Former Test referee Nigel Owens has thrown a spotlight on the potential referee headaches due to a new law trial in Super Rugby Pacific. The rule tweak under Law 8.3 now gives referees the discretion not to issue a yellow card when a penalty try is awarded, a move that Owens fears could lead to mixed signals on the pitch.
"Wayne Barnes and I have always had a good debate about this," Owens commented on Whistle Watch, reflecting on discussions with his fellow referee. "Barnes agrees with Super Rugby that it shouldn't automatically be a double punishment, but I have my reservations."
"What they are doing here now is technically rewarding a negative act."
Owens elaborated, suggesting that players might now weigh the odds of committing infringements since the immediate consequence of a yellow card isn't a given. "A player might think, 'Unless I deliberately knock this ball forward or collapse this maul, they are going to score. But if I do, I might escape the sin bin if the ref doesn’t give a penalty try,'" he explained.
The ambiguity introduced by this discretion is what troubles Owens the most. "Yes, referees still have the option of showing a yellow card," he conceded, but argued,
"You're opening up the door to inconsistency."
"One maul could collapse leading to a yellow card and a penalty try, another just a penalty try. It could become a lottery."
Owens believes that the fear of being down a player is a crucial deterrent that is now undermined. "What you have now is a player gambling that the referee might not dish out a penalty try, and even if they do, the team stays intact. Not exactly a potent deterrent, is it?" he questioned.
While Owens' skepticism highlights potential challenges, it remains to be seen how this law trial will play out in the season. The stakes are high, and the eyes will certainly be on how referees handle these high-pressure decisions on the field.
Meanwhile, in related news, referee Peyper has also expressed concerns over the new law trials, while the Crusaders have backed the controversial Bomb Squad tactic for their campaign.
Whether these law changes will lead to more dynamic gameplay or just more confusion is a storyline to watch this Super Rugby season.
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Former Test referee Nigel Owens has thrown a spotlight on the potential referee headaches due to a new law trial in Super Rugby Pacific. The rule tweak under Law 8.3 now gives referees the discretion not to issue a yellow card when a penalty try is awarded, a move that Owens fears could lead to mixed signals on the pitch.
"Wayne Barnes and I have always had a good debate about this," Owens commented on Whistle Watch, reflecting on discussions with his fellow referee. "Barnes agrees with Super Rugby that it shouldn't automatically be a double punishment, but I have my reservations."
"What they are doing here now is technically rewarding a negative act."
Owens elaborated, suggesting that players might now weigh the odds of committing infringements since the immediate consequence of a yellow card isn't a given. "A player might think, 'Unless I deliberately knock this ball forward or collapse this maul, they are going to score. But if I do, I might escape the sin bin if the ref doesn’t give a penalty try,'" he explained.
The ambiguity introduced by this discretion is what troubles Owens the most. "Yes, referees still have the option of showing a yellow card," he conceded, but argued,
"You're opening up the door to inconsistency."
"One maul could collapse leading to a yellow card and a penalty try, another just a penalty try. It could become a lottery."Owens believes that the fear of being down a player is a crucial deterrent that is now undermined. "What you have now is a player gambling that the referee might not dish out a penalty try, and even if they do, the team stays intact. Not exactly a potent deterrent, is it?" he questioned.
While Owens' skepticism highlights potential challenges, it remains to be seen how this law trial will play out in the season. The stakes are high, and the eyes will certainly be on how referees handle these high-pressure decisions on the field.
Meanwhile, in related news, referee Peyper has also expressed concerns over the new law trials, while the Crusaders have backed the controversial Bomb Squad tactic for their campaign.
Whether these law changes will lead to more dynamic gameplay or just more confusion is a storyline to watch this Super Rugby season.