Non playing staff interfering with play

[TigerFeetSteve]

The incident yesterday with Sale vs Glaws was the second time in as many weeks where non players interfered with play, the week before it was Sale on the receiving end.

Is this a worrying new trend, I think the authorities need to stamp down on this, given there was no discernable penalty for the team responsible, to my mind this will only encourage it.

IMO there should be a suspended points deduction for a first offense (of likely 2 points) If it happens again then an actual deduction of 2 points added to the 2 points unsuspended for the first offense.

The ONLY time non playing staff should EVER interfere with play is if player is directly receiving treatment.

[longlivethecrumbie]

My mind may be playing tricks on me, but, I vaguely remember Smurph catching the ball while acting as a water boy a few years back. That prevented the opposition taking a quick throw. Is this a figmant of my imagination or did it happen?

[kk20gb30]

Massive overreaction by Twelvetrees irrespective of the action of the non playing staff.

[Tigerbeat]

The water carrier was in the technical area behind his barrier and the ball was coming towards him. Instinct to get the ball or sinister, Twelvetrees was an idiot in how he reacted. The water carrier was in his specified area.

[Tiglon]

Twelvetrees behaved poorly and got what he deserved.

The water boy leaned forward over the barrier to take the ball away from 12T as he tried to pick it up. He almost pulled the ball out of 12T hands. At best, gamesmanship, at worst cheating. If this is something rugby is willing to accept, then we have now lost our perceived moral highground over football.

As has been said, second incident in barely a week, a message needs to be sent or this will become commonplace and will be much harder to eradicate.

[kpj tiger]

Personally I don't blame 12t, the watercarrier knew what he was doing, it was cynical and in the heat of the moment I don't think it was an over reaction to push him to try to get the ball of him. The way some Sale players have reacted to it after the game leaves a particularly bitter taste in the mouth

[MCC1964]

It was gamesmanship and no different to players on the pitch hanging onto the ball when the opposition wants to take a quick throw in or pen (and so does squint put-ins at the scrum, not playing the ball when the ref calls ‘use it’, non-playing players being in the in goal area to ‘greet’ their own players when they score and many other things). Does my nut in, but in this case it was handled by the Ref. The ‘water boy’ was banned from the pitch. 12T over-reacted and got the same punishment he would have done had he done the same to a player (as in shoving him into the hoardings) sparking handbags. In theory you could have argued that Glaws deserved a pen for the first offence, but the subsequent retaliation and what followed overruled that. Simples. Nothing to see here from my point of view.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Personally I think of the two incidents the one yesterday was more minor,the one last week where the physio was running off the pitch (towards the furthest touchline) and happened to be a blocking line for the chaser is the bigger incident, it happened on the field of play and should have been spotted and dealt with.

[mol2]

My view is that if any water carrier/coach/physio actively interferes the league should have the right to reverse the outcome of the game (if their side go on to win) and deduct 4 points.

This is not the same as a ball striking them whilst standing in their designated zone, but if they move to make contact to delay a quick throw then the punishment should be high enough to make it a never event.
This doesn’t justify Twelvetrees’ reaction in any way. It is vital the only participants are the 30 players on the pitch. Once the ball has left the area bounded by the advertising boards then a quick throw cannot occur and the ballboys can retrieve the ball and hand it immediately to the player throwing in if he hasn’t already picked up another ball.

A physio/Dr actively attending a player on the ground is different. However they should leave the pitch promptly by the shortest route to the touch line that avoids the playing area.

I have long said water carriers should not enter the field of play: drinks should be fetched from the touch line with the exception of summer/heatwave games with planned drinks breaks at the instigation of the ref.

[Fish8ter]

I thought the actions of the water-boy/coach at the weekend, was a disgrace and he should face a lengthy touchline ban. He knew exactly what he was doing, try to interfere with play, at the end of a hard fought game. I not saying Gloucester would have recovered the situation, but to be denied the opportunity by such blatant cheating by a third party and potential spoiling the game for the neutral, is not how I would want to win it.

I know some will point their finger at 12x3's, but I am sure 90% of all rugby players would of reacted the same and the official's got it wrong, as a more just action in my opinion, would have been a penalty for Gloucester.

[Tigerbeat]

Not sure that there is much in this........he was in his designated area and the ball came towards him and instinctively /gamesmanship he touched the ball. Twelvetrees actions were over the top.
Not sure that any ban is required, more just a reminder. Water carriers are not allowed on the pitch unless there is a stoppage in play and the clock has stopped.
Had the score been more than it was, I would guess that nothing would have been made of this. Twelvetrees actions started the fracas.

[Coops]

Agree that Twelvetree's actions started it and everything after it, however judging by the smirk on the water boy's face afterwards, he knew exactly what he was doing.

[Noggs]

The actions of the Sale 'water carrier' were deliberate and a cynical ploy to prevent 36 taking a quick throw. That said 36 retaliated and hence incurred the penalty no matter how hard this seems.

It may be worth the RFU putting out an edict to the clubs on the matter.

[DingDong]

The water carrier was in the technical area behind his barrier and the ball was coming towards him. Instinct to get the ball or sinister, Twelvetrees was an idiot in how he reacted. The water carrier was in his specified area.

By reaching into the playing area he was not in his specified area. He deliberately cheated to prevent the quick throw, ban him and send a message to all other cheats. Pathetic.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

36 could still of gone to the Bin but restart with a Glaws penalty.
Far too many people running on & off the pitch.