Sanzaar launches review into television official interventions

SYDNEY: Sanzaar will launch a review into television match official (TMO) interventions, admitting current rules are ‘‘clearly not working’’ after a string of recent controversies in Super Rugby.

It comes after widespread uproar over a red card to Sunwolves flanker Ed Quirk for a ‘‘love tap’’ on a Queensland Reds opponent on Friday night.

Quirk has been issued a twoweek suspension for the incident, which saw him deliver a closed fist to the face of Reds fiveeighth Hamish Stewart while the pair were at the bottom of the ruck.

The force with which the ‘‘hit"’’ landed, however, was so minimal that both coaches — former All Blacks Brad Thorn and Tony Brown — joined fans and players in expressing genuine fears about the future of the sport.

It appears Sanzaar may have pinned the blame on TMO Damien Mitchelmore, who found the infringement in slowmotion replays and prompted the referee to send Quirk off.

A Sanzaar statement on Monday admitted the last month of international and domestic rugby, and in particular the last two weeks in Super Rugby, had ‘‘highlighted some challenges’’.

Quirk’s incident may prove to be the straw that broke the camel’s back after a series of controversial decisions.

‘‘A major concern for us at present is the practical implementation of the Television Match Official (TMO) protocols,’’ Sanzaar CEO Andy Marinos said.

‘‘The protocols are clearly not working and a specific review is required in this area.

‘‘Sanzaar believes the appointed referee needs to remain the key decision maker on the field and that TMO interventions only provide context to the match officials’ decision making.

‘‘We need better consistency in the application of the protocols and most would agree that perhaps this is not the case.’’

Sanzaar cannot change the laws of the game but Marinos said it was keen to ‘‘lead the discussion’’ and would take recommendations from the review to World Rugby. — AAP