7 May 2007

South Africa prepare to host both Super 14 rugby semis

10:28 am on 7 May 2007

South Africa is hosting both semi-finals next weekend for the first time since the start of Super 14 rugby union competition.

The will host the Blues in Durban and the Bulls take on the defending champion Crusaders in Pretoria.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes and former All Black captain Tana Umaga has said goodbye to Super rugby with a broadside at the standard of refereeing.

Umaga says their rulings lack consistency and that referees are ruling more on reputation rather on what they see on the field.

He says referee's aren't accountable for bad games:.

"Referees in this part of the world are lacking. I think northern hemisphere in my experience have always been better refs, I think it's an empathy with the game you know the flow, apart from Jonathon Kaplan, I think everyone else is struggling, and New Zealand and Australian refs are right at the bottom."