Is it too early to start moaning about the refereeing?

[Banquo]

Glad they've (finally) pinged a dangerous clear out. They need to crack down on that as much, if not more, than high shots.

[Which Tyler]

Glad they've (finally) pinged a dangerous clear out. They need to crack down on that as much, if not more, than high shots.

I agree, and we've seen a few this RWC.

My problem is that (IIRC) they've all been called by 1 TMO (Skeen?), With nobody else at the world cup remotely interested in looking at them.

I'm all for an attempt to stamp them out (along with fake "on my feet (and knees, and a hand, but mostly, I'm on that guy there)" butnit needs to be consistent, and not introduced during a RWC

[Banquo]

Glad they've (finally) pinged a dangerous clear out. They need to crack down on that as much, if not more, than high shots.

I agree, and we've seen a few this RWC.

My problem is that (IIRC) they've all been called by 1 TMO (Skeen?), With nobody else at the world cup remotely interested in looking at them.

I'm all for an attempt to stamp them out (along with fake "on my feet (and knees, and a hand, but mostly, I'm on that guy there)" butnit needs to be consistent, and not introduced during a RWC

Biggest boon for rugby would be enforcing binding at the ruck (well along with straight feeds at the scrum). i.e. use the laws as they are written.

[Which Tyler]

. i.e. use the laws as they are written.

Yup, ideally all of the laws, zero tolerance, for a whole season, and then re-write the laws as necessary from there.
But then, it's almost like this conversation has taken place before somehow

[Banquo]

. i.e. use the laws as they are written.

Yup, ideally all of the laws, zero tolerance, for a whole season, and then re-write the laws as necessary from there.
But then, it's almost like this conversation has taken place before somehow

Yes, it does have a touch of the Itoje's

[fivepointer]

Had a very good example earlier in the Wales-Fiji game of the issues around the breakdown.
Fijian player gets a yellow card for a shoulder charge on Welsh player. It is dangerous and a card is totally justified. Problem is that the Welsh player is playing the ball while clearly being off his feet. The Fijian only drives in because the Welsh player isnt allowing the ball to be released.
If refs started telling players that they are off their feet and in no position to contest possession, the game would be a lot better and stop some of this diving in.
Much, much more needs to be done to penalise those off their feet challenging for possession. You cannot legitimately be on your feet is most of your weight is on top of a grounded player.

[Which Tyler]

Yup

[p/d]

Williams should be red carded for the hit on Biggar

[Cameo]

Had a very good example earlier in the Wales-Fiji game of the issues around the breakdown.
Fijian player gets a yellow card for a shoulder charge on Welsh player. It is dangerous and a card is totally justified. Problem is that the Welsh player is playing the ball while clearly being off his feet. The Fijian only drives in because the Welsh player isnt allowing the ball to be released.
If refs started telling players that they are off their feet and in no position to contest possession, the game would be a lot better and stop some of this diving in.
Much, much more needs to be done to penalise those off their feet challenging for possession. You cannot legitimately be on your feet is most of your weight is on top of a grounded player.

How about making anyone off their feet (however innocently) roll away - not just the tackler. Then you might be able to achieve something at a ruck.

[Banquo]

Had a very good example earlier in the Wales-Fiji game of the issues around the breakdown.
Fijian player gets a yellow card for a shoulder charge on Welsh player. It is dangerous and a card is totally justified. Problem is that the Welsh player is playing the ball while clearly being off his feet. The Fijian only drives in because the Welsh player isnt allowing the ball to be released.
If refs started telling players that they are off their feet and in no position to contest possession, the game would be a lot better and stop some of this diving in.
Much, much more needs to be done to penalise those off their feet challenging for possession. You cannot legitimately be on your feet is most of your weight is on top of a grounded player.

How about making anyone off their feet (however innocently) roll away - not just the tackler. Then you might be able to achieve something at a ruck.

would be very amusing to watch as well.

The problem with clamping down (sic) on competing at the breakdown is that it might lead to sides just giving up competing, at least via the jackal; I suppose it might conceivably lead to defences putting more players in to counter ruck, but probably not. You do need to get more players, rather than less involved in breakdowns imo.

[Galfon]

Oh dear (x2)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50121693

I hope Nige is able to let the rugby do the talking.

[Puja]

Oh dear (x2)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/50121693

I hope Nige is able to let the rugby do the talking.

Could be worse - if both we and SA win our semis, then it'll be Nige in the final and we'll be attuned to him by then.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

I generally don't mind Owens as much as others here - but...
He does seem to have a thing about the English - we just don't seem to get the leniency that everyone else does with him.
He's also the perfect ref for the NZ style of play - lots and lots of minor infringements that aren't much in themselves, but add up to something fairly significant - exactly the stuff that Owens waves away as not being relevant.
Basically, he gives the attackers an inch; and we all know what NZ do with that, combine that with being fairly strict on England, and I was expecting us to lose anyway. I think this puts my expectation for a loss from <5 to now being 7>