Was at this match yesterday - fantastic to have Champions Trophy being played just down the road! (thanks Owen Glenn!). Anyway, a few thoughts on the umpiring... since this was the first live international match I have been to in quite some time... On one of the NZ goals (either the 1st or 2nd), there was a messy tackle in midfield that the NZ player broke through anyway, the umpire (Haider Rasool) played (a very good) advantage, New Zealand scored. Straight after that, he awarded a GC to the infringing tackler. I thought this was a nice piece of management - it was a poor tackle that needed to be dealt with, notwithstanding that a goal had been conceded. It was interesting to see the slightly different styles of Rasool and Nathan Stagno. I thought Stagno had quite a lot of presence and was rarely challenged on his decisions. Rasool had a bit of niggle from/between players down his end, but seemed happy to manage it by directly engaging with the players. Stagno awarded one PC that I thought was really well-judged, for a messy tackle by one of the NZ defenders just outside the D. The tackle didn't look great but some of my friends were still a bit mystified as to why it justified a PC. The video replay on the big screen convinced them - big shove from the forearm of the NZ defender!
I've seen quite a lot of Stagno with the EHL, and I'd agree. Very large build helps him have that great sense of authority, I think. Really like him
plus, he's a really great guy. always good for a joke. i bet that helps build rapport with the players
I've been a fan since I met him back in 2003 - and even I wouldn't give the guy any stick, he's damn intimidating!
