Different rules

[MelChannerFan]

I think this round of matches shows the English clubs are playing to different breakdown rules. Prem refs make slowing down very difficult and turnovers rare.
Consequently we don't try to slow down and are not prepared to be turned over when we get refs from other European countries.
England could get this problem in 6 nations.

[daktari]

I think this round of matches shows the English clubs are playing to different breakdown rules. Prem refs make slowing down very difficult and turnovers rare.
Consequently we don't try to slow down and are not prepared to be turned over when we get refs from other European countries.
England could get this problem in 6 nations.

I think you're right. If that had been a Premiership match, Munster would have been pinged off the park on Saturday......that said you have to play to the ref, we should have adapted.

[MelChannerFan]

It's not easy to adapt during a match when you've trained for months and played 10 games to a different set of rules. I

[voice of the crumbie]

It's not easy to adapt during a match when you've trained for months and played 10 games to a different set of rules. I

I take your point. However the players train during the week so how about training to play to a plan b which incorporates a switch of tactics in accordance with the way the ref is reffing.

How about this for a scenario. Ref allows opposition to get away with breakdown infringements so a Tigers player drops to one knee to feign injury (lots of teams use this tactic to break up continuity). While he is being "treated" captain gets the team into a huddle and tells them to implement plan b. Eg if in at the side is not being penalised then try it ourselves, same for not rolling away, offside etc etc . If they don't feel confident enough to trust the captain with this decision then one of the waterboys (who has come on as soon as the "injured" player goes down) relays a message from to the coaches to the captain who passes it on. Surely this is worth trying rather than allowing the opposition to run the game due to the refs failure to apply the laws of the game correctly.

[doublecarpet]

I fear the XV on the pitch lacks the leadership and guile to adopt and adapt on the fly unfortunately.

[TigerCam]

I think this round of matches shows the English clubs are playing to different breakdown rules. Prem refs make slowing down very difficult and turnovers rare.
Consequently we don't try to slow down and are not prepared to be turned over when we get refs from other European countries.
England could get this problem in 6 nations.

Given the weekend games and results , Ireland must be looking good to take the 6 Nations?

[BFG]

I disagree with the OP, there are plenty of turnovers in the Premiership.
Munster took control and they are a difficult away match for any team, they play with a lot of intensity at home and until the bonus point was gained Leicester struggled to cope.
I thought Dan Cole was the only forward who was on a par with them, we saw why he is a quality player.
The best hope away at Munster has always been forcing their intensity into mistakes, that is usually the big turnaround in the home and away difference in my opinion.
I expect Munster will come to Welford Road and try to play the same way, but being at Welford Road I also expect Leicester's intensity should rise considerably from Saturday to match or better that intensity and we will see if they can play that well under more pressure!

[TigerCam]

I think Munster will come with more intensity given the vulnerability of the Tigers defence. I would be raising the Munster game to ease the pressure of the remaining pool games.

[BFG]

I think you might be right TigerCam, it'll be a battle and I expect Leicester to be well up for it at WR but they do need to plug that leaky defence and not give away soft scores!
On the OP though, a poor excuse in my opinion, good players cope and not good enough are exposed, and having no dodgy French or Irish refereeing at the breakdown still didn't stop recent Premiership losses did it!

[Roly]

On the OP though, a poor excuse in my opinion, good players cope and not good enough are exposed, and having no dodgy French or Irish refereeing at the breakdown still didn't stop recent Premiership losses did it!

Correct, if Tigers were playing in a manner that saw them command matches and look like a trophy winning side, then the odd decision against them would make no difference.

[kend]

I think this round of matches shows the English clubs are playing to different breakdown rules.

In his post match comments Donnaha O’Callahan said the level of competition for the ball Garces allowed wouldn’t have happened in the premiership. I'm guessing he would know! Either Tigers pre-match analysis of the ref was off the mark or the players weren't able to adapt. Or Munster are just better at it.

Is it reasonable that the policy of the referee can change the game? Same law book wherever you play.

Be interesting to see how the ref handles it at Welford Road.

[MelChannerFan]

Thanks, I missed Donncha's comments.

[Jimmy Skitz]

also tackling in the air is apparently allowed in France, their 14 slammed into Veianu as he was in the air and the resulting breakdown lead to a Munster penalty and 3 points

[voice of the crumbie]

I think this round of matches shows the English clubs are playing to different breakdown rules.

In his post match comments Donnaha O’Callahan said the level of competition for the ball Garces allowed wouldn’t have happened in the premiership. I'm guessing he would know! Either Tigers pre-match analysis of the ref was off the mark or the players weren't able to adapt. Or Munster are just better at it.

Is it reasonable that the policy of the referee can change the game? Same law book wherever you play.

Be interesting to see how the ref handles it at Welford Road.

Same law book' yes, but different interpretations and / or emphases from ref to ref. If only there was some consistency.

[stonebob]

Well ...after todays game at WR do you still think tigers problems are with the refreeing ...