jontheref says...

Trialling of laws has happened, and I have been informed still happen at Cambidge University college games.

I refereed some a few years ago, where some scrum offences were given a tap and go rather than an opponents scrum.

Some were wierd, some wonderful.

Experiment by all means, but until the top refs are told to ref the laws as they are written we are rearranging the furniture on the Titanic.

If the current laws are not to be used, change them.

One I would like to see come in, is to allow handling on the ground.

We all see it happening, and the ref sees it less than most.

It is a skill, so reward it!

Clocks?

Play to the ref.

he is the sole arbiter of fact!

Posted 17:33 07th March 2012

Ramage says...

Im afraid this is not the case APV1. In Suoer Rugby the following referees have been deemed not to be good enough to referee in Super Rugby and have turned up as Assistant Referees or TMOs. Leckie, Marks and Pearce Australia, Leogote and Muewesen South Africa and Munro NZ. Correct me if I am wrong but when I was in the UK the then touch judges were referees who specialised as Touch Judges. Now the position has been changed to Assistant referees someone could tell me whether these assistants are considered able enough to take the whistle on the field of play or are they still the old touch judge person who no longer referee. Whilst the men are qualified referees it would be a moot point as to whether they are up to the standard of actually refereeing the game. I am not casting any doubt over these gentlemen being up to doing their job on touch but would question their ability to take on the job of actually refereeing the game. After all their own body has expressed this view by demoting them from the refereeing panel.

Posted 08:33 07th March 2012

Ramage says...

@APV1 a very balanced article agree about the clocks and while always being on the other side to Otago I too hope the situation is temporary. Regarding TMOs they too should not be guessing but they should also be able to answer the question asked of them and if they do not understand the question I believe they should not be there. Muewesen has now messed up too often and obviously became flustered. I can see now why he was dropped as a Super Rugby referee. Perhaps he should be stood down as a TMO and do a refresher course.

@justice_4_all I will be very interested in how you get on with your questions to the SA referees on the points you raise as they are interesting and I too would be keen to know the response. Could I also pay a compliment to the SA referees website as it is kept up to date and is full of interesting articles and news. By the way have you found any comments from Andre Watson on Muewesen's decisions in the Bulls/Cheetahs game at the weekend as he is usually vocal on issues affecting referees be they Sth African or other country's referees. I would be keen to see what he has said about the incidents, if anything .

Posted 14:55 06th March 2012

safehands says...

Not aluded to in this artcile but just as irritating as play acting nonetheless....I would love to see awarded penalties being reversed for players waving an imaginary card in the refs face in the hope of getting somebody from the opposition sent off for 10 minutes.....

Posted 03:14 06th March 2012

sandal says...

A lot of referees are below standard. TMOs are among the worst. Let's face it, usually they're in front of the monitor because they weren't good enough to be given the whistle.

All of us have seen TMOs make the most appalling decisions, decisons that defy the rules of the game. And when a home official is given the role then it seems we are more likely to get lapses. In South Africa, South African TMOs have twice now (2006 and 2011) taken it upon themselves to go beyond their brief so as to deny the All Blacks tries. Elsewhere, we have seen TMOs from small unions make decisions that can be explained only by the suggestion that they are trying to curry favour.

TMOs should be neutral, always, and they should be drawn from the same level of competence as the officials on the field. It's not as if the IRB can't afford it.

Even then, I don't trust the bastards to get it right.

Posted 22:07 05th March 2012

chubbylugs says...

interesting watching the newcastle quins game highlights. there was a lot of things going on off the ball. nick easter asked the referee to be please look out for the cheap shots and the ref reversed the penalty against easter.

i know there are ways to ask, but easter seemed to be fairly reasonable + also had the right as captain surely?

however, this is the first instance i thought of a white card having a purpose - a right of challenge to foul play, without influencing the referee's judgement.

far from fullproof and open to abuse, but players do need protecting

Posted 20:07 05th March 2012

Dingdong says...

It's a sad sad day when we see diving in rugby. Call me ignorant but that's the one thing that prevents me from watching or supporting soccer/football - I realise there's a lot more too the game than the odd acts of pathetic writhing you see on occasion but it makes my blood boil. That and how players react towards the referee when things don't go their way. Pathetic. I digress...

The time-clock fiasco at the Highlanders game was certaintly frustrating, not because of any human error that caused the hiccup but the fact that 15 of my boys in Otago Blue (nice jerseys by the way) ignored one of the first rules in rugby - play to the ref. I added an expletive when shouting that from the Zoo and am still a little hoarse.

As for TMOs having more of a say on try/no try - they nearly have it right in the NRL: they can rule on infringements, obstructions, offsides, foulplay and knock ons in the lead up to a try (if the ref suspects something went amiss) but they can't rule on a forward pass, which I find incredibly frustrating. The technology's there - use it and go the whole hog.

Still waiting on the Otago outcome... Richie McCaw has thrown his weight behind a North-South match to raise funds. Went to the last of those games at the 'Brook in 1995, wouldn't mind them being reinstated!

Posted 19:31 05th March 2012

philb87 says...

To me it seems like all the changes are made for the good of the game globally not to the advanted of the southern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere are always the guinea pigs to the new law changes so if anything they are the one's who are being dealy the bad hand, due to all the uncertainty that comes with the law changes.

Posted 14:47 05th March 2012

turboboy says...

Can anyone tell me a rule on the following:

The lions scored their first try in the corner but in the act of scoring the Hurricanes fullback was in contact with the ball when he was out of play (lions winger stayed in field). Is it only the player in possesion of the ball who can be deemed out therefore making the ball out of play or is it anyone in contact with the ball?

Anyone or Planet Rugby any answers?

Posted 14:04 05th March 2012

welshmac says...

Rugby can set an example of sportsmanship by penalising play-acting as heavily as the faked offence. If a player pretends to have been felled by an illegal blow that would result in a yellow card, and an official sees that it is faked, then the play-actor should be yellow carded. Rugby is a game whose ethos is hard but fair, let's keep it that way.

Posted 13:07 05th March 2012