Blowing the whistle on refs

Who, you have to ask yourself, would want to be a rugby referee in the modern, high-intensity professional game? Or, even more crucially, want to be the television match official, colloquially known as the TMO?

Admittedly, the man in the middle with the whistle is bound by the protocols World Rugby have placed on calling for a second opinion from the video replays, but it is all too obvious that more and more match officials are reluctant to make on-the-spot decisions in real time and all too willingly lump the onus on the TMO.

It can be construed as abrogating responsibility. In the interests of getting things right, this has a valid place in the greater context of the game – but when the official charged with reviewing the footage gets things wrong, the system goes pear-shaped.

Such was the case in last weekend’s Six Nations match between England and Wales. With England leading 12-0 at Twickenham, Welsh back Gareth Anscombe, under pressure from home wing Anthony Watson, chased down a kick ahead from flyhalf Rhys Patchell.

It was a close call, but many observers felt Anscombe had been first to the ball and grounded it correctly.

Television match official Glenn Newman disallowed the try, which would have made it 12-5 with the conversion to come.

Predictably, Welsh coach Warren Gatland was more than a touch miffed at the 12-6 scoreline at the final whistle and voiced the opinion that Newman had made a “terrible mistake”.

Most surprisingly to many rugby followers World Rugby agreed with the Welsh coach and issued a statement saying that it had “clarified to the Wales team management, as part of the usual review process with teams, that the TMO made an error in the application of law during the England versus Wales match”, and that “Wales should have been awarded a try as the Wales player grounded the ball”.

England coach Eddie Jones took exception – well, he would, wouldn’t he? – but his remarks after the World Rugby reaction in accused the ruling body of indulging in “retrospective refereeing ... we’ve got to trust the referees and respect their integrity”.

Ironically, that is exactly the point: a TMO’s job is retrospective refereeing.