Law Discussion - extended TMO
There were two Tests this last weekend- New Zealand against England in Christchurch and South Africa against Italy at wet Newlands, both producing comfortable wins for the home sides.
So far this week we have given some statistics from these matches and there are some clips from these and Currie Cup on the South African referees website – www.sarefereesw.co.za. There is an especially interesting clip from the Newlands Test – Clip 8.
The Currie Cup started and we have some incidents of the extended use of the television match official from two Currie Cup matches and from one of the semifinals in the French Top 20. One of the incidents really counted.
South Africa – and France – have a dispensation to extend the TMO’s are of adjudication in two ways –
1. for examining the legality of a try.
If the referee suspects a possible infringement in the move/phase that leads to a try he is allowed to ask the TMO to check the legality of the try.
He may specify what his concern is and the TMO will then ask the producer/technician to show him that part of play over or he may decide to ask for a replay of the whole phase that led to the scoring of a try. That phase may start from a tackle, a ruck, a maul, a scrum, a penalty kick, a free kick, a line-out or a kick-off.
2. for detecting possible foul play.
The referee will then tell the TMO his concern about foul play and ask him to examine that part of play. In this case the TMO is allowed to examine play from stoppage to stoppage.
Let’s look at some examples.
(i) The legality of a try
a. In the match between the Blue Bulls and the Golden Lions in Johannesburg, the Blue Bulls attack and Morné Steyn floats a long pass to his left. The ball bounces and John Mametsa gathers it and runs the seven metres or so for a try in the corner.
The referee asks the TMO to look at Steyn’s pass to see if it was forward.
The TMO has a look and reports: “The pass was not forward. You may award the try.”
b. The Golden Lions win a turnover and there is some quick passing till lock Dewald Senekal slips a close pass to Jano Vermaak on the Blue Bulls ten-metre line. Vermaak cuts straight through and races straight down the field to the posts.
The referee asks the TMO about Senekal’s pass to Vermaak. The TMO can find no forward pass and the try is awarded, giving the Golden Lions a 7-6 lead.
c .In the semifinal of the Top 14 between Toulouse and Stade Français, Toulouse are leading 28-6 when they concede a penalty. Stade Français kick out near the Toulouse 22 and Mathieu Blin is to throw in to the line-out.
There is some jumping about and then Blin throws in low to the front. Hands shoot out and before the ball reaches the five-metre line it is knocked ahead and towards the Toulouse side.
Nippy scrumhalf Jérôme Fillol nips round the front and picks up the ball as Byron Kelleher charges at him. The ball goes beyond a diving Kelleher and Fillol gathers the ball near touch and darts over the gaol-line for a try.
The TMO is consulted and examines the incident. There is a heap to examine – who stopped the ball going in five metres? Did Stade Français knock-on at the front of the line-out. Did Fillol knock the ball on so that it went past Kelleher? Was he in touch when he gathered the ball?
The TMO was able to see that a Toulouse player played the ball before it went five metres. Clever Fillol had chipped the ball beyond Kelleher and he was not in touch when he gathered the ball.
It was a try. The whole world could see it was a try. That gave the referee great confidence.
(ii) Foul play suspected.
There was an incident when the referee suspected foul play between the Blue Bulls and the Golden Lions but he could detect none. But in Durban there was a vital one.
a. The scores in rainy Durban are tied as the rain comes bucketing down. Western Province win a line-out. Ross Skeate catches the ball and Western Province form a maul which they rumble forward. Deon Carstens of the Sharks falls to the ground and Western Province rumble past him.
When play stops the touch judge advises that there was foul play, stamping in fact, but he is uncertain of who the guilty party was.
The referee refers the matter to the TMO. The TMO reports that he could see the stamping but could not see the number. The number looks like a 19 but presumably the TMO was not sure.
The referee penalises Western Province and Kockott kicks the winning goal from some 40 metres out.
Consulting the TMO is not a quick process but it has its own drama and the possibility of an accurate result may make up for having to stand around in the rain waiting for judgement.
