All Blacks Demand Referee Action Over Breakdown Infringements Ahead of Baltimore Test vs Springboks
- New Zealand attack coach Mike Blair called for referees to penalise breakdown infringements on the spot rather than warn players first
- The All Blacks trail the Springboks 2-1 in the series after a 29-24 loss in Soweto and face a must-win fourth Test in Baltimore
- Blair identified a pattern of missed scoring chances, including a failure to capitalise when South Africa played with 14 men
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New Zealand attack coach Mike Blair has publicly urged match officials to act immediately on breakdown infringements rather than issuing warnings, as the All Blacks prepare for a must-win final Test against the Springboks in Baltimore on Saturday.
Blair made his position clear ahead of the fourth and deciding match of the series at M&T Bank Stadium, with an 11pm kick-off (SA time). New Zealand currently trail 2-1 and need a victory to salvage a drawn series.
**Blair Targets Breakdown Officiating**
The attack coach argued that players caught doing something illegal at the ruck should face an immediate penalty, not verbal guidance from officials in the form of calls like "hands out" or "leave the ball." In Blair's view, that kind of coaching from referees allows the infringing team to slow down ball possession without real consequence.
"Our attack is based on being able to move the ball and the opposition around. So, the cleaner our breakdown is, the better for us," Blair said.
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He acknowledged the difficulty of the referee's role while still pressing for greater consistency. "I feel for the referees because it's a really difficult game that they are refereeing," he said. "We respect the fact that it's a really difficult job for the ref at the moment, but what we ask for is consistency within that."
**Missed Chances Haunt the All Blacks**
Blair also pointed to a recurring failure to convert pressure into points following the 29-24 defeat at FNB Stadium in Soweto the previous weekend. New Zealand had South Africa under real threat during the period when Springbok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was sin-binned, leaving the world champions reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes. The All Blacks failed to extend their advantage during that window, allowing South Africa to remain competitive.
"We are scoring tries, but we are missing a lot of opportunities as well," Blair said. "So the message has been really positive in what we are creating, but also discussing how we can maintain pressure through our multi-phase and when we get those chances to communicate and pull the trigger on them."
Saturday's Test in Baltimore represents New Zealand's final chance to avoid a series defeat against South Africa.
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Source: Briefly News
