Rugby Championship
Outspoken Graham Henry attacks officials yet again
ESPN Staff
October 3, 2013
Sir Graham Henry on the day he received his knighthood, New Zealand, May 3, 2012
Sir Graham Henry finds himself in hot water once again © Getty Images
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Sir Graham Henry is in hot water after unleashing another broadside against officials, this time in the Rugby Championship.

Henry, the former All Blacks coach who is now a technical adviser to Argentina, said during the ReUnion panel show on New Zealand's Sky TV on Tuesday night that the officials have been "totally inconsistent" and "a weakness in the game".

Commenting on the citing of Springboks second-row Flip van der Merwe during the Test against Australia, Henry said the judiciary was "totally inconsistent just like the refereeing". Henry described as "madness" the decision to issue a yellow card to Wallabies flanker Michael Hooper for a tip tackle in the same match, saying referees appeared to be looking for excuses to award yellow cards beyond "the obvious" adding: "I just can't understand what they are seeing because everyone else doesn't agree."

Henry agreed with former All Blacks scrum-half Justin Marshall, another panelist on the TV program, who said that referees were awarding red and yellow cards too quickly, and that the cards was affecting the outcome of matches. "I think that is a weakness in the game at the moment," Henry said. "We need totally transparency."

SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters told Fairfax Media from Argentina that he was aware of Henry's comments, saying the southern hemisphere rugby organisation would investigate.

Henry has already been sanctioned by SANZAR this season, for saying while acting as assistant coach of the Auckland-based Blues during the Super Rugby competition that a television match official was "blind". He was forced to make a public apology and was told to refrain from making similar comments in future.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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