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Cmon Scotland.
Great game though, it had everything
What a finish, what a game.
Great game.
Proves that playing on the righteous side of the law always prevails. 😉
Why didn't Wales take the scrum from that late knock on? They could have run the clock down
Great finish but really missed the crowd.
Ref played a great game I reckon.
Superb game. I'd watched this again tomorrow, and that try that wasn't given amazing agility
so if Scotland get a bonus point win against France and win by 7 pts wales win the championship with Scotland second. Hmmmmmmmmmmm
I missed it, why did Loopy Liam get carded? Other than its him.
Tackled a player while lying on the ground - completely unneeded
Still not sure how that happened, up until that red card everytime Wales touched the ball they were making huge gains on every carry, then France went a man down and we fell to pieces.
Such fine margins in so many of this years’ games.
That was so intense I forgot about LRZ’s non try that just touched the post. G Davies non try that wasn’t grounded. Josh Adams try that somehow was grounded. France had about 50 tries held up.
Proves that playing on the righteous side of the law always prevails. 😉
Does that include France’s red and yellow cards?
Here is a thought - playing without crowds seems to have negated home advantage.
Sinkler is a good ball carrier but doesn't boss the scrum.
Genge is a prick. After the incident sexton is obviously talking to the ref about it and genge is "yeah, I did it". It should be cited and that admission is damning.
Aki's red was a red according to how they are set out but I think the Italian centre is hugely lucky. A slight move and he'd have taken Scotland 13's head off.
D'Arcy's dad says he's fine but bloody sore.
On the ref yesterday, the "use it" call before the ball was at the back or if a scrum half was in place was a breath of fresh air and really sped the game up. Does he do this all the time and why does it appear to be just him? England and Ireland would be really in trouble. Davies clearly was not too happy with it. I liked it but it needs to be the same from all refs at the top level not just a suprise ref decision for one game
Refs call use it all the time. Standard practice nowadays
Does he do this all the time and why does it appear to be just him?
It sure is his usual method. I watch a lot of Premiership rugby and Luke Pearce is by far the best referee. He reffed the game yesterday like he would usually, and you are spot on A-A it speeds the game up and improves things. Agree about other refs need to do the same, but also need to tighten up on the time actually allowed after calling 'use it' as numerous times the SH is still taking too long. And whilst we're on it, the fact that seasoned professionals still cannot scrum properly, despite having played the game for years, is pitiful. Brian Moore-esque rant over 😂
Refs call use it all the time. Standard practice nowadays
Sometimes I wonder if you watch any games.
Most refs wait till the ball is at the back nicely at the feet of the 9. Pearce was calling it as soon as the ball was clear it was a major influence on speeding the game up
A call like that quick standard practice ! Really, it was a key factor in a great game that is definitely not normal in other games, really refreshing
I think it suit France more as Dupont is sooooo good but in general it was great but ALL refs need to do it. It will drastically reduce box kicks to which are a blight on the game if used too much, they can still be done but will be less accurate as done quicker.
I was concerned that charge downs would be rife but it was OK, need to police that offside line. Itoje's invisibility cloak needs to be permanently confiscated!!
Yes he is one of the best. Him and Barnes are probably the beast at the moment. And you are right he calls it early so players can’t really join after he has called it.
He is always calling for players to bind up for scrums. His decision making process is very good and his communication always clear and calm.
Most games he refs are played at a good speed and usually entertaining.
He doesn’t get every call right but doesn’t seem to let it effect him.
Aa - I wonder the same about you because the calls of use it are standard practice.
Shame for us Welsh there but I guess the french were facing an angry Shaun edwards in the dressing room and just had to get that win!
Gutted really as we were so close and had France rumbled for major periods in the game. Gutted for awj really.
Woke up at 4 this morning with my head spinning thinking about it!
Aa – I wonder the same about you because the calls of use it are standard practice.
Well other posters have been able to see the difference maybe if you opened both eyes you'd notice...
Pfttpptftp!
In the country of the blind the one eyed man is king!
TJ your ego get's in your eyes I think, I mean just read AA's post carefully.
On the ref yesterday, the “use it” call before the ball was at the back or if a scrum half was in place was a breath of fresh air and really sped the game up. Does he do this all the time and why does it appear to be just him?
