Just saw a report from Bryce Lawrence on last weekend's games in Super Aotearoa , he says that the Ioane to Ioane pass was legal as it seemed to of come out of back of hand, and refs were distracted by how far forward the ball travelled. And that Cane's captain's challenge should of been upheld because Weber knocked the ball out of moung's hands and didn't make contact with it.
Most definitely a legitimate pass. A basic understanding of physics and the laws of motion would apparently assist our referees a great deal.
Anyone involved with calling that pass forward should be looking for a new job.
I remeber Kafer etc calling for Nigel Owens to never ref again a few years back too.
Why can't they just have a presser each week? Head of referees takes any contentious decision (questions from media via notice) and prepares to discuss them show footage why or why not the call was correct etc.
Um they seem to over here in NZ, that's where I heard what Lawrence said and also a couple of weeks back ref was on breakdown , saying what he was pulled up for getting wrong on weekend's game. I don't think you want every decision etc pulled out in press any more than you want a coach to single out player's cock ups in press, but have been reasonably happy to see them front over big cock ups.
Also: GAGR Mods, the server is being finicky the last few days. Think you need a reboot.
Sorry, maybe it's because I was a fullback who was literally as far away as you can get from the forwards, but there was a maul penalty in the Chiefs/Blues match that I do not understand at all.
Blues had the lineout which they take. Blue #5 brings it down a maul forms around him as per usual. Ball is passed back to Blue #7. Blue #7 breaks off with two/three others for a try. Except it was ruled obstruction by Blue #19 because Blue #7 received the ball with those two/three others in front of him, including Blue #19.
So the obstruction penalty was for having players in front of the Blue #7 when he gets the ball from Blue #5. Fine. But how is that any different to when the ball gets passed back to the hooker in a regulation maul? In those regulation instances the hooker typically gets the ball with an entire pack in front of him and it's fine, yet, in this instance, it's a penalty?
Sorry for being stoopid. I genuinely have no idea.