Re: Step in the right direction. : Thu May 24, 2018 10:03 am  

The Try/No Try on-field malarkey is an absolute nonsense. If the try is given on-field in terms of grounding it must take one MONUMENTAL knock-on for it to be chalked off - and even then (Powell and Morgan) it's just given. Needs scrapping ASAP.

Re: Step in the right direction. : Thu May 24, 2018 11:36 am  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

the obstruction checking is my bug bear, if you're asking about it, why didn't you penalise it when you saw it, what would you have done if it was further up the field? you'd have penalised it wouldn't you.

Agreed. Not allowing obstruction checks by the video ref would be a big improvement, I think. Of course, the flip-side would be that some tries will then be scored that leave fans up in arms, shouting that they should have been ruled out for obstruction (and some teams specialising in the dark arts will doubtless run more deliberate obstruction plays to see what they can get away with). Ultimately though, it would be up to the on-field refs to be sharp enough to call any obstructions correctly. Are they sharp enough? That's a different debate!

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Step in the right direction. : Thu May 24, 2018 11:45 am  

The Speculator wrote:

Agreed. Not allowing obstruction checks by the video ref would be a big improvement, I think. Of course, the flip-side would be that some tries will then be scored that leave fans up in arms, shouting that they should have been ruled out for obstruction (and some teams specialising in the dark arts will doubtless run more deliberate obstruction plays to see what they can get away with). Ultimately though, it would be up to the on-field refs to be sharp enough to call any obstructions correctly. Are they sharp enough? That's a different debate!

i know it was an issue year before last, it was daft, i've no problem them checking it, but i'd like a very clear set of guidelines of what constitutes obstruction.

They make it up at the moment, supposedly its was the defender impeded from getting to the ball carrier, subsets to that is, did the dummy runner come through on the outside shoulder/does he stay in the line obstructing, did the ball receiver (off a pass) receive it wider than the dummy runner and also how far back is the ball carrier from the 'obstructed' defender.

I think thats it, in a nutshell, however they don't seem to apply most of that, as all a defender has to to is walk into a dummy runner and throw his arms up(also preventing him from running through cleanly).

i'd like there to be more emphasis on did the defenders make a bad read, if you've adjusted and come in, if you've put your hands out/on to the dummy runner, you've made a misread. if that leaves a gap on your outside thats not obstruction, especially if the ball has been passed and is ten metres back.

Didn't we have one chalked off last week for defender being impeded? who still got past the dummy runner and almost tackled the ball carrier?

Re: Step in the right direction. : Thu May 24, 2018 12:50 pm  

Initially I was in favour of the ref having to make an on field decision before it went upstairs - it put the emphasis on the ref making a decision on the field, rather than taking the easy option and passing it upstairs. In practice it hasn't really worked, with video refs going along with the refs decision even when it is pretty clear he's made the wrong call, as the video ref has to be 100% certain it was an incorrect call.

We just need to be careful we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater here, its a very useful tool when used correctly - it just needs tweaking in my view.

- Clarification needs to be given on obstruction - I don't think that is particularly a video ref issue, more a game issue.
- Stop using the video ref for incidents when a player stays down injured, unless it is clear there has been some serious foul play and a sin binning / sending off is in order. If the ref missed something that doesn't deserve a card, tough, let the disciplinary hearing deal with it on the Tuesday.
- Get rid of the refs on field decision, if the ref isn't sure, he shouldn't be made to guess.
- I wouldn't stop the ref going to the screen for any try scoring decision if he has a doubt, offside / foul play / in touch. It doesn't matter - lets just get the decision right!
- Stop using it for how to restart a game (drop out / tap) - it should just be used for tries scored and serious foul play... forty twenties???
- Every effort should be made to get video refs at all games, I don't like the fact some have and some don't.