S ome rules in rugby need a fresh look from the powers that be.
One of those is the contentious non-contesting of mauls from lineouts. There needs to be better clarification to prevent referees making mistakes, as was the case in the Chiefs match against the Cheetahs on Saturday.
Another is around high tackles. If a player ducks into a tackle, should the tackler be penalised for it? And how do you rule on that?
That question comes after Jerome Kaino was yellow carded for such a tackle against the Waratahs.
This week the referee review also features a contentious moment during the Cricket World Cup final.
Should Grant Elliott have been given out? Was it a no-ball?
Jerome Kaino yellow card – Blues v Waratahs – 70th minute
If you want to see the definition of a hospital pass, look no further.
Dave Dennis was tossed a looping pass and unfortunately for him, Blues captain Jerome Kaino read it all the way.
As Dennis caught the ball he tried to make a sideways movement, and ended up in an almost squatting position when Kaino made the tackle.
The result was Kaino coming in with a massive hit. Kaino's right arm wrapped around at head height, while his head clattered into Dennis' eye and cheek, leaving a nasty gash.
Soon after referee Jaco Peyper went upstairs, although at the time he saw no foul play, and eventually yellow carded Kaino based on what he saw on the big screen.
The decision from Peyper was correct based on World Rugby's rule book.
Rule 10.4 (e) – Dangerous tackling states: "A player must not tackle (or try to tackle) an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders. A tackle around the opponent's neck of head in dangerous play."
There is no doubting that Kaino's tackle was high - the proof is in the cut above Dennis' eye – but Kaino is unlucky in the fact that Dennis did drop low as he tried to turn.
It seems clear that Kaino was trying to hammer Dennis around the ball and force a turnover for his team, but when Dennis dropped, the force of Kaino's tackle went to the shoulders and above, rather than the chest.
So, while fans' frustrations at the call can be understood, there is no grey area in regards to high tackles in the rule book.
Boom Prinsloo try – Cheetahs v Chiefs – 28th minute
The Cheetahs had a lineout inside the Chiefs 22m, Boom Prinsloo went up and brought the ball down, then the team went to form a driving maul.
Problem was the Chiefs went with the negative yet effective tactic of not contesting the maul.
Prinsloo passed the ball back to Heinrich Brussow as the "maul" formed, but with no Chiefs player attached that meant Brussow and the Chiefs should have been done for accidental offside.
Instead, Brussow handed the ball back to Prinsloo, who is now in an offside position, and he turned and dived over the line for a try.
Referee Craig Joubert made the wrong call by allowing play to go on and awarding the try.
The issue here is referees have been told that the tactic the Chiefs used is negative rugby, and the way they are policing the tactic is in a way to take it out of the game.
Had Prinsloo kept the ball at the front of the maul-that-wasn't, there wouldn't have been an issue, but when he passed it back to Brussow he became an offside player.
It is an area of the game that needs further clarification from officials because there have been far too many errors from referees already this year.
James Faulkner no-ball – Australia vs New Zealand – Cricket World Cup final
Here's a Cricket World Cup special.
There were several unhappy Kiwis when Grant Elliott was dismissed caught behind off the bowling of James Faulkner.
First the anger was toward keeper Brad Haddin for his antics in politely chatting to Elliott as he left the field.
Then it turned to the umpire, who apparently missed a blatant no-ball.
There's nothing to see here, folks.
Although Faulkner's foot ended up over the crease line, his heel first touched the ground inside the line before sliding over.
For a no-ball to be issued the planted foot must have never been behind the line. Sliding over the line is fine, and planting past the line if your heel is still over the line, as some spinner do, is also a legitimate ball.
Faulkner was right on the edge, but it was perfectly legal.
- Stuff
