WARATAHS coach Ewen McKenzie has called on South African referee Mark Lawrence to control the lineouts more strictly in tonight's Super 14 final against the Crusaders to avoid a repeat of NSW's unsuccessful 2005 title decider.
"We came with a pretty good lineout. One of our regrets was that there were probably six crooked throws called by the touchies. But we didn't get any action from the referee," McKenzie said of the 2005 final. "To get the contest, the ball has to go down the middle. We are looking forward to having a contest. You have to get a result for your pressure there. We got the pressure [in 2005] but we didn't get the result on the crooked throws. A crooked throw is a turnover of possession. It can get you 40 metres up field.
"We know this game is about territory, and that it's about possession. The Crusaders have dominated their run in recent weeks in both those areas of the game. So if you don't get a reward for your pressure then you don't get to play the other end of the field."
The Waratahs' lineout is one of their most potent weapons, although its opportunities have been limited in attack. During last week's semi-final against the Sharks, they had only two lineouts on their own throws.
However, the Waratahs' lineout has been damaging in defence and McKenzie, in his last game as NSW coach, wants his charges to be able to reap as much as they can from the set-piece at AMI Stadium.
Before kick-off, McKenzie will speak about the issue with Lawrence, who refereed NSW's game against Crusaders in 2004, when they claimed their only win over the six-time champions in Christchurch. But it was clear at the captain's run yesterday that he was still frustrated by the refereeing in the Waratahs' only appearance in a final, when South African Jonathan Kaplan had the whistle.
McKenzie believes Kaplan did not act upon calls for crooked throws by his assistant referees. The Waratahs lost that game 35-25.
McKenzie's message to Lawrence is also designed to increase the pressure on Crusaders hooker Ti'i Paulo, who has been promoted to the starting XV to replace the experienced Corey Flynn (broken hand). However, McKenzie's strategy comes with a risk. Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, back in the starting side after missing last week's semi-final due to a hand injury, has also been known to be inconsistent with his throws. Lawrence may well find himself pinging Polota-Nau as much as Paulo.
"The obligation is on both teams to throw straight. We have thrown crooked lines this year ourselves," McKenzie said. "So I am not saying that that is an issue. I am just looking for a contest in the lineout."
McKenzie said all he wanted from Lawrence - and referees in general - is "consistency, so whatever they are doing in the first minute they are doing in the last".
He added: "Mark is a pretty experienced campaigner. We have had him plenty of times. Not this year, but we have had him plenty of times over the years. I am pretty confident he will be doing the same thing at the start as he will be doing at the end."
Meanwhile, the Waratahs have not forgotten their previous visit to Christchurch, in round six, when they were criticised for a lack of fitness by Crusaders outside-centre Casey Laulala after losing 34-7. Waratahs captain Phil Waugh is confident his side can show up Laulala, regardless if the game is settled in 80 minutes or goes into extra time.
"If it goes into extra time, we have prepared well enough," Waugh said. "We got a lot of criticism about not being fit enough when we left Christchurch last time. We are fit."
The Waratahs may just be ready for a few surprises as well. As their final training run concluded in a late afternoon chill yesterday, who was among the players practising their drop-goal attempts? Prop Matt Dunning, who kicked a drop goal with 13 minutes to go in NSW's game against the Chiefs in 2003 when they needed two tries to win.
On Thursday, Dunning was flagged by Waratahs winger Lote Tuqiri as one player on whose shoulders a matchwinning responsibility could fall. Most thought it was a joke.
