Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen says he has no issues with non-neutral refereeing in Super Rugby after a week of discussion about hometown bias in Super Rugby refereeing.
South African referees in particular have come in for criticism after numbers published by Australian side Green and Gold Rugby showed that in matches in South Africa refereed by South Africans, home teams received 3.67 fewer penalties against them per match.
While Test rugby has always used neutral referees, SANZAAR has shifted away from that in Super Rugby because of the costs of travel and a desire to ensure the best referees are refereeing the best matches each week.
Asked his view after Friday night's Waratahs-Lions match, van Rooyen said there was a responsibility for the competition to help referees grow.
"i think it's, like the players need to develop and learn and get put under different situations and circumstances," he said.
"I believe the same with the refs.
"I don't see any problem with the same country reffing the team, they get judged on their performance just like the way we do so if that's going to help and assist refs to grow and let's be honest, save a little bit of money instead of flying everyone around then that's just what it is.
"So, again, it's for us to get the relationship with the referees and for the players to adapt quicker on field."
Van Rooyen's comments came after Michael Hooper on Friday said it was worth investigating whether there was a trend towards hometown favouritism.
"I guess we're going to have to look at the stuff a bit deeper aren't we?," he said.
"You want the best referees without doubt but if there is a trend the other way then it's going to have to be something that's brought up and that's well out of my hands. We just want to have a referee that evens both teams the same and however we can get that on the field is sweet."
McKellar's focus on Brumbies amid Wallabies speculation
Brumbies coach Dan McKellars says he is "100 per cent" focused on Super Rugby amid speculation he is contemplating a move into the Wallabies staff.
McKellar told ABS Grandstand that he had spoken to Rugby Australia about the vacant forwards coach role, the only assistant role still to be filled, but it was only a brief conversation.
"My focus is 100 per cent at the Brumbies," McKellar said.-
"That story that came out was a bit of speculation at the moment. The Wallabies and Rugby Australia are looking for a forwards coach, they've got a number of candidates they'll talk to and they asked me if it would be of interest down the track.
"...It's a national program, it's the Wallabies and I've said many times before players and coaches are the same in terms of [international] aspirations.
"It's an honour to be even considered in those conversations. But, as I said, at the moment it was a brief conversation and I think the headlines and media might have blown it out of proportion."
McKellar is signed with the Brumbies through to the end of 2021, but that wouldn't necessarily preclude him from juggling a national role in the latter half of the year either.
Rugby represented at 2020 Mardi Gras Parade
Rugby had its largest contingent at this year's Mardi Gras parade, bringing together players and officials from across the country in the first Pride in Rugby float.
For the first time, rugby had a standalone float in the Sydney Mardi Gras parade that featured players from gay and inclusive clubs across the country, including the Sydney Convicts, Melbourne Chargers men and women, Perth Rams, Brisbane Hustlers and Adelaide Sharks.
The Convicts regularly have a presence in the parade but this was the first year that brought together clubs from all around Australia, as well as representatives of Rugby Australia and national elite players.
Aussie Sevens co-captain Sharni Williams, Wallaroos and Sevens speedster Mahalia Murphy were among the players who walked as part of the group on Saturday night as well.
Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle said the move was about honouring a commitment the governing body had made to its LGBTQ community in recent years.
“Rugby Australia is proud to represent our sport and to join forces with our Gay and Inclusive rugby clubs to celebrate Mardi Gras," she said.
“The message we want to send is that rugby is, and will always be a safe and inclusive environment for people that identify as LGBTQ to get involved in - whether it be as a player, coach, fan, or volunteer.
“We joined Australia’s Gay and Inclusive Rugby clubs for this year’s festivities to support the alliance we formed with the clubs in 2019 with the aim of growing rugby participation amongst the LGBTQ community in Australia.”
Rugby was among 200 groups and floats who participated in the parade that also included Fire and Rescue NSW and Guide Dogs NSW.
The Sydney Convicts had their own separate float in the parade while there was also a float promoting Australia's bid for the 2022 Bingham Cup, a global gay rugby tournament.
Super Rugby teams want best
Aussies push World Series cases in Kiama
The annual Kiama Sevens was run and done on Saturday and the NSW tournament also proved the venue for some Aussie Sevens men to push their World Series and Olympic causes..
Josh Cowardh featured in the tournament in his first match back from from injury and made it through unscathed as he worked to push his case for an international return.
Coward wasn't the only Aussie Sevens player in action - Jesse Parahi, Jeral Skelton, Brandon Quinn and Matthew Hood featured in the one-day tournament.
it was the Warringah Rats side that featured Skelton and Parahi that took out the ultimate prize, beating West Harbour 17-14 in the cup final.
Young fan already a rugby devotee
Queensland-based Wallabies players James O'Connor, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Izack Rodda conducted a coaching clinic for students at Cannon Hill Anglican College last week to preview tickets going on sale this month for their series against Ireland and its first game in Brisbane in July.
The trio put Year 6 students through their paces with drills and games, although there was one participant who looked a little younger than his peers.
Bryn Giles may only be in Year 1 but the six-year-old is such a rugby fan he managed to convince officials to let him take part in the clinic as well.
With the clinic coming less than 48 hours after the Reds' big win against the Sunwolves, Giles could be forgiven for jumping on the fan bandwagon. But the young man is no fairweather fan.
During a conversation with O'Connor, he reeled off statistics on the 29-year-old's career with Sale Sharks in the English Premiership, commenting on scores in specific games.
Hopefully O'Connor's stint with the Reds can bring him some joy.
Brisbane high school developing reputation for excellence
Was Destiny Brill's Super W debut for the Reds just the first of many to come from Marsden High students?
The public high school in Logan, just south of Brisbane, has a women's football program run by former Waratahs scrumhalf Cobie-Jane Morgan, who Brill replaced on Saturday to make her debut against the Rebels at Suncorp Stadium.
Still just 16, Brill had to receive special permission to play at the Super W level but showed she belonged, scoring two tries and feeding her backs well in the Reds' mammoth 104-3 victory.
Another Reds halfback, Asako Ono, has joined Morgan on the school's staff this year, transferring from Ipswich, giving Marsden an outstanding women's program and rugby a valuable source of players.
Brill is unlikely to be the last student from the footy-mad region to transition to the Super W.
