Rugby Union

[peasy23]

25 minutes ago, BukyOHare said:

I'd agree with all of that to be honest.

I do think the 8 minute referral time for a yellow card to be looked at by the TMO is in the main a very positive step for the sport.

So long as referees don't use it to avoid obvious decisions they would normally make on field at the time anyway, it let's the game be restarted quickly and should take huge steps to protect the players on the field by forcing players to change their tackling technique which was definitely needed.

The only problem with the bunker so far has been consistency, there have been a couple that have stayed as yellow through the flimsiest bits of supposed mitigation. I also think it's giving the onfield ref the chance to shirk the responsibility. I think he should still be asked to give his initial decision on whether he thinks it's a red or not then it's up to the bunker to decide whether they agree or disagree then have that conversation with the ref.

[BukyOHare]

8 minutes ago, peasy23 said:

The only problem with the bunker so far has been consistency, there have been a couple that have stayed as yellow through the flimsiest bits of supposed mitigation. I also think it's giving the onfield ref the chance to shirk the responsibility. I think he should still be asked to give his initial decision on whether he thinks it's a red or not then it's up to the bunker to decide whether they agree or disagree then have that conversation with the ref.

You're always going to have elements of inconsistencies though. That's just human nature especially when making judgements on slowed down clips of people running into each other.

In the main they get things "right" overall and don't seem to miss anything major or create undue controversies.

As a spectator that's all I'm really looking for.

 

[Donathan]

1 hour ago, BukyOHare said:

I'd agree with all of that to be honest.

I do think the 8 minute referral time for a yellow card to be looked at by the TMO is in the main a very positive step for the sport.

So long as referees don't use it to avoid obvious decisions they would normally make on field at the time anyway, it let's the game be restarted quickly and should take huge steps to protect the players on the field by forcing players to change their tackling technique which was definitely needed.

The big issue with the bunker system for me is that we no longer get to see the conversation between the TMO and the referee which establishes whether or not there is any mitigation. Prior to the bunker system this all happened openly so you could nearly always understand the rationale for why a red card has or hasn’t been awarded. Now, it’s done behind closed doors.

 

For me the happy medium would be that the game continues and the player goes to the bunker but then when the TMO decision is made, we go back to the screen and you hear the TMO explaining to the ref what the decision is and why. 

[GHF-23]

10 hours ago, Savage Henry said:

Thought Hamish Watson might have played himself onto the bench for the Ireland game as well.  

Always risky but could go for a 6-2 with Watson and Fagerson. Horne and Harris and players swapping position would give us all the coverage we'd need in the backs. 

[Savage Henry]

4 hours ago, BukyOHare said:

I think every yellow carded player shook the hand of the referee by way of apology when leaving the field.

The captain when being giving a general explanation to a team infringement by Wayne Barnes replied "sorry".

Scotland B were ruthless, clinical even. Traits I never knew as a team or a squad that we possessed.

Encouraged, but it's going to take a huge effort next week against the Irish to get out of the pool.

I think this is fair.  I wasn’t yelling for red cards last night, but a couple of decisions in the Tonga game were beyond explanation.  Those were good players who should know better.  
 

Scotland’s discipline has been, for once, terrific.   If they can just cut out the handling errors…

 

Thought Wayne Barnes had a good game, but I’ll whisper that. 

[BukyOHare]

14 minutes ago, Savage Henry said:

Thought Wayne Barnes had a good game, but I’ll whisper that. 

Totally agree with this, moreso with how he communicated with the players and even his fellow officials. Different from his usual head teacher stand offish and abrupt manner. 

Things that always used to bother me more than they should have previously.

I've heard the ITV commentators describe him as the best referee in the sport. I do wonder in the post Nigel Owens era that he might well be.

[GordonS]

7 hours ago, Lurkst said:

Head to head but if three teams are tied it's points difference.

Assuming South Africa get the 5 points v Tonga, I think it's impossible for Scotland to qualify if Ireland get a losing bonus point against us.

We either need to beat them by 8, or by 13 if both teams score 4 tries.

 

Points difference is used to pick the first team from among those tied on the same points, but absurdly, head-to-head is then used to separate the other two.

So if everyone finishes on 15 points (or, theoretically, 14) and Ireland have the best points difference we're out; if South Africa end up with the best points difference we would go through.

 

[Mark Connolly]

2 hours ago, Donathan said:

The big issue with the bunker system for me is that we no longer get to see the conversation between the TMO and the referee which establishes whether or not there is any mitigation. Prior to the bunker system this all happened openly so you could nearly always understand the rationale for why a red card has or hasn’t been awarded. Now, it’s done behind closed doors.

 

For me the happy medium would be that the game continues and the player goes to the bunker but then when the TMO decision is made, we go back to the screen and you hear the TMO explaining to the ref what the decision is and why. 

At the very least, at the end of the game, the bunker could release the reasons for their judgments in a statement similar to after a disciplinary hearing. It’s hard to understand the differences between some of the incidents, but especially when nobody is saying them out loud. 

I still think one of the first things they should be looking at after identifying head contact is the tackler’s angle of attack. Did he hit high and was he rising? If yes, and he’s hit the opponent in the head, that should be a red without the need to look for mitigation.

Although, as I’ve said before, the biggest issue in all this is highly paid defence coaches who are scared they might have to come up with a different plan to “fly up and smash”. Folk love to come out with “player welfare”, but the vast majority of these incidents are poor technique from players playing Test rugby. With it still happening so often, you can’t tell me all the defence coaches are actively trying to change the behaviour 

[Lurkst]

15 minutes ago, GordonS said:

Points difference is used to pick the first team from among those tied on the same points, but absurdly, head-to-head is then used to separate the other two.

So if everyone finishes on 15 points (or, theoretically, 14) and Ireland have the best points difference we're out; if South Africa end up with the best points difference we would go through.

 

Wow didn't realise that! C'mon the Boks today then.

 

[Honest_Man#1]

So we want either Tonga to pull off something incredible and stop SA getting a bonus point win, or SA to absolutely batter them?

[peasy23]

 

 

[Gianfranco]

Darcy Graham’s footwork is sensational.

 

He shouldn’t have tried that quick line out near the end though.

[parsforlife]

1 hour ago, peasy23 said:

 

 

Next up in today's lesson in being a fuckwit...

[peasy23]

3 minutes ago, parsforlife said:

Next up in today's lesson in being a fuckwit...

I'm sure his team mates all laughed when they realised they had cost them the win.

[Savage Henry]

ITV4 picture quality is like YouTube in 1997.  
 

Portugal have been the better side here.  

[Savage Henry]

Oh my.  

[Mark Connolly]

What's Portuguese for GIRFUY Eddie?

[Savage Henry]

If this gets upgraded, Portugal should walk off the pitch.  
 

ETA Jones should be sacked for deciding to kick there.   Absolutely cowardly rugby.  
 

Edit again: Ben Donaldson is hopeless. 

Edited October 1, 2023 by Savage Henry

[ajwffc]

Just now, Savage Henry said:

If this gets upgraded, Portugal should walk off the pitch.  

It's right on the limit and depends on who is making the final decision 

[Savage Henry]

Just now, ajwffc said:

It's right on the limit and depends on who is making the final decision 

It was absolutely no worse than any of the Tonga yellows against Scotland or even the Romanian yesterday.