Nigel Owens: Game not being played or refereed according to the law
WHISTLE WATCH: Referee Nigel Owens has said that “something needs to change”, after a spate of red cards in the Premiership this weekend.
Two players were sent off in Bath’s contest with Gloucester this past Friday, and three more saw red on Saturday as Leicester Tigers hosted Wasps.
The majority of the dismissals were for contact with the head, be it as the ball carrier, tackler or in the ruck.
World Cup referee Wayne Barnes sent off Gloucester prop Val Rapava-Ruskin in the eighth minute last Friday, for leading with his arm into Bath flank Josh Bayliss’ head.
He then waved a red card at Bath forward Mike Williams in the 51st minute, after his tackle slipped up and made contact with Gloucester fullback Kyle Moyle’s head.
Leicester had loose forwards Jasper Wiese (head shot) and Hanno Liebenberg (tackling Wasps wing Josh Bassett in mid-air) sent off this past Saturday, while Wasps prop Kieran Brookes was banished by referee Craig Maxwell-Keys for striking Tomas Lavinini’s head.
Speaking on BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight, the Welshman said that there needs to be a change in player behaviour.
With increasing concerns that players are persistently allowed to break the game’s laws, Owens said that either referees must referee to the law book, or there must be changes to the laws themselves.
* (Continue below the tweet & video)
“If we apply the law as it is, I’m sure the game can be refereed that way any more.”
“Players really do need to change their behaviour.”
After a weekend full of red cards, @Nigelrefowens explains why things can’t continue as they have been.#RugbyTonight pic.twitter.com/eengFOlxbl
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) February 21, 2021
“The players don’t seem to grasp what the directives are and what the law is really,” Owens said.
“There really needs to be a change in behaviour because you just can’t lead with an elbow, or shoulder, or going flying into a ruck anymore with a head, you just can’t do it.
“Whether it’s the dynamics of the modern game that makes it very difficult for players to change and adopt, I don’t know, but something needs to change.
“If we apply the law as it is, I’m not quite sure if the game can be refereed that way anymore because the law of the ruck, for example, means you must enter the ruck above hip height, you must grasp or bind onto your own teammate when you join the ruck to then move people off on your feet away from the ruck area.
“The game hasn’t been played or refereed like that.
“The law is there, but it’s just not refereed or played like that.
“If you look at situations like the croc roll for example, it’s quite clear in the law today that you cannot wilfully collapse a ruck.
“So you basically can’t grab a player and pull him to the ground or croc roll him to the ground, you can’t do it in the law, but it’s never been refereed like that and it’s never been coached like that.
Jasper Wiese red card 🟥 #SaffasAbroad #GallagherPrem #LEIvWAS pic.twitter.com/IYBZmIiGK3
— Saffas Abroad Rugby 🇿🇦🏉 (@SaffasRugby) February 20, 2021
“So I think people really need to take a step back, we need to look at the laws, then we all must collectively decide ‘are we going to referee the law as in the law book and change the way the game is played and hopefully change player behaviour, and that is safety paramount as well,’ or do we have to look at saying ‘do we need to now change the laws of exactly what’s happening on that field.’
“But one thing that I think is very clear from this weekend is that players, in all fairness to the referees, really do need to change their behaviour.”
Sources: BT Sport & RugbyPass
The first of two red cards at Kingsholm last night – what did we think of this? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/U3vW4ZUyMh
— james___flynn (@jamesfl68585245) February 20, 2021
