Gotta say, he has a point.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46729448

Lots of laws not really being enforced...

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I wonder who the referees truly answer to? Themselves, the RFU, ... ?

They don't seem to answer to the players or the fans.

And in that, lies the issue. They are unaccountable. On the pitch, that is how it should be. But a bad job at work should lead to pathways to improvement (not punishment or criticism, it is a hard job for one person to do).

If ever the Prem clubs break away from the RFU (and, frankly, there is no way they could do a worse job than the RFU are currently doing), I think the first change should be that the games have three referees, and not one referee and two 'assistants' (sorry, make that silent inflatable water bags that wheel up and down the touch line).

Most of us are ex players. We know the pain of inconsistent application of the 'law'. It is more than irksome.

[andermt]

I'd certainly like to see a report or similar from the refs as to why some decisions were made.

Some potential howlers this weekend, the disallowed Try at Tigers that really was a try, and then the end of the Worcester Bath match.

I watched the highlights of the Worcester Bath game last night, and obviously they are only highlights so miss a lot but it seemed to be that Bath were, quite literally in this case, pinged off the park and TBH it looked very harsh.

I hope the BT Sport guys do an insight into it on Wednesday night (should be okay as no Bath players in the team) as I'd really like to understand why Bath lost so many players as I've seen similar circumstances to what the highlights showed at matches which have resulted in either no yellows or one, certainly not 3 of them.

[Rossm]

Some potential howlers this weekend, the disallowed Try at Tigers that really was a try

Couldn't believe that. Austin Healey was volcanic. But that is the infamous David Rose for you.

[BG]

I wonder who the referees truly answer to? Themselves, the RFU, ... ?

They don't seem to answer to the players or the fans.

And in that, lies the issue. They are unaccountable. On the pitch, that is how it should be. But a bad job at work should lead to pathways to improvement (not punishment or criticism, it is a hard job for one person to do).

If ever the Prem clubs break away from the RFU (and, frankly, there is no way they could do a worse job than the RFU are currently doing), I think the first change should be that the games have three referees, and not one referee and two 'assistants' (sorry, make that silent inflatable water bags that wheel up and down the touch line).

Most of us are ex players. We know the pain of inconsistent application of the 'law'. It is more than irksome.

I had presumed that the ref's are tied to the RFU as the PRL refs also ref all sorts of games (including school level games). I dare say they have their own "union" but I wonder if they are paid on a per match basis for PRL games by the PRL and by the RFU on a contract basis?  I remember reading about the female ref who took charge of one of our games and it was announced that she was the first to be awarded a profesional contract which implies its a salaried job with the RFU.

I don't watch Rugby Tonight anymore but I did see one when Barnes was on (possibly at the start of the season to explain new rules) and he said all the ref's get together on Monday (conference call or physically?) to discuss aspects of each of the games. I find that hard to believe given the differences in application by different refs.

Pat Lam has a point. The scrum and lineout is there to reset the game but both have to be a fair competition for the ball. The lineout is increasingly moving away from that and once a maul is set, its almost impossible to legally defend against. On the pitch its up to the capt to bring questionable illegalities to the ref's attention

I also think Exeter get away with pushing through the mark before the ball is put in at the scrum but the ref quite often cajoles the 9 to get the ball in.. but if its not steady why should he?

It might not be a bad idea for refs twice a season to issue some sort of online questionnaire to get feed back from supporters. The only problem is how they would do that in a concise form that can easily be analysed.

[wasps]

If the lineout and maul was that easy, we'd all be doing it.... But when we try, we usually fail.

Just having that threat makes teams less likely to take liberties when attacking the ruck, and is therefore probably another reason why Exeter are so good at retaining the ball

[Vespula Vulgaris]

At some stage the inconsistency in reffing must be addressed. It's crazy when similar incidents vary between being deliberatlely ignored, and the perpetrator being banned for weeks.

It's also ridiculous that some refs just ignore certain laws altogether.

[mike909]

The Laws appear to be interpreted by national unions. I have been lurking on some ref forums and my bug bear - the breakdown and the Laws (15) about the ruck were briefed on to England refs such that what players can do is (for me) barely in line with the Laws on the ruck and hands and binging and the like

The result is - for me - the sterile breakdown we have too often in the Prem, and why - for me - other areas of the world deal with the ruck better

Its certainly worth a read of Law 15 and the explanation on World Rugby and then wonder WTF is going on in the Prem!