The real ref talking points at the RWC haven't been high tackles
Former ref Paul Smith upacks the biggest officiating talking points at the RWC, and they’re not what many thought they’d be.
In the run-up to Japan 2019 few pundits had much doubt about the likely major talking point of the early pool matches.
Forget ‘which France will turn up?’ Never mind the scandalous under-funding of the Pacific Islands. Disregard Bob Dwyer’s four-yearly ‘cheating England’ rant.
Instead make ready a few miles of newsprint for a ferocious debate between proponents of the law makers’ tackle safety campaign and a load of 50-something rugger buggers screaming that the game’s gone soft.
And what would trigger this? A rash of red cards for tackles which failed to meet the exacting standards laid down by the latest World Rugby directives.
But seven games into rugby union’s showpiece tournament, these predictions have proved as accurate as the weather forecast which had Scotland and Ireland battening down the hatches and being awarded a nil-nil draw.
To date only one high tackle debate has raised its head (or more accurately smashed a shoulder into the unfortunate Peceli Yato’s jaw).
How English TMO Rowan Kitt failed to spot Aussie winger Reece Hodge’s misdemeanour is a mystery to all of us, although the speed and angle of the excellent Yato’s break give referee Ben O’Keefe and his touch judges some real-time exoneration. Suffice to say, even if England fail to qualify, Mr Kitt is unlikely to be required in the Yokohama International Stadium on Saturday November 2.
Instead, and who would have thought it, the biggest talking point of the first three days revolves around an issue as old as the game itself – midfield offside.
Pinching a few yards behind the referee’s back has of course always been something of an art form in the sport’s lower levels.
But the arrival, around 15 years ago, in the sport’s higher echelons of a team-of-three armed with radio communications should have seen this particular problem disappear alongside the four-point try and white laces.
High tackle sanction framework called into question after Australia-Fiji gamehttps://t.co/iPRBhRGP2a
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 21, 2019
Simply put, the referee now has eyes in the back of his head.
However, as France replacement Louis Picamoles’ crucial – and potentially match-turning – interception from a clearly offside position against Argentina showed, the official’s 20/20 vision is more concept than reality.
Keeping midfield defenders onside at the breakdown is some way down a referee’s list of priorities:
Is the tackle legal? Has the tackler released the ball-carrier? Has he moved away? Has the ball-carrier played the ball? Are arriving players on their feet and entering ‘through the gate?’ Has a ruck formed? Are any jackallers competing legally? Is the scrum half being held without the ball? Are the guards onside? And how do I keep out of the way of the next phase of play?
The touch judges therefore have primary responsibility for keeping the midfield defence onside – and are ideally positioned to do so.
According to law, defenders must remain behind the hindmost foot of the breakdown until the attacking scrum half has lifted the ball from the ground – hands on is not enough.
This split-second timing can be problematic for the touch judge when play is in the middle of the field, or his/her view is obscured. Most officials therefore err on the side of caution so we can disregard TV freeze frames showing defenders to be a couple of feet offside. However, Picamoles was around three metres beyond the hindmost foot.
Fiji Airways flight leaving Sapporo… calling passenger Mr. Hodge ??? #AUSvFIJ #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/Ba7MvJP4an
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 21, 2019
What is less widely known is that touch judges are discouraged from making too many interventions on the ref mike. More than four or five verbal contributions per half is likely to see the official marked down by the assessor – and this certainly plays a part in obvious offsides going unpunished.
In addition, keeping the penalty count low is a big motivational factor for ambitious referees seeking a reputation as an unfussy official often in charge of free-flowing matches. Blowing multiple midfield offsides fed in by the touch judge is clearly at odds with this objective – and career-minded referees have therefore been known to simply turn a deaf ear.
While no-one will be badly injured due to midfield offside, matches are regularly ruined as an entertainment form. Since rugby union has only one showcase every four-years, spectacle is everything. In the cause of developing our sport it is therefore time to free up the touch judges and punish those referees who choose to ignore them.
Comments on RugbyPass
Let’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to comments