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Video: The conversation that highlighted how Wayne Barnes remains one of the best refs around
Veteran referee Wayne Barnes was marked absent for the opening two restart rounds of the Gallagher Premiership after getting caught out by revised UK Government quarantine regulations while on holiday in Spain, but his commanding presence was to the fore in the Bank Holiday Monday 27-23 win by Wasps at Bath.
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Having made his comeback in last Tuesday’s enjoyable top-of-the-table clash between Bristol and Exeter, a result that tipped the way of the Chiefs in the closing minutes, Barnes typified his experience with his handling of the ramifications of Wasps losing their replacement hooker Gabriel Oghre to first-half concussion just eight minutes after he had replaced injured starter Tommy Taylor.
What transpired was the game went to uncontested scrums after Wasps prop Tom West opted not to switch to hooker with loosehead Simon McIntyre coming on as Oghre’s front row replacement.
The initial indication from the Wasps sideline was that scrums would remain contested, though, with West switching into the middle of the front row and competing.
However, rather than take the word of the sideline as gospel, Barnes went back onto the pitch and quizzed West, the Wasps loosehead, about whether he really was confident enough to fill in.
? A fascinating listen…
Here is exactly what happened when Wayne Barnes asked Tom West if he was happy to safely scrum at hooker for Wasps ?
Players' safety always comes first ?#GPTonight pic.twitter.com/R8S8fhNA5Q
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) August 31, 2020
The answer eventually was that he wasn’t and the match restarted with uncontested scrums. Here’s how the conversation at The Rec unfolded:
Wayne Barnes: This will be your second hooker off?
Dave Bassett, Wasps manager: Yes.
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WB: Do you have a replacement hooker or not?
DB: Yes. Tom West is happy and has scrummaged at hooker. More than happy to do that.
WB: So you’re happy to go contested scrum?
DB: Contested scrums.
Barnes then returned to the middle of the pitch to speak with West.
Wayne Barnes has been rightly lauded for his handling of this relatively rare scenario. https://t.co/dnhZSX6Cyu
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 31, 2020
WB: If you can hook, you can hook and it will be contested scrums. They are telling me you’re a confident hooker. If you’re not confident I’ll order uncontested scrums… make a decision.
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Off mic, West gave his answer, saying no to switching to hooker and having contested scrums. This left Barnes to return to the sideline to resume his conversation with Bassett.
WB: Okay, I’ve just checked with your player out of safety. He’s told me he is not confident to hook so it is uncontested scrums but you have to bring a player on in the front row. Player safety is paramount and he’s told me he is not confident to scrummage.
Barnes then returned to the pitch and explained to the packs what will happen.
WB: It is uncontested scrums gentlemen, but they [Wasps] will go to three in the front row who has played front row.
Usually, if a team has injuries and can’t contest scrums, they must forfeit a player and play out the match with 14. However, the regulation is different when a player has been concussed, which allowed Wasps to continue to have 15 players despite uncontested scrums.
Top 4??!! pic.twitter.com/EuyfgSkBnn
— Wasps Rugby (@WaspsRugby) September 1, 2020
Wasps coach Lee Blackett said afterwards: “At first, he [West] said he was (prepared to play hooker) and I think the realisation then set in.”
BT Sport pundit Ben Key, the 2003 England World Cup winner who was working at the game, later added: “When Wayne first went up to him [West], he said yeah I’ll give it a go. No, you won’t give it a go. Can you do it or not?
“But the brilliant thing about that is out of shot you can see him talking to someone. I bet it was the second rows going we don’t want scrums. We want to rest so we can run around. Just make sure you say no.
“I have played in a game with uncontested scrums. As a front-five forward you have got so much more energy than you usually have.
“He hasn’t played there for three years and it’s probably is the right thing to do but it would have been interesting if Wayne Barnes had gone and said, as is sometimes the case with non-head injuries, you’ll have to lose a player – whether he would have felt pressurised into playing there so they could keep the full complement.”
Sunday morning nudge for Saturday's pre-game feature, a colourful trip through the rugby years with Wayne Barnes – @EnglandRugby@SixNationsRugby @lydney_rfc @premrugby#ITAvSCO ?????????#WALvFRA ?????????#ENGvIRE ?????????https://t.co/x1koNGOeJd
— liam heagney (@heagneyl) February 23, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Why 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 commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments