Enough! No more ref chat
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 12: Referee Mathieu Raynal speaks to Jonathan Sexton of Ireland during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium on March 12, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
When is the incessant yapping between players and referees going to end? These appeals and “consultations” are becoming a blight at the professional end of the game, and will inevitably be aped at community level.
The nonstop blather interrupts momentum and is being used by teams under pressure to browbeat referees.
Celebrated former Test ref Nigel Owens offers some illuminating laws insights as a TV pundit, but I disagreed with his comment advising Welsh captain Dafydd Jenkins to get a point across to the referee during a pause in play against Scotland last week.
Enough's enough! Pauses in play should not become a platform to influence refs. Captains should be in a position to ask the ref to clarify a decision on a very occasional basis, so they can warn their teams against infringing further. Other than that the ref's decision should be final.
Refs must march back any team 10m where players, including captains, give them the verbals, awarding the opposition a tap-penalty. If it continues, give a penalty and bin the offender. Within one round of those sanctions being applied in the Six Nations the rapidly diminishing authority of the referee would be restored.
