*** The Official Rugby World Cup 2015 Thread ***

Locky said:
So if he's from England he's scum?

I wanted Ireland to win as I hate Argentina in every way.

I wanted Australia to win because it's Scotland.
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No, quite the opposite.
He's is purposefully taking delight in the misery of others, in a game in which he has no meaningful interest. If he hates and despises the Scots and the Irish, then perhaps he has a meaningful interest. I am allowed to form an opinion on what I think of him, in that case.
Thus why I asked the question.

I support the home nations when they are playing Southern Hemisphere teams. I think the tournament lost a little something when the hosts went out early, often this is the case in large tournaments. Thankfully with home nations also able to compete, there are other teams to garner interest throughout the nations. Now that all Northern Hemisphere teams are out, I feel we have lost another facet of this rugby world cup.
When Ireland went out, I followed he Scotland game, willing them onwards, hoping they would achieve what no other home nation could do. Unfortunately they failed.
I think it is a shame, that there is no home interest left in a competition, and yet two weekends still to be played.
 
Brookert said:
Yep. Very sad.

I was routing for the northern hemisphere, as I think it's been a generally poor show from the Northern teams this year. As an Englishman, I was still gutted for Scotland believe it or not.
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Yep exactly, too many football esq views in this thread, I wanted France to win last night as they were a hope for the final for the northern hemisphere in a game dominated by the dodgy dummy runs of New Zealand
 
anything I don't mind said:
There was some bad calls though, that deliberate knock on was not deliberate, it was a failed interception, sure it was a knock on but not deliberate.
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Yep, how many times do you see this similar instance in a match but without the player being yellow carded.

The late and blatant shoulder charge on Hogg just before that lineout, he was too quick to say the tackle was fine.He should have asked the TMO to look at it. I don't know how the assistant or TMO didn't pick this foul play up. In this instance 99%of refs would ask the TMO to review it.

He gave the wrong call on that lineout and I'm pretty sure he could have asked the TMO for assistance. As others have said it was a poor throw and decision to throw that long...but you also expect the officials to make the proper call.

But with the other two clangers, no wonder he immediately ran off the pitch and down the tunnel at full time without shaking the players hands.

Lets just say he won't be officiating six nations or autumn internationals at Murrayfield for the foreseable future. :mad: :mad:
 
Did the ref really not stay to shake hands?
That's a bit much.
I thought the yellow card was very harsh, but the refs attention was brought to it by the TMO, going by the mic comments initially.
 
Hikari Kisugi said:
Did the ref really not stay to shake hands?
That's a bit much.
I thought the yellow card was very harsh, but the refs attention was brought to it by the TMO, going by the mic comments initially.
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Yep, he ran off immediately. No indication yet as to why he done this, but so far this action speaks for itself

I think he asked the TMO for assistance.
 
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Could we all get something straight, under the current rules Joubert could not refer the final penalty to TMO for a decision as it was not a try scoring attempt or a possible act of dangerous play (The reason he was allowed to refer/was alerted to the knock on which led to Maitland's Yellow was because an interpretation was required as to whether an Australian try was likely so it counted as a Try scoring attempt). He had to make a call on what he saw, and in the heat of the moment in the split second it occurred. Even if it had been referred up, two different angles showed two different possibilities of what occurred so the outcome of the decision would still have been ambiguous.

What was wrong was Joubert's reaction at the final whistle, rapidly leaving the field without acknowledging either sides players is a complete betrayal of the spirit of the game and requires investigation. If it transpires he felt intimidated by the reaction of Scottish players or elements in the crowd (I was utterly appalled by some of the reactions from elements of what I presume were Scottish fans during Cheika's on pitch interview) then support structures need to be looked at for referees.

At the end of the day this is the nature of top level sport at the highest level of competition, it's played by humans and controlled by humans and by default is riddled with human fallibilities, it's dramatic, full of Heartbreak and equally utter joy; on some days the decisions go with you, on others against you. It's for these reasons that we love it but when it doesn't go our way people need to learn to take it on the chin and remember it really isn't that important. There's always next time ;)
 
agreed - I've just looked at the rules online

and I can't see what justification he could have had for using the TMO anyway

so it has to be his call - and its a tough one you have to admit
 
TheMightyTen said:
Could we all get something straight, under the current rules Joubert could not refer the final penalty to TMO for a decision as it was not a try scoring attempt or a possible act of dangerous play (The reason he was allowed to refer/was alerted to the knock on which led to Maitland's Yellow was because an interpretation was required as to whether an Australian try was likely so it counted as a Try scoring attempt).
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I was thinking it must have been something like this, shows that even the players don't know the rules sometimes. Maitland's yellow was harsh but stuck a hand out when they had an overlap, it wasn't completely unwarranted.
 
TheMightyTen said:
Could we all get something straight, under the current rules Joubert could not refer the final penalty to TMO for a decision as it was not a try scoring attempt or a possible act of dangerous play (The reason he was allowed to refer/was alerted to the knock on which led to Maitland's Yellow was because an interpretation was required as to whether an Australian try was likely so it counted as a Try scoring attempt). He had to make a call on what he saw, and in the heat of the moment in the split second it occurred. Even if it had been referred up, two different angles showed two different possibilities of what occurred so the outcome of the decision would still have been ambiguous.
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Out of interest what would have happened if Joubert had referred it to the TMO? Would the TMO have said "nope, not touching that with yours" or had a look anyway? It might have been a good opportunity for some on-field remaking of the laws governing the TMO, effectively the ref saying that he's not happy with being denied a tool to do his job better.

