Don’t let refs help the time wasters
GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 27: Jamie Shillcock of Worcester Warriors misses a penalty kick during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester and Worcester Warriors at Kingsholm Stadium on February 27, 2021 in Gloucester, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
THE sheer perversity of referees helping time wasting goal kickers looking to run the clock down by helpfully counting down the seconds has warranted mention before in this column but it's time for another boot up officialdom's backside.
The otherwise impressive Adam Leal is the latest offender helping Jamie Shillcock to eke out the 90 seconds allowed for a conversion late in Tigers' Prem Cup win at Ealing last Sunday.
To repeat. Referees should not collude with a goal kicker over this. It is the goal-kicker's decision to play clever beggars with this little game of theirs. It's a tactical decision and, if they get it wrong, that's life I'm afraid. The jeopardy is theirs and theirs alone. Referees should not be aiding and abetting the process. They are not the goalkickers' mate, they are observers tasked with seeing if the kick is legal or not.
