Sort the tackle area out, please!

[Scott1]

Sort of reminded me of Tom Youngs red card v Chiefs. If the refs would clamp down properly on offenders then it couldve been avoided!

[Dokie]

Peter O'Mahony's red card on Sunday is a great example of much that is wrong currently.
The Welsh player Francis purposely falls on the wrong side of the tackled Irish player.
I dislike diving in the ruck for no reason but I think there was a reason and Francis got some of what he was asking for.
The game is rewarding cheating currently.
The powers need to be wiser in my opinion.

You might want to rewatch it. As Francis got to his feet after attempting a tackle, Sexton, from behind, drove him back off his feet into the ruck. Even then the ball was still available.

Francis was on the wrong side on his hands and knees blocking entry to the ruck for the first arriving Ireland player Sexton, whilst Tipuric was getting over the tackled Irish player for the steal.
Francis should be rolling away immediately.
It was a clear penalty to Ireland, at that stage.

There was no ruck (just a tackle situation, Tipuric on VD Flier) until Sexton drove Francis into those two. However you want to spin this, whether it’s anti Chiefs or anti Welsh, those are the facts.
As I said, you might want to rewatch it.

[BFG]

You might want to rewatch it. As Francis got to his feet after attempting a tackle, Sexton, from behind, drove him back off his feet into the ruck. Even then the ball was still available.

Francis was on the wrong side on his hands and knees blocking entry to the ruck for the first arriving Ireland player Sexton, whilst Tipuric was getting over the tackled Irish player for the steal.
Francis should be rolling away immediately.
It was a clear penalty to Ireland, at that stage.

There was no ruck (just a tackle situation, Tipuric on VD Flier) until Sexton drove Francis into those two. However you want to spin this, whether it’s anti Chiefs or anti Welsh, those are the facts.
As I said, you might want to rewatch it.

There could be no ruck because Francis was blocking the arriving Sexton.
He was on the wrong side and should be rolling away.
It's not spin, it's what occurred.
Tipuric has got to take possession of the ball (which he had not) before any arriving Ireland player for Francis' position to be acceptable.
It's as clear a case of blocking the path to the ruck as you'll ever see.

[ourla]

There are a couple of comments on here saying it would be great to be able punch law infringers or that players that break the laws get what's coming. Seems to me to be the language of thuggery. By all means suggest that laws need to be enforced but not that violence should legitimately ensue should they not.

A better question is who is monitoring that laws are enforced. Aren't games reviewed in this light by respective bodies. Maybe a question for Barnes who is actively explaining laws on Twitter/YouTube at the moment.

[BFG]

There are a couple of comments on here saying it would be great to be able punch law infringers or that players that break the laws get what's coming. Seems to me to be the language of thuggery. By all means suggest that laws need to be enforced but not that violence should legitimately ensue should they not.

A better question is who is monitoring that laws are enforced. Aren't games reviewed in this light by respective bodies. Maybe a question for Barnes who is actively explaining laws on Twitter/YouTube at the moment.

I don't think anyone sensibly wants to return to the old days.
The game did partly self police though and without it policing of the game is now totally reliant on the referee.
I go back to the Francis situation, in days past he would've been bowled over and foot rucked, it sounds bad and to be honest there was the odd thug who was more interested in hurting you than playing rugby but it all meant that you didn't want to get caught on the wrong side and so you got out of there quickly.
It was certainly a deterrent.
I'd add that where the game has been sanitised then in my opinion refs need to start dealing with these incidents quickly and consistently to redress the balance of fair play and better playing habits will eventually follow.

[Roadsweeper]

Refs choose which laws to enforce and how often. Barnes on Sunday chose to barely award any scrum resets or penalties. Other refs would have reset or penalised when the scrum goes down. Result a faster game by telling the scrum half to play the ball.

So if the refs get together and stop players flopping on the ball or taking an age to play the ball, the game will get safer and quicker. The laws are there they just have to be used correctly and proactively.

If refs tell coaches, and coaches tell players, there is no need to for the ref to coach during a game, he simply blows his whistle until players start to behave.

[Dokie]

Francis was on the wrong side on his hands and knees blocking entry to the ruck for the first arriving Ireland player Sexton, whilst Tipuric was getting over the tackled Irish player for the steal.
Francis should be rolling away immediately.
It was a clear penalty to Ireland, at that stage.

There was no ruck (just a tackle situation, Tipuric on VD Flier) until Sexton drove Francis into those two. However you want to spin this, whether it’s anti Chiefs or anti Welsh, those are the facts.
As I said, you might want to rewatch it.

There could be no ruck because Francis was blocking the arriving Sexton.
He was on the wrong side and should be rolling away.
It's not spin, it's what occurred.
Tipuric has got to take possession of the ball (which he had not) before any arriving Ireland player for Francis' position to be acceptable.
It's as clear a case of blocking the path to the ruck as you'll ever see.

I’ve just rewatched it to check I wasn’t seeing things. At least you’ve conceded there was no ruck but then you can’t be on the wrong side of open play and there’s nothing to roll away from!

[strawclearer]

This probably won't last past today - if that - as it's a promotional freebie from The XV.

Very well worth a glance!

https://www.thexv.rugby/2020/09/07/the- ... -of-error/

[ourla]

Refs choose which laws to enforce and how often.

Interesting theory.

Barnes on Sunday chose to barely award any scrum resets or penalties. Other refs would have reset or penalised when the scrum goes down. Result a faster game by telling the scrum half to play the ball.

I remember the days when Barnes was hated like many refs are today. The thing is just like players referee's get better as they become more experienced.

So if the refs get together and stop players flopping on the ball or taking an age to play the ball, the game will get safer and quicker. The laws are there they just have to be used correctly and proactively.

Well, I'd agree with that. But don't referees already "get together" and aren't they already assessed following each game?

If refs tell coaches, and coaches tell players, there is no need to for the ref to coach during a game, he simply blows his whistle until players start to behave.

I agree this appears to have crept in over time. I can't think of another sport were players are warned they are infringing rather than simply penalised.

[DingDong]

...can't think of another sport were players are warned they are infringing rather than simply penalised.

So true, but name one other collision sport that is anywhere near so technical and complicated? There'd be no game if every offence were penalised. When a defender takes one step over the offside line on the blind side and it's not material to the ball being played on the open side, do you penalise or play on? Context and materiality matters.

[drc_007]

"If refs tell coaches, and coaches tell players, there is no need to for the ref to coach during a game, he simply blows his whistle until players start to behave."

In general I'd agree, one exception is the release of a tackled player, often it is difficult for a tackler to tell if the player being tackled has touched the ground with a knee.

[BFG]

There was no ruck (just a tackle situation, Tipuric on VD Flier) until Sexton drove Francis into those two. However you want to spin this, whether it’s anti Chiefs or anti Welsh, those are the facts.
As I said, you might want to rewatch it.

There could be no ruck because Francis was blocking the arriving Sexton.
He was on the wrong side and should be rolling away.
It's not spin, it's what occurred.
Tipuric has got to take possession of the ball (which he had not) before any arriving Ireland player for Francis' position to be acceptable.
It's as clear a case of blocking the path to the ruck as you'll ever see.

I’ve just rewatched it to check I wasn’t seeing things. At least you’ve conceded there was no ruck but then you can’t be on the wrong side of open play and there’s nothing to roll away from!

There is a tackled Irish player to roll away from.
Francis is blocking the first arriving Irish player to the breakdown.
I'm afraid there isn't much more to say than that.

[Scott1]

Francis knew exactly what he was doing!

[Dokie]

There could be no ruck because Francis was blocking the arriving Sexton.
He was on the wrong side and should be rolling away.
It's not spin, it's what occurred.
Tipuric has got to take possession of the ball (which he had not) before any arriving Ireland player for Francis' position to be acceptable.
It's as clear a case of blocking the path to the ruck as you'll ever see.

I’ve just rewatched it to check I wasn’t seeing things. At least you’ve conceded there was no ruck but then you can’t be on the wrong side of open play and there’s nothing to roll away from!

There is a tackled Irish player to roll away from.
Francis is blocking the first arriving Irish player to the breakdown.
I'm afraid there isn't much more to say than that.

If you don’t understand what constitutes a breakdown and the laws therein, you’re correct, there isn’t any more to say.

[Scott1]

https://youtu.be/CreJDCJWnJs

Watch the first angle. Francis tackled VDF,ill use that term loosely,then Tips jumped up off the floor to attempt the turnover with Francis purposefully falling on the wrong side to try and block the incoming clear out. Chiefs tactics 101!