WARREN GATLAND is furious after a South African TV ref was handed control of ALL three of the Lions’ Test against the Springboks.
The Lions are raging that bungling home official Marius Jonker has been drafted in at the last minute for the biggest series of 2021.
Jonker’s shock appointment is even more baffling after he refused to review Faf de Klerk’s blatant headbutt on Josh Navidi in the defeat to South Africa ‘A’ last week.
If the Springboks No9 had been sent off then he would most-likely have missed the Cape Town opener.
Gatland said at the time: “I can’t understand where the comments were that there was no contact to the head.
“Someone was watching a different picture to me. I thought it looked reckless to me.
“No arms and he’s hit the arm first and then the shoulder, but there’s definitely head on head contact.”
Jonker was also the same guy who bizarrely denied England a Twickenham win over New Zealand in 2018 when he ruled out Sam Underhill’s last-gasp try.
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His son, Rynhardt, plays for South African side The Sharks, alongside Boks skipper Siya Kolisi and centre Lukhanyo Am.
New Zealander Brendon Pickerill was booked to fly in for the game.
However, due to the travel chaos caused by Covid, he has now been replaced at short notice.
