International Rugby

[dr.chekov]

I hear that loads. Players calling the ref sir, that is, not Curry being called a white c*nt.

[AV84]

Bit of a stretch, I think, to call that a racial slur. Be interesting to see if they pursue it, not sure of the optics on it.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's not a stretch at all, it's a racial slur.

[PaulWinch again]

Indeed, not sure what’s debatable about that.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

New Zealand are currently like a very dangerous wounded animal, after having a bad couple of years. I think they are going to rip the Springboks to shreds in the final. 

I hope so, JD.

[Gareth]

The question probably should be why the referee didn’t feel that serious enough to address with the SA captain at least?

[PaulWinch again]

The question probably should be why the referee didn’t feel that serious enough to address with the SA captain at least?

I imagine it’s more that isn’t something to be dealt with on the field. It needs a separate disciplinary process.

[AV84]

I see Courtney Lawes has announced his retirement from international duty after the World Cup.

[Gareth]

You’d imagine Coles, Marler, Youngs & perhaps Care & Vunipola won’t be far behind Lawes?

[tomd2103]

I watch quote a bit of rugby and feel that this World Cup has probably highlighted to a wider audience just how influential referees are in deciding games.  It's not like football where a few free-kicks on half way don't have too much of an impact.  As we saw last night, a few penalties around that area of the pitch can literally decide a game and are therefore crucial.

It's just the inconsistency, particularly around scrums and the breakdown that I find infuriating.  They will literally let things go for periods of a game and then just randomly penalise a team.  I accept it is a hard game to ref, so I would rather see many scrum and breakdown penalties be downgraded to free kicks rather than penalties.  Might help the game flow a bit more as well.

[paul_e]

I agree, scrum penalties are terrible for the game at the highest level because they encourage a lot of negative play.

[taylorsworkrate]

I agree, scrum penalties are terrible for the game at the highest level because they encourage a lot of negative play.

What I don't like about scrum penalties is that referees will generally call a penalty when a scrum is being dominated by one of the teams. Sometimes it just looks like dominance and the other team aren't actually infringing

[paul_e]

I agree, scrum penalties are terrible for the game at the highest level because they encourage a lot of negative play.

What I don't like about scrum penalties is that referees will generally call a penalty when a scrum is being dominated by one of the teams. Sometimes it just looks like dominance and the other team aren't actually infringing

Yep, then you have scrums that are stable and the ball could come out easily but the team keeps it in to try force a penalty because they think the ref is favouring them.

And of course props boring in or binding short (watch how often a scrum collapses and the prop on one side is bound on the shoulder or armpit).

There's plenty more as well and all combined they give teams too many options to "earn" cheap shots for 3 points. Even worse is that so many refs compound the problem with yellow cards.

[dave shelley]

Please humour me as I know little about rugby and enjoy watching international tests.  I have always been led to believe that when the referee makes a decision it is accepted with respect and almost without question.  What I'm seeing now is almost every decision is being debated and not just by Owen Farrell.  Am I correct in my observations.

[tomd2103]

I agree, scrum penalties are terrible for the game at the highest level because they encourage a lot of negative play.

I saw a clip at the weekend of Matt Williams, the Aussie ex-Scotland coach speaking about it after Saturdays game.  He was saying that the scrum has now gone from being a way to re-start a game or set up an attacking position, to just a cynical way to win penalties.  Yiu can see that from the NFL style celebrations the forwards do when they win a penalty from it. 

The game on Saturday night was decided by penalties from scrums.  The South Africans didn't look like they could get near England's 22 in open play, but the penalties they got from scrums got them the positions they needed.

I wouldn't want scrums to become like they are in rugby league, as they are a big part of the game.  I just think maybe awarding a free kick for most scrum offences outside the 22 could be a way forward, with them being upgraded to penalties inside the 22 might help.  Also, the free kicks have to be tapped and the scrum does not get reset might also help.  The only penalty outside the 22 could be for deliberately collapsing a scrum that has got real momentum going forward.