Should Gopperth have been honest ?

[hookender]

Noticed that whilst the main talking point on a lot of boards of other clubs and ‘news’ this weekend has been about Jimmy telling Ref that ball has been grounded, we have not mentioned it.

 So, from a Wasps perspective should he have kept quiet and waited to see if the TMO found a picture to confirm it (can’t remember if Dickson had said he thought ball had been grounded). Or was he right to to say yes , and get on with game?

 Personally, I do think he did right thing and I would like to think it might help others to confirm matters rather than waiting ages for replays of incidents to determine outcome.

 But equally in this professional, 1 losing pt bonus may mean all era ,it may have meant that Bristol
Might not have got a bonus try point ,which could effect not just us but other teams as well.

 

[Bloke in North Dorset]

Yes.

Personal integrity trumps all.

[Neils]

Yes

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Yep, agreed. He did the right thing.

[westwaleswasp]

Absolutely yes.
By and large games are not won on these things, and it gains respect from refs that gets paid back. So yes, from a pragmatic point of view and a moral one.

[Rossm]

Yes, indeed. Absolutley.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Yes. Simple. A shame there are so few who are not.

[Heathen]

I would not have expected anything else from Jimmy. He epitomises all the values of a true sportsman.

[WonkyWasp]

Agreed

[wasps]

I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often... But that's professional sport for you.


It's very rare that the TMO won't see the grounding, and then that's split 50/50 determining on the question from the ref.


Ultimately Jimmy has upheld some integrity in the game (which has been lacking a bit recently), he's shown himself to be a genuine sportsmen, and I'm sure most of the guys out there would rather win properly, rather than having a try unfairly scrubbed off

[BarossaD]

Yes, absolutely

[Shugs]

I think he did the right thing. It was very refreshing. There is s definite tactic creeping in of players flopping all over contentious grounding scenarios just to block camera angles.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often... But that's professional sport for you.


It's very rare that the TMO won't see the grounding, and then that's split 50/50 determining on the question from the ref.


Ultimately Jimmy has upheld some integrity in the game (which has been lacking a bit recently), he's shown himself to be a genuine sportsmen, and I'm sure most of the guys out there would rather win properly, rather than having a try unfairly scrubbed off

There was a similar case recently but, I can’t remember which match. In that case the player admitted he hadn’t grounded the ball. 

[Mellie]

I was at a Wasps game at Sudbury v Rosslyn Park in the early 80s when their captain, the great Andy Ripley informed the ref that a Wasps conversation was good when the ref and touch judges were in 2 minds. Wasps won the game.

He was a top bloke too. We need more of them.

[InBetweenWasp]

I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often... But that's professional sport for you.


It's very rare that the TMO won't see the grounding, and then that's split 50/50 determining on the question from the ref.


Ultimately Jimmy has upheld some integrity in the game (which has been lacking a bit recently), he's shown himself to be a genuine sportsmen, and I'm sure most of the guys out there would rather win properly, rather than having a try unfairly scrubbed off

There was a similar case recently but, I can’t remember which match. In that case the player admitted he hadn’t grounded the ball.

Might be the same match you're thinking of (can't remember the game either - I want to say it was a Saints game, but could be totally wrong, I think it was Luke Pearce reffing who after a bundle over the line asked the team whether he needs to check it, or wasn't a try.  Thought it was an interesting bit of psychology and a clever question from Pearce. 

If the attacking team lies, he checks it and it clearly isn't a try that faith/trust is lost and they're going to be probably reffed more harshly and not given the benefit of the doubt in situations as a consequence.

Funnily enough, when Maro bundled over late on it didn't initially look like it had been grounded and Maro himself was pretty coy.  I found myself wondering whether any England player would have said 'Held up ref' and then insisted then get on with the game to go again.  Suspect they would have all stayed quiet with crossed fingers.