Wallabies v Springboks, Sat 17th August 2024 Perth

[Braveheart81]

The assistant referees were from England and Scotland and the foul play review officer was from Wales. Both the referee and TMO were from New Zealand. It was a very visible incident and South Africa remonstrated to some degree after it happened. There was also a stoppage in play at that time so there was no issue around not being able to quickly look at it.

I think it is disingenuous to suggest it would have been treated wildly differently elsewhere. People from that "elsewhere" were part of the decision making process that decided it didn't warrant further action.

 

[Pfitzy]

If he had I’m sure the medics would’ve already been on the field to treat him…

You can't get them off the fucking field. More red shirts than Rorke's Drift.

 

[John S]

Even after the ref said "no more".

 

[PhilClinton]

I can sympathise with the ref for not taking this further and actually start blowing penalties for medics and runners going onto the field. They would hope warnings would decrease the problem. But if they start actually penalising teams for this, it opens a can of worms which spins the focus of the game away from rugby and onto the acts of the ref v the medical teams. And you are of course then opening yourself up to a scenario where you penalise a medic for being on the field and it turns out their player has a legitimate HIA or something similar which is a bad look.

The game itself needs to make a public address and stance on these situations which would then empower the refs more, but as it stands I can't remember a game, at least recently, where a team was penalised for having those runners on the field and no ref wants to be the first person to start doing it.

 

[LeCheese]

Fully agree. I don't think there's a clearcut solution. It does make a case for solely utilising independent medical personnel, however that presents several other challenges and limitations in of itself. I do think there needs to be some stricter delineation between the roles (doctors/physios/trainers/water carriers) and under what circumstances they're allowed to take to the field.

 

[John S]

^ Ditto - I thought it was ludicrous that the ref called out to the linseman - that he didn't want the SA water boys on the field at every single stoppage - that he wanted the game to keep going. But they still kept coming on. I think you can do something about the "water" stops but the medics is harder.

 

[fatprop]

It wasn't the night for water stops

 

[Derpus]

The pervasive victimhood of Saffa fans makes you fluffybunnys such unlikeable champions.

 

[HogansHeros]

I had a saffa mate winging about a no arms tackle by Koro... never ending.

 

[Pfitzy]

I've said elsewhere that Boks fans are the Donald Trump of rugby people: either they win or the other side cheated.

I'd like to rephrase that remark: even when they win, the other side cheated

 

[cyclopath]

I can sympathise with the ref for not taking this further and actually start blowing penalties for medics and runners going onto the field.

They would hope warnings would decrease the problem.

But if they start actually penalising teams for this, it opens a can of worms which spins the focus of the game away from rugby and onto the acts of the ref vs the medical teams. And you are of course then opening yourself up to a scenario where you penalise a medic for being on the field and it turns out their player has a legitimate HIA or something similar which is a bad look.

The game itself needs to make a public address and stance on these situations which would then empower the refs more, but as it stands I can't remember a game, at least recently, where a team was penalised for having those runners on the field and no ref wants to be the first person to start doing it.

I would take a counter position. It's not too hard.
WR (World Rugby) simply issue a directive that support personnel, other than a designated medical officer, only enter the field of play during a declared injury stoppage. Teams have a designated medical officer who can come on for an injured player in general play, but no water runners. Declare it and enforce it. Free kick against the infringing team.
Similarly, I wish they would get reserve players out of the in goal areas during play. Reserves mobbing players who have just scored is unnecessary, and potentially inflammatory.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Agree Cyclo, and perhaps a (say) $5000 fine for any intrusion not in an injury break?

 

[cyclopath]

Sure.
I think Rassie has the officials cowed, somewhat.

 

[Derpus]

Which is pretty ridiculous.

 

[cyclopath]

Well, Rassie is Rassie.
He's a smart cookie. And I don't think anyone really wants to take him on.

 

[The Occasional Fly Half]

I would take a counter position. It's not too hard.
WR (World Rugby) (World Rugby) simply issue a directive that support personnel, other than a designated medical officer, only enter the field of play during a declared injury stoppage. Teams have a designated medical officer who can come on for an injured player in general play, but no water runners. Declare it and enforce it. Free kick against the infringing team.
Similarly, I wish they would get reserve players out of the in goal areas during play. Reserves mobbing players who have just scored is unnecessary, and potentially inflammatory.

I support the entire post, but particularly emphasise the last sentence. This is starting to filter down through club and junior levels and is a blight on the game.

 

[The Occasional Fly Half]

I actually think we have a genuine problem with half backs in Australia, and in some ways the Southern Hemisphere. In the Six Nations, they have proven the position has fundamentally changed from an 'expert passer' and occasional kicker to a player with all of the skills. Imagine anyone in Australia getting picked for our Olympic 7s the way Dupont was. Admittedly he is a generational player, but we should aim to develop players with similar skillsets (with defence and innate game awareness being a strong part of those skills). I can't see a current player over 25 years old in Australia that is close.

 

[PaarlBok]

The problem with the Wallabies isn't the ref, it's the basics like scrummaging. The Wallaby scrum compare with our CC 1st division.

 

[KOB1987]

There actually hasn't been too much wrong with our scrum for several years, except when we are poleaxed with injuries. Maul defence, well that's a separate issue.

 

[dru]

Those specific ref discussions had little to do with the Wallabies and plenty to do with Springbok behaviour.