Teething problems for Kiwi law trials
PRE-SEASON SPOTLIGHT: Super Rugby Aotearoa will trial two new laws for the 2021 season and it looks like there’ll be more than a few teething issues in the early stages of the competition.
The first change sees a goal-line dropout take place under a number of in-goal circumstances that would normally lead to 22 dropouts or five-metre scrum. It’s a simple change that could have major consequences – but at least it’s easy to police and understand.
The second change allows team captains to challenge referee’s calls in the build-up to tries but, as shown in the Crusader’s pre-season loss to the Blues, its application isn’t quite so simple as the goal-line dropout.
Following a game-winning try to Blues wing Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Crusaders captain Codie Taylor notified referee Paul Williams that he wanted to challenge the decision.
There was a breakdown in communication between Taylor and Williams, however, and the referee misunderstood which part of the play the All Blacks hooker had taken umbrage with.
Under the new law, captains must specify which specific phase they want to question – it can’t be a general all-encompassing challenge that covers all bases.
Taylor and his teammates thought that the Blues had been offside at the line-out drive that led to the eventual try but Williams thought that Taylor was concerned with an offside at the initial throw-in.
The end result was that the challenge came to nothing and the try stood – to the obvious, visible disappointment of Taylor.
Following the match, Williams apologised to Taylor for the breakdown in communication.
“[The issue] was about the language you use in referring [for a challenge],” Taylor told media following the match.
“The ref actually got it wrong and apologised afterwards. But he’s learning as well. It’s better to learn here [in pre-season] than next week.
“With this one, [the play] was off a line-out, I challenged the offside at a maul, and the ref thought it was off a line-out so [the challenge] doesn’t count. It has to be the right phase if there are multiple [phases].”
While the new law may be appreciated in the long-run, it’s evident that its introduction may have a few teething issues to overcome first.
The full law is as stated:
A captain’s referral will see each captain given one opportunity per match to ask the referee to have the Television Match Official check for an infringement in the lead up to a try, or to review foul play:
* Captains will have 10 seconds to make their referral after a try has been awarded.
* The TMO will be able to go back to the last stoppage in play, regardless of how many phases have been played.
* Foul play referrals can be made after any stoppage in play if the captain believes foul play has been missed by the match officials.
* Captain’s must reference ‘specific’ incidents or infringements.
* Footage must be ‘clear and obvious’ for a referral to be upheld.
* The scrum and line-out are not included in the referral process.
(The scores and scores follow below the highlights video …)
Pre-season trials at a glance
Crusaders 21 Chiefs 14
Blues 26 Crusaders 19
Blues 14 Chiefs 7
Scorers
First match
Crusaders
Tries: Grace, Reece, McAlister
Cons: Mo’unga 3
Chiefs
Tries: Tupaea, Stevenson
Cons: Gatland 2
Second match
Blues
Tries: Ruru 3, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Cons: Black 3
Crusaders
Tries: Fainga’anuku, Dunshea, Fihaki
Cons: Burke 2
Third match:
Blues
Tries: Robinson, Ekland
Cons: Sullivan 2
Chiefs
Try: Nanai-Seturo
Con: McKenzie
Blues teams
Versus Crusaders: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Harry Plummer, 11 AJ Lam 10 Otere Black, 9 Jonathan Ruru; 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Taine Plumtree, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 4 Josh Goodhue, 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Luteru Tolai, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe.
Versus Chiefs: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Neria Fomai, 12 Tanielu Tele’a, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Sam Nock; 8 Adrian Choat, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Tom Robinson (captain), 5 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 4 Sam Darry, 3 Nepo Lualala, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Alex Hodgman.
Replacements: James Lay, Leni Apisai, Jacob Pierce.
Chiefs teams
Versus Crusaders: 15 Rivez Reihana, 14 Shaun Stevenson, 13 Sean Wainui, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Jonah Lowe, 10 Bryn Gatland, 9 Xavier Roe, 8 Kaylum Boshier, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Stan van den Hoven, 4 Tupou Vaa’i, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements – from: Nathan Harris, Sekope Lopeti Moli, Ollie Norris, Joe Apikotoa, Viliami Taulani, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Quinn Tupaea, Gideon Wrampling, Lisati Milo-Harris.
Versus Blues: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Bailyn Sullivan, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Rameka Poihipi, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Mitchell Karpik, 6 Samipeni Finau, 5 Josh Lord, 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 3 Joshua Iosefa -Scott, 2 Bradley Slater, 1 Reuben O’Neill.
Replacements – from: Sekope Lopeti-Moli, Nathan Harris, Ollie Norris, Joe Apikotoa, Viliami Taulani, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Quinn Tupaea, Gideon Wrampling, Lisati Milo-Harris.
Crusaders teams
Versus Chiefs: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 David Havili, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Cullen Grace, 7 Tom Christie, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Quinten Strange, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Joe Moody.
Versus Blues: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Dallas McLeod, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Whetukamokamo Douglas, 7 Sione Havili Talitui, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Mitchell Dunshea, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor (captain), 1 George Bower.
By Sam Smith, RugbyPass
