Ref watch: Is it time the charge-down was scrapped?
The words ‘movement’ and ‘approach’ have surely never been scrutinised with such forensic detail as following the controversial ending of this weekend’s Gallagher Premiership clash between Exeter and Northampton.
With the clock in the red at the end of the toughest of arm-wrestles, Chiefs’ replacement fly-half Joe Simmonds MBE faced a tough match-determining conversion. Across the wind, from a wide-angle and on the harder side for a right-footed kicker, a successful kick won the match for Exeter while a miss left Saints triumphant.
What’s just happened? ? SCENES
Simmonds moved? Yes or No? #EXEvNOR #GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/RNrb8lWOTx
— Saffas Abroad Rugby ??? (@SaffasRugby) February 20, 2021
Northampton’s Ollie Sleightholme was alert to the possibilities and immediately the home no.10 launched his pre-kick routine with a twitch of the shoulders, the visitors’ winger raced to the ball and when he arrived ahead of a hesitant Simmonds proceeded to kick it into touch.
Referee Christophe Ridley, who viewed the entire incident from a perfect position, confirmed the kick had failed and blew the final whistle before clarifying his decision to the home players with the words; “He started his sequence.”
According to Law Eight:
‘All opposing players retire to their goal line and do not overstep that line until the kicker begins the approach to kick. When the kicker does this, they may charge or jump to prevent a goal but must not be physically supported by other players in these actions.’
To most laymen making an approach involves reducing the distance between your starting point and your planned destination – which a shoulder twitch fails to achieve. On this basis Ridley’s interpretation would be incorrect.
However, last July’s Super Rugby Aotearoa round five clash between the Crusaders and the Blues raised a similar charge-down query based on the kicker commencing his approach with a backward movement in the long-forgotten style of former British Lions’ skipper Gavin Hastings. This caused NZ Rugby to formally query “What is meant by the phrase approach to kick?”
In response, the sport’s governing body issued a law clarification:
‘The moment the kicker moves in any direction it is deemed that he is ‘approaching to kick.’ The reason for this interpretation is simplicity, otherwise the referee would have to judge when the kicker first moves, and in what direction. It would also be open to misinterpretation by players, match officials and spectators.’
Of course, this still fails to deal with the multitude of kickers – most notably including Jonny Wilkinson – whose pre-kick routine involves plenty of movement of the upper body but no movement of the whole body away from or towards the ball.
As a consequence, for a second time in as many weeks (following the Jonny May swallow dive controversy during England’s Six Nations win over Italy) World Rugby have been presented with a question that hinges on minute detail.
In part this is their own doing, since the last decade has seen multiple attempts to make our sport more accessible by reducing the complexity and size of the law book. As a result, just as the direct instruction ‘a player must not jump into a tackle’ disappeared so did the use of the phrase ‘offers to kick’ in relation to the kicker’s movement towards the ball.
Did he move? ?https://t.co/utTpS9idpv
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 20, 2021
This less ‘belt-and-braces’ approach to the law book’s wording requires the team taking charge to interpret the lawmakers’ intentions, which it seems to me is not a step forward.
Admittedly, in rugby’s upper echelons this is balanced by the extended use of slo-mo replays and the TMO – but there is an interesting parallel here with football, where the use of VAR for offside rather than sorting out ‘the howler’ has made millimetres significant in decision making, which was never the intention.
Law prohibits defending players from doing anything unsportsmanlike to distract the kicker. A number of social media users have cited clearly audible shouting as a reason for the referee to order a re-take of the conversion – but having watched the incident a number of times it seems that this comes from the Northampton bench not the charging players.
Given the Ridley’s positioning is perfect, he clearly had confidence in his decision. However, given the tightness of the call and the minute detail on which this all hinged, surely a referral to the TMO was appropriate? That said, having watched available footage a number of times I still have doubt since there is not an angle concurrently showing Sleightholme and Simmonds, so this may not have helped.
In summary, we can anticipate further World Rugby clarifications on what constitutes ‘an approach to kick’ in the near future – but instead how about a more radical change which removes the charge-down altogether?
Not only would this remove a complication, but in the process speed up the restart since there would no longer be any requirement for defenders to return to the goal-line.
Comments on RugbyPass
I think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
8 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
8 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
13 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
13 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to comments