Is it too early to start moaning about the refereeing?

[Mellsblue]

I’d be surprised if it is not cited post game. In terms of mitigating factors it wasn’t a big dip in height.

Which one?

Very true. Was thinking Lee-Lo predominantly.

Lee-Lo too high?

[Puja]

Which one?

Very true. Was thinking Lee-Lo predominantly.

Lee-Lo too high?

Lee-Lo Dallas multismash.

Mul-ti-smash.

Puja

[ad_tigger]

Very true. Was thinking Lee-Lo predominantly.

Lee-Lo too high?

Lee-Lo Dallas multismash.

Mul-ti-smash.

Puja

Thanks. I've just lost the next twenty minutes to a day dream

[Adam_P]

Just catching up on the Samoa Russia game, madness that both those tackles on Artemyev weren't red. The one from Matu'u is worse, how they pulled out a mitigating factor that he was dropping is baffling.

[Cameo]

Agree with everything here. Citings after the fact aren't enough as they benefit the wrong team. In general I am in favour of a bit of leniency when it is accidental and there are mitigating circumstances but the dipping in the first one is minimal and the second one is plane reckless.

Fiji against Australia show how you could put in absolutely devastating hits at waist height. Any minor dip by the ball carrier doesn't then lead to their head being taken off.

[p/d]

Hit from Lee-Leo yellow at best. Clear red that followed by Matu.

Mind you none of this is helped by commentators and pundits acting as judge and jury

[JellyHead]

Agree with everything here. Citings after the fact aren't enough as they benefit the wrong team.

How about a citing that results in a yellow card then the team loses a league point, a red card 2 league points.

[Mikey Brown]

So, 3 weeks for Hodge to the benefit of... everyone except Fiji?

[Mellsblue]

It will be interesting to see how long Yato takes to recover. If it’s a bad concussion, Hodge may beat him back on to the pitch.

Handled correctly on the pitch it would’ve been a perfect incident to prove rugby was serious about protecting players from brain injury. Hodge may have finally been punished it’s after the horse is bolted and all they’ve done is recapture the horse, put it back in the stable but forgotten to bolt the stable door. To make matters worse, it’s emboldened the tier 1 > tier 2 conspiracy theorists.

[Galfon]

I'm becoming increasingly worried that the refs will start red carding dangerous tackles again when an England player does something (probably mild) at a key moment

There's got to be a consperacy theory around this & ABE mindset (perceived or otherwise).
..Just because it's a theory doesn't mean it's less likely to happen !..
There's been some shockers missed already so you would expect some consistency.

[Puja]

I'm becoming increasingly worried that the refs will start red carding dangerous tackles again when an England player does something (probably mild) at a key moment

There's got to be a consperacy theory around this & ABE mindset (perceived or otherwise).
..Just because it's a theory doesn't mean it's less likely to happen !..
There's been some shockers missed already so you would expect some consistency.

The first team to receive a red for this will be (rightly) outraged that they've been punished while others get away free. Needed to be done early and often and then everyone would know they meant it. Now it's going to ruin a quarter-final and it will rightly be seen as randomly applied discipline, rather than a sea-change that players need to get used to.

Puja

[Digby]

The shock came in the u20s RWC, and the refs have reacted to the surprise that tournament wrought

[Puja]

The shock came in the u20s RWC, and the refs have reacted to the surprise that tournament wrought

Whereas if they'd stayed the course and Hodge, Lee-Lo, and Matu'u had all got red cards, not only would we likely have had two more shocks this RWC, we'd also not see a high tackle for the rest of the tournament as everyone realised that they actually meant it. As it is, the U20s RWC is now being written off as one of those funny little rules fluctuations that didn't last.

Puja

[Digby]

you'd still have what passes for rucking mind, which is just bloody awful, and ignored far more than the tackle

[Which Tyler]

Anyone seen a good video of the Read I didn't yet?

[Peej]

The shock came in the u20s RWC, and the refs have reacted to the surprise that tournament wrought

Whereas if they'd stayed the course and Hodge, Lee-Lo, and Matu'u had all got red cards, not only would we likely have had two more shocks this RWC, we'd also not see a high tackle for the rest of the tournament as everyone realised that they actually meant it. As it is, the U20s RWC is now being written off as one of those funny little rules fluctuations that didn't last.

Puja

It's like neck rolls - remember when that was a big deal for all of six rounds of the Premiership?

[Puja]

The shock came in the u20s RWC, and the refs have reacted to the surprise that tournament wrought

Whereas if they'd stayed the course and Hodge, Lee-Lo, and Matu'u had all got red cards, not only would we likely have had two more shocks this RWC, we'd also not see a high tackle for the rest of the tournament as everyone realised that they actually meant it. As it is, the U20s RWC is now being written off as one of those funny little rules fluctuations that didn't last.

Puja

It's like neck rolls - remember when that was a big deal for all of six rounds of the Premiership?

I mostly remember that for ruining Clark's only England cap, which amused me greatly.

Puja

[ad_tigger]

Whereas if they'd stayed the course and Hodge, Lee-Lo, and Matu'u had all got red cards, not only would we likely have had two more shocks this RWC, we'd also not see a high tackle for the rest of the tournament as everyone realised that they actually meant it. As it is, the U20s RWC is now being written off as one of those funny little rules fluctuations that didn't last.

Puja

It's like neck rolls - remember when that was a big deal for all of six rounds of the Premiership?

I mostly remember that for ruining Clark's only England cap, which amused me greatly.

Puja

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it. Fuck that guy.

[p/d]

Bloody hell!!! In full agreement with SCW.

[Puja]

Bloody hell!!! In full agreement with SCW.

Was that with his "Hodge didn't go in aiming to hurt Yato" bollocks at half-time? Have to disagree. The intent to hurt is completely irrelevant to the law - if you strike directly to the head, with force, and there are no clear and obvious mitigating factors, then it's a red, regardless of motivations, and a salutary lesson to aim lower so that mistakes like that won't happen.

Puja

[p/d]

Yep. And still fully agree with him.

[Puja]

Yep. And still fully agree with him.

Fair enough. You're allowed to be wrong.

Mind, I'm having the horrific experience of finding myself agreeing with Dallaglio, so we're all traumatised.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

I never really get that line of reasoning anyway. If you're just pottering about and 'accidentally' ending people's games with dangerous tackles in the face then you are just as much in need of a ban.

[Mellsblue]

Yep. And still fully agree with him.

Fair enough. You're allowed to be wrong.

Mind, I'm having the horrific experience of finding myself agreeing with Dallaglio, so we're all traumatised.

Puja

Dallaglio is hosting the times rugby podcast atm. I was listening on the way home yesterday and he got two or three very basic facts wrong.

Not to further traumatise you but he’s flying out for the knockout rounds. I assume that will to be an in match ‘analyst’ so you will get to hear even more of him.

[Puja]

I never really get that line of reasoning anyway. If you're just pottering about and 'accidentally' ending people's games with dangerous tackles in the face then you are just as much in need of a ban.

Puja