take the ref out of the equation and make sure we’re not half a yard off, or half a second off, and make sure we’re lower on the clean out.
“That’s stuff we’ll be looking at moving forward.”
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All-Ireland Senior HC European Rugby Champions Cup illegal Leinster Referee Sean O'Brien Toulon