He then went on to re-phrase his explanation just for you.
Most refs wait till the ball is at the back nicely at the feet of the 9. Pearce was calling it as soon as the ball was clear it was a major influence on speeding the game up
As we can all observe, all refs say "use it", but they normally wait until the ball has been rolled and kneaded and fiddled with. Pearce was having none of it and got his timer on as per the rules. This is AA's very clear point, and it did make for a much better game.
Does anyone have any examples of the SH being penalized for taking too long?
Yes Nigel Owens did it
https://www.ruck.co.uk/referee-nigel-owens-goes-viral-for-bold-refereeing-call/
I also seem to remember a Scottish team being freekicked
I just don't agree that Pearce was significantly quicker than the norm to call use it. I have seen plenty of refs do this and there is a range of speed at which they do it.
A less charitable person than me would think you have serious issues admitting when you have made a mistake.
Your first reply below, implies that you thought AA was remarking on the fact the ref said "use it" as if the call was new thing. when he was remarking on the early application of "use it".
Not once did you mention timing until I called you on it.
Or have I got it wrong?
Refs call use it all the time. Standard practice nowadays
I simply did not think there was anything unusual in the way Pearce did it. I understood AAs point but disagreed. thats all.
Oh apologies then, I've misinterpreted what you said.
No worries dude. Maybe I am wrong and it was unusually quick.
If you look at the vid of Owens shouting "Huws" and compare to Pearce last night the difference is marked, neither team got the caterpillar in place before use it was shouted. Pearce would of shouted use it as Owens was jabbering on like a commentator about him being on his feet, because the ball was available.
Pearce is an excellent ref, he's been doing that all season in the Prem, you could also tell the rapport with players and wanting the game to flow was there too. I can't see the point in calling use and then letting further players join the ruck etc and then the ball played. He's still giving the 3-5 seconds, but as AA says it starts as soon as the ball is there to be played. The whole team of 4 last night worked very well together.
It was an excellent reffing show and a difficult game to ref.
I'd like to make the point that of the myth that the best referee is invisible. That's not true. They need to be just visible enough.
But at all levels of sport, and even more at top level, the players are constantly leaning on the door between what's allowed and what isn't. I don't necessarily mean out and out shithousery, but pushing the offside line, slowing the ball down, taking as long as you possibly can at the base of a ruck. The games are won and lost on fine margins, and if you can move that margin a little, of course they do. The ref that's invisible and lets too much go is just as bad as the other way. Maybe worse if it is wrt foul play as opposed to technical infringements because that's when players decide they have to deal with it.
Yesterday's ref was far from invisible, and the game was way better for it.
Dragons / glasgow - the commentators were saying how quick Pearce was yesterday and the ref free kicked Dragons for taking too long at a ruck!
I think the video ref stuff needs looking at still. Yesterday one Wales try was given when a French hand was under it and another wasn't given when it looked grounded. Both decisions just came down to the refs on field hunch he got one right and one wrong, Wales came out even so it wasn't a problem, I just think the video ref could be given a bit more responsibility. But then I suppose it isn't always a top ref doing it so....
the only marginal decision for me was the held up and the TMO has to find enough evidence to overturn it and IMO it didn't look certain it was held up. The other was clearly no try
Its tricky but I am not sure how the process could be improved - they have a process to work thru and a framework to make the decisions.
Its tricky but I am not sure how the process could be improved – they have a process to work thru and a framework to make the decisions.
My issue is so much rides on the refs initial guess which is all it is because that's why they are going to the video ref.
Henson played 80 mins v Widnes today, missed his conversion though, useless prick! Got plenty of kick off practice though!!!
My issue is so much rides on the refs initial guess which is all it is because that’s why they are going to the video ref.
they tried having the TMO make the decisions and what tended to happen was inconclusive = no try hence why they went to on field decision then TMO to overturn so inconclusive on replay = go with on field decision
they tried having the TMO make the decisions and what tended to happen was inconclusive = no try hence why they went to on field decision then TMO to overturn so inconclusive on replay = go with on field decision
Maybe we should get rid of the tmo for tries then, and add extra points for the quality of the finish then Zammits non try would have been worth double!!!