RugbyRebels

I don't think we showed a lack of respect to Georgia. The point of the game was to try out new players - if we had played our first team we probably would have won by more points and learnt very little. I don't subscribe to the Western Mail's view that every game is a must win, not when long term development is involved.

The game was dire.

The farce at the end could be ended by the yellow carded prop (assuming its just a technical offence rather than anything malicious) being allowed to remain and another forward heading off. The team is still punished and scrum safety maintained. I'd also make players who are subbed be assessed for their ability to continue and this reported to the 4th official. If a subbed player is lounging around on the sidelines and not receiving treatment then its only fair to assume they can return. That would still be open to abuse but it makes the system a bit more transparent.

And if it was a malicious offence what then? Else we've just changed (reduced really) the number of instances in which this issue might arise

Sandydragon wrote: The farce at the end could be ended by the yellow carded prop (assuming its just a technical offence rather than anything malicious) being allowed to remain and another forward heading off. The team is still punished and scrum safety maintained. I'd also make players who are subbed be assessed for their ability to continue and this reported to the 4th official. If a subbed player is lounging around on the sidelines and not receiving treatment then its only fair to assume they can return. That would still be open to abuse but it makes the system a bit more transparent.

Players are already nominated as injured or tactical subs though and your t/h was officially subbed as tactical. However, the official line is that he developed cramp on the sideline and was thus "injured".

Puja

Digby wrote:And if it was a malicious offence what then? Else we've just changed (reduced really) the number of instances in which this issue might arise

I suppose there is no getting around it in that situation - and I thought there was a law that stated that if a team went uncontested too early they forfeit the game - or was that one of those laws discussed but never implemented?

If a player is tactically subbed and it transpired they have an injury, their status should be changed. That is still open to abuse but at least it avoids confusion at an event.

Sandydragon wrote:

Digby wrote:And if it was a malicious offence what then? Else we've just changed (reduced really) the number of instances in which this issue might arise

I suppose there is no getting around it in that situation - and I thought there was a law that stated that if a team went uncontested too early they forfeit the game - or was that one of those laws discussed but never implemented?

If a player is tactically subbed and it transpired they have an injury, their status should be changed. That is still open to abuse but at least it avoids confusion at an event.

At the lower levels, that's true, but I don't believe it holds for the pro game. Can you imagine the uproar if NZ were knocked out of the RWC because of two freak tighthead injures in the first 5 minutes?

Puja

Well I lost my £5, but even if Georgia had a converted try it would only have been a draw.

It does make the 6N look poor - Italy p*ssed about playing no-contact at Twickenham this year. Georgia would at least have given us a game.

Puja wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:

Digby wrote:And if it was a malicious offence what then? Else we've just changed (reduced really) the number of instances in which this issue might arise

I suppose there is no getting around it in that situation - and I thought there was a law that stated that if a team went uncontested too early they forfeit the game - or was that one of those laws discussed but never implemented?

If a player is tactically subbed and it transpired they have an injury, their status should be changed. That is still open to abuse but at least it avoids confusion at an event.

At the lower levels, that's true, but I don't believe it holds for the pro game. Can you imagine the uproar if NZ were knocked out of the RWC because of two freak tighthead injures in the first 5 minutes?

Puja

It'd be fine, they'd blame Wayne Barnes.

Fun fact of the day:

The last time Wales beat NZ Sam Whitelock’s grandfather was making his internatonal debut.

Mellsblue wrote:Fun fact of the day:

The last time Wales beat NZ Sam Whitelock’s grandfather was making his internatonal debut.

Wow & Murray Mexted and everybody else born that year will be due for retirement next year...