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'The VAR of rugby': Captain's referral under the spotlight after fans question the spirit of the Crusaders' final challenge
The revamped rules in the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa have brought in a captain’s referral rule, allowing each skipper to challenge one decision in the first 75-minutes of the game and any decision in the final five minutes.
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Such is the tightness of Super Rugby Aotearoa, multiple games have been decided in the last few minutes or extra time this season, with two golden point games last week. Last night’s 26-25 win by the Chiefs at home over the Crusaders was no exception, with the game coming down to the final moments.
The Chiefs arrested the lead with a 78th minute penalty to first five Damian McKenzie but after an average exit from the kick-off, the Chiefs had to weather one last Crusaders’ push with just a one-point lead.
As the Crusaders set up in the middle of the field for a potential drop goal, Chiefs lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi latched onto an isolated Crusaders ball carrier to win a match-sealing penalty with less than 30 seconds to go.
With no visible reason to challenge, Crusaders captain Scott Barrett threw a last ditch referral under the new rules which allow for anything to be challenge in the final five minutes.
Had the TMO found anything wrong with Ah Kuoi’s contest at the ruck, the penalty would have been reversed, giving the defending champions a kick to win from directly in front.
The referral system has created perverse incentives to challenge anything in the final moments of a game, robbing fans and players of the celebratory moment as referees spend time looking everything over.
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The Chiefs have been victim of this strategy twice, with the Blues trying to claim a forward pass in the phase before McKenzie’s match-winning try back in Round 5.
Irish analyst Murray Kinsella said the referral ‘really took the sting out of a massive turnover moment’ highlighting the ensuing silence was ‘very odd’ when the Chiefs crowd should have been celebrating.
South African rugby writer Jon Cardinelli likened the referral to when a batsmen is ‘plumb LBW’ and uses a review to just ‘take a chance’. Other fans decried the spirit of the Crusaders’ referral, calling it a ‘joke’ and a ‘desperate last ditch attempt’.
That captain's referral really took the sting out of a massive turnover moment in the final minute.
Silence around the stadium was very odd.
Crusaders chancing their arm there, and why wouldn't they!#CHIvCRU
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) April 17, 2021
That’s the issue I guess with a captains referral…you can just challenge a decision if you’re about to lose. Glad it wasn’t overturned. I’d argue you shouldn’t be able to challenge in last 5, similar to NFL where TMO has to intervene #chivcru
— Chrumner Smith (@cs0mnersmith) April 17, 2021
is it an actual referral or is it a desperate last ditch attempt #CHIvCRU
— kirst ? (@fornairobi) April 17, 2021
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this captains referral shit is the VAR of rugby #CHIvCRU
— Rugby Digest (@RugbyDigestSA) April 17, 2021
Some captain's referrals are equivalent to lbw review when the batsman is clearly plumb… just taking a chance #CHIvCRU
— Jon Cardinelli (@jon_cardinelli) April 17, 2021
what a joke of a referral #CHIvCRU
— therugbyfanshaz (@therugbyfanshaz) April 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/bastardsheep/status/1383341820172595200
No clear and obvious error from that footage. I think the turnover from Naitoa Ah Kuoi stands and Chiefs win! #CHIvCRU
— Ross Barnett (@rbarnett08) April 17, 2021
Chiefs have been a joy to watch.
Captains referrals in rugby are complete pants. #rugby #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CHIvCRU @StanSportAU
— Ben Kimber (@benkimber) April 17, 2021
How is this going to be even viewed? It won’t be clear and obvious #CHIvCRU
— ryanator109 ?? (@ryanator109) April 17, 2021
The Chiefs fourth win in a row propelled them into second on the Super Rugby Aotearoa table, whilst handing the Crusaders’ their second loss to stay within touching distance of the defending champions.
This year Super Rugby Aotearoa will feature a grand final with the top side’s facing off, which could be a re-match of last night’s pulsating clash in Hamilton.
The Blues, sitting in third place after losing to the Highlanders on Friday night, travel to Christchurch to face the Crusaders in a key clash while the Chiefs host the Hurricanes at home.
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments