TMO at scrum time

[Tigerbeat]

Both an Assistant Ref and the TMO provide input to the ref with regards to a decision being made.

The Assistant Refs are guided by the referee as to how the game is to be managed. For example, at lineouts, the ref may look for the nit straight whilst the ARs look out for players being taken out in the air or not going five yards.

Scrums are generally called in by the AR for the props not binding or collapsing the scrum.

Calls for foul play, forward passes are fed in to the ref by the AR but it is the refs decision as to whether he stops play awards a scrum, penalty.

[Roly]

Both an Assistant Ref and the TMO provide input to the ref with regards to a decision being made.

The Assistant Refs are guided by the referee as to how the game is to be managed. For example, at lineouts, the ref may look for the nit straight whilst the ARs look out for players being taken out in the air or not going five yards.

Scrums are generally called in by the AR for the props not binding or collapsing the scrum.

Calls for foul play, forward passes are fed in to the ref by the AR but it is the refs decision as to whether he stops play awards a scrum, penalty.

Yes, but I think the difference is that the TMO 'should' only be assisting the referee with his decision if called upon. He 'shouldn't' be in effect refereeing in real time.

[Tigerbeat]

Both an Assistant Ref and the TMO provide input to the ref with regards to a decision being made.

The Assistant Refs are guided by the referee as to how the game is to be managed. For example, at lineouts, the ref may look for the nit straight whilst the ARs look out for players being taken out in the air or not going five yards.

Scrums are generally called in by the AR for the props not binding or collapsing the scrum.

Calls for foul play, forward passes are fed in to the ref by the AR but it is the refs decision as to whether he stops play awards a scrum, penalty.

Yes, but I think the difference is that the TMO 'should' only be assisting the referee with his decision if called upon. He 'shouldn't' be in effect refereeing in real time.

Agree....but the TMO has their guidelines and generally maintain the status quo.

[Roly]

The game is already officiated up the ying yang. It doesn't need yet another angle to be scrutinised. We've already got the TMO taking up minutes (in some cases) to make a decision.

[strawclearer]

The game is already officiated up the ying yang. It doesn't need yet another angle to be scrutinised. We've already got the TMO taking up minutes (in some cases) to make a decision.

[ourla]

There should be a scrum referee or referees assistant.

[Norfolk & Goode]

Go back to insisting the ball is put in straight, thereby necessitating that the ball will be hooked, thereby necessitating that the ball will be cleaner and quicker, thereby necessitating that the over reliance on grunt and dark arts is less important in the scrum. The knock on effects of this to the wider game will be positive too.

The scrum has changed not because of the laws, but because the referees seem to want to ignore some laws for whatever reason.

Surely a crooked feed ensures a cleaner hook?

The scrum has changed not because of referees ignorance, but because the front five insist on cheating (most of the time!) therefore its become a penalty contest and not a pushing contest. The laws then get adapted to this. As Austin Healey wrote, the scrum is always going to be a mess until the mindset of the pack change.

Priorities for refs start with safety, and when 16 men are conspiring (dangerously) to win a penalty a crooked feed seems less relevant at that level. Personally i'd give the responsibility of the crooked feed to the AR at elite level, that would be the only safe way to resolve it. Someone suggested the other day the refs should put the ball in, perhaps that's another way to resolve the crooked feed!!

As for drones, micro-analysing the game this way is not the way forward IMO, changing players mindsets is.

[Iain]

The crooked feed negates the need for the hook, which means the scrum becomes more about pushing your opponents off the ball rather than compete for it properly.

[Norfolk & Goode]

Unless it's a dominant scrum it has to be hooked by the side feeding to get to the back, unless you're Dickson who hit's the No 8 every time, no hooking required!!

[JackFlashJonny]

As I said last year the game really needs a scrum TMO in a truck who can make instant live decisions...only ex players (props I would imagine) would be a real step forward for the game imo..As long as it was completely live I would be happy with their judgement as only props seem to know what is truly going on

[LE18]

Drones are non starters, I believe that the licensing forbids drones to be flown over, or in the vicinity of people. A scrum and a crowd are clearly in that definition.

[Cagey Tiger]

The game is already officiated up the ying yang. It doesn't need yet another angle to be scrutinised. We've already got the TMO taking up minutes (in some cases) to make a decision.

To be a little bit fair to the TMOs, a large chunk of the things they are asked to look at are difficult to judge. That's one of the reasons the ref asks them to have a look.

[jgriffin]

The crooked feed negates the need for the hook, which means the scrum becomes more about pushing your opponents off the ball rather than compete for it properly.

And so far, against hapless Briz, Exeter have fed the back row and the ref has given penalties against Briz for scrum offences AFTER the crooked feed.