I think the TMO is a great option but it's weirdly and glaringly inconsistent if you can only use it in certain occasions where points might be scored (or dangerous play occurs) but not in others. With the replays being available on the big screen often then it's very odd not to have the option for the referee who actually has to make the big decisions and can make or break a team's tournament with an inconsistent call.

I don't particularly want to see Joubert castigated for making a bad call* (or several) but I do hope that if nothing else it highlights again how frustratingly inconsistent some of the decision making has been at this World Cup. It's never going to be perfect but it's got to be difficult for the players (and I guess the referees trying to enforce the rules) if one week it's applied one way and then next week a situation which is almost exactly the same is treated completely differently.

*Although that said there's part of me that would quite like him to have to explain why he ran off at the end of the match without acknowledging either team (or take the arguably justified flak from the crowd). However the slightly more forgiving part of me thinks he probably realised he made an error and didn't want to face up to it so just left which is somewhat understandable and I'm unsure how poking at it would help the situation.
 
Radio 4 interviewed 3 ex-elite tier ref's re going to the TMO and all three said they would have done to make sure the decision was 100% correct. So what, the TMO would refuse to answer? IMHO you have to use the technology when it is there...

Also, terrible to miss the late hit on Hogg, ref, 2 x linesmen and 1 TMO and they all missed it... terrible way to go out (and i'm not even a Scottish fan!)

So much for promoting northern hemisphere rugby :(
 
TMO was irrelevant to the problem in that situation. The referee isn't supposed to use it. But that doesn't change the fact that his decision making was clearly beyond dodgy, awarding a penalty where he couldn't possibly be certain as to what happened. To give Australia such an award late in the match, when they are just two points down, is truly disgraceful. It was the wrong call.

As a casual sports fan this is something that regularly annoys me about sport. Across the board referees can make bad calls that change fortunes and there is absolutely nothing that can be done. Bad decision making has influenced the outcomes of so many events and tournaments over the years, handing victory to one team or the other. Surely it's time to change that?
 
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semi-pro waster said:
Out of interest what would have happened if Joubert had referred it to the TMO? Would the TMO have said "nope, not touching that with yours" or had a look anyway? It might have been a good opportunity for some on-field remaking of the laws governing the TMO, effectively the ref saying that he's not happy with being denied a tool to do his job better.

I think the TMO is a great option but it's weirdly and glaringly inconsistent if you can only use it in certain occasions where points might be scored (or dangerous play occurs) but not in others. With the replays being available on the big screen often then it's very odd not to have the option for the referee who actually has to make the big decisions and can make or break a team's tournament with an inconsistent call.

I don't particularly want to see Joubert castigated for making a bad call* (or several) but I do hope that if nothing else it highlights again how frustratingly inconsistent some of the decision making has been at this World Cup. It's never going to be perfect but it's got to be difficult for the players (and I guess the referees trying to enforce the rules) if one week it's applied one way and then next week a situation which is almost exactly the same is treated completely differently.

*Although that said there's part of me that would quite like him to have to explain why he ran off at the end of the match without acknowledging either team (or take the arguably justified flak from the crowd). However the slightly more forgiving part of me thinks he probably realised he made an error and didn't want to face up to it so just left which is somewhat understandable and I'm unsure how poking at it would help the situation.
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If he had issued the penalty then gone upstairs to the TMO and that penalty was overturned he would then still be being castigated by the Worlds press for breaking the rules, he was on a hiding to nothing.

Like you however, I would like an explanation as to why he left the pitch immediately, but I would also like to see an apology from the SRFU to Michael Cheika for the way the Scottish fans treated him during the on pitch interview and a warning from the SRFU to fans that any behaviour of that sort is not welcome in Rugby Union regardless of the circumstances.

The thing is let's not forget Scotland got them selves in the mess because they made the wrong call in the lineout and did not execute a basic skill correctly. They had a few minutes to close the game out, it was chucking down with rain and stupidly went with a throw to the back when all they needed was to go to the front, drive 3 or 4 metres, retrieve it out, pop for one more drive up then pick and drive on the fringes to kill the time. Shocking lack of composure there if you ask me.

Luggs said:
Radio 4 interviewed 3 ex-elite tier ref's re going to the TMO and all three said they would have done to make sure the decision was 100% correct. So what, the TMO would refuse to answer? IMHO you have to use the technology when it is there...

Also, terrible to miss the late hit on Hogg, ref, 2 x linesmen and 1 TMO and they all missed it... terrible way to go out (and i'm not even a Scottish fan!)

So much for promoting northern hemisphere rugby :(
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It's very easy for ex ref's to say that sat in their armchairs forgetting the pressures they were under on an international Rugby field, ex-refs like many ex-players should keep their mouths shut until the dust has settled and the outcomes of any review have been concluded.


I also want to see a ban of any replays on the screens in the stadium unless it is footage being reviewed by the TMO and Referee. It's inciting and open to abuse by biased media coverage.
 
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Australia going through as a result of dreadful refereeing really has put a bad taste in my mouth. Even worse I fear, this has been the second best RWC I've ever seen (1995 being the best ofc ;) ) and it's spoilt it a bit for me.

TheMightyTen said:
I also want to see a ban of any replays on the screens in the stadium unless it is footage being reviewed by the TMO and Referee.
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Completely agree!
 
There are rumours surfacing that Joubert may have a got a call from the assistant referees to get off because bottles were being thrown from the stands. I really, really hope not, it's not something we want to see at all. There needs to be a full investigation into matters surrounding what occurred after the final whistle was blown including alleged abuse thrown by Hogg at Joubert and whether Joubert went against the spirit of the game by not acknowledging players.
 
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