Referees dropped from Super Rugby for poor performance

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Four referees have been dropped from Super Rugby for poor performances as organizers of the three-nation tournament responded
to a litany of complaints from coaches and players about refereeing standards in this season's competition.

South Africans Stuart Berry and Lourens van der Merwe, Argentine Francisco Pastrana and Australian Angus Gardner have all been cut from the refereeing roster in a move referees boss Lyndon Bray says recognizes who has performed to expectation and who has not.

Berry was publicly criticized by Bray for awarding a controversial try to South Africa's Lions in a match against the Auckland Blues two weeks ago.

Berry was also responsible for a 17-4 penalty count against the Queensland Reds, who lost 23-20 to the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday night after leading 20-3 at one stage.