TMO rule Changes - Trialled in Premiership

Looks as though the TMO's just earned himself a whole new batch of responsibilities.

http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/168732.html?

Revised TMO powers:

* Referrals can now go back to the previous restart, penalty, free-kick, lineout, scrum, kick-off.
* If it is not clear, the TMO is to advise there is no clear evidence and the referee will need to make a decision.
* TMO to advise on the type of infringement, the recommended sanction and where play is to restart.
* TMOs can be advised on infringements by the team that scored or touched down, as well as if a try has been prevented from being scored.
* If there is doubt as to whether the try would have been scored the TMO must then advise the appropriate sanction.
* If foul play is referred, the TMO is to make recommendations as to the appropriate sanctions, as an assistant referee can currently do.

The TMO is effectively to become the referee's "eye in the sky", given scope to make calls on sanctions, locations of offences etc.

One that I hadn't realised was in discussion was the foul play referral.
This completely negates the White Card nonsense that we've seen in S15 this year. The TMO can be called upon to make a judgement immediately. I think this is fantastic!

Thoughts on the new rules? Are people worried that this will take a lot of time off the clock? (Stop/Start etc)

.ak

Hrmm, I like it and hate it already. The issue is where will the line stop? We'll be TMO'ing for every little thing....

justsomebloke

agreed, although good to see I think they have now given too much power to them and will probably some games being ruined with stop, starts to go the the TMO. So can't see it lasting past a year in this incarnation.

.ak

Maybe if the mandate to the ref's is only use it for the major big bustups and stuff like that... However the white card thing was a bit of a cop-out I felt from ref's in the S15, I can see this being along the same lines....

justsomebloke

justsomebloke wrote: »

agreed, although good to see I think they have now given too much power to them and will probably some games being ruined with stop, starts to go the the TMO. So can't see it lasting past a year in this incarnation.

only offences in the act of scoring a try can be referenced.

"Foul Play" as the final bullet point is pretty much any Callum Clarke / Delon Armitage type offence I reckon. Discernable from infringing.

I don't think we'll see it being used to decided breakdown penalties for instance...

ray jay

I assumed the TMO would still need to be called on by the ref before they could use any of their new powers, and so there shouldn't be too many extra stoppages, but this seems to indicate otherwise:

The TMO has also been granted further leverage in terms of foul play, and can advise the referee of appropriate sanctions - as an assistant referee would - as well as stop the game in the case of a serious incident.

It's a worthwhile experiment, but I'm glad it's not taking place in a competition I've any interest in!

irishbucsfan

.ak wrote: »

Hrmm, I like it and hate it already. The issue is where will the line stop? We'll be TMO'ing for every little thing....

I think you have a point. But I also think the referees may be very aware of that.

CatFromHue

It appears to be a good trial to me.

We've had a few times now penalty offences in the lead up to a try that the ref has missed but the TMO and those watching at home haven't. As far as I know though the TMO can't/shouldn't let the ref know even though he has missed it which shouldn't be the case. George Clancy in last seasons Tri Nations had a case where he asked the TMO to judge a try and the TMO said there was a knock on (I think) in the lead up so the try shouldn't be allowed. The TMO shouldn't have done this even though it was helping the game adhere to the rules.

The trial here should see if it is actually feasible to use the TMO more.

It's just a trial and could prove that it's not feasible to go back 20 phases of play. Certainly I think it's something that should be looked at.

The foul play one is a good idea too. We do see it alot where the Ref and touch judges don't see what kicked off a fight but we at home can see it. Asking the TMO here is a no brainer to me.

Time wise it'll be interesting to see how long it takes. Usually we can see the replay while the ref is breaking up the tail end of the fight or talking to the touch judge so hopefully this won't affect the flow of the game too much.

phog

I think they're a great idea and hopefully they'll be used in all major comptitions in the near future.

I saw a blatant forward pass in the lead up to a try FS Cheetahs try on Friday night, ref went to TMO and TMO called it back for a scrum to the Blue Bulls.

Only issue I'd have with cases like this is if the ref isn't sure and allows the play to continue and then the attacking team loses the ball he cant go to the TMO and ground has been lost to the defending team.

backawaygo onahead

I'm in favour of any measures within reason that means the right decision is reached in crucial parts of games. If it takes a little time, so what? I have yet to find anyone at a game who doesn't get a bit excited when a TMO decision is pending, it often adds a second celebration to a try.

We simply have to expect that refs will use it sparingly i.e. when it matters not for all slightly dubious calls.

tolosenc

As long as all the white card nonsense is dropped!

P_1

They seem to have this in League for a while now, be interesting to see how it works in proper rugby

daveharnett

CatFromHue wrote: »

The foul play one is a good idea too. We do see it alot where the Ref and touch judges don't see what kicked off a fight but we at home can see it. Asking the TMO here is a no brainer to me.

Time wise it'll be interesting to see how long it takes. Usually we can see the replay while the ref is breaking up the tail end of the fight or talking to the touch judge so hopefully this won't affect the flow of the game too much.

I think it has the potential to tidy up the sly/dirty stuff too. With this system in place, any sensible ref should be happy to refer a complaint from the victim's captain (eg for stamping/gouging) to the TMO, even if the ref/ARs haven't seen anything. If the captain cries wolf, he loses the privilege.

As to TMO's new duties in the red zone, I assume and hope that they will take a softly-softly approach. I think the ideal is that they (like the assistant refs) only highlight egregious offences (unless asked about a particular incident). We don't want a situation where the TMO disallows a try for a 'nothing' infringement which the ref had seen and chosen to disregarded.

niallon

As far as I can tell that note on foul play is not saying that the TMO is free to interject and inform the ref of foul play, rather that in a situation like Bowe being held back before the try line against Italy in the WC, the TMO can cough up their own opinion if they are already talking with the ref, rather than having to wait for the ref to ask if there was foul play. Essentially the TMO will no longer be a robot who may only answer questions.

Once this stays in the refs control then this should be great, otherwise every single try would go to TMO!