[2017 Super Rugby] Round 2: Highlanders vs. Crusaders (04/03/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium
Time: 08:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[smartcooky]

Holy cow... that... was..... brutal...

A comeback from the the Crusaders of Patriots proportions.

 

[galumay]

What a cracker of a game! I was hoping the 'Landers would hold on, but the 'Saders juggernaut was just too much!

Game of the round so far.

 

[Five Meters Out]

Both the Crusaders wins have been hugely assisted by players from the opposition being sin binned at crucial times. In both cases (the Brumbies winger and the Highlanders Fekitoa) those players only had eyes for the ball and in all likelihood thought they were about to catch the ball, but the Crusaders player got higher and tipped over them. In my view, in both cases, it was the Crusader's jumper who placed themselves in danger by jumping into/over the opposition player. I find the rulings very frustrating, especially as they are having such a large impact on the games. If they must be ruled in this manner I would favour the player going on report for later review as opposed to being yellow carded.

 

[Makos]

Sopoaga showing he isn't All Black standard, kicking the ball away at criminal periods of the game.

I think letting Cruden go overseas is going to be one of the All Blacks biggest losses ever.

 

[smartcooky]

Both the Crusaders wins have been hugely assisted by players from the opposition being sin binned at crucial times. In both cases (the Brumbies winger and the Highlanders Fekitoa) those players only had eyes for the ball and in all likelihood thought they were about to catch the ball, but the Crusaders player got higher and tipped over them. In my view, in both cases, it was the Crusader's jumper who placed themselves in danger by jumping into/over the opposition player. I find the rulings very frustrating, especially as they are having such a large impact on the games. If they must be ruled in this manner I would favour the player going on report for later review as opposed to being yellow carded.

While I agree with you 100% on this, I also recognize that "I was watching the ball", is no excuse. This is how WR have decided that referees must adjudicate these situations, so players and coaches are going to have to bite the bullet and adapt. Players KNOW that their opponents are likely to jump for the ball, so it should not be coming as a shock to them to find an opponent in the air in front of them. Basically, if you are not jumping, you need to be ready to bail out. (see James Lowe v Ben Smith in R1 - about 1:35 in this video

watch on dropbox: - https://www.dropbox.com/s/yds703d8pduqx80/TVNZNews20170306.mp4?dl=0

or

watch on you own video player: - https://www.dropbox.com/s/yds703d8pduqx80/TVNZNews20170306.mp4?dl=1

Personally, I think WR have gone about this the wrong way, and I have stated before that I think basketball (a sport where jumping for the ball is a key part of the game) has this issue well sorted, as I outlined in this post

http://www.therugbyforum.com/thread...r-the-New-Year?p=831478&viewfull=1#post831478

Essentially, when the player (say Red 15) jumps, he must be sure that the space between his take off and his projected landing is clear at the time of the jump.

If its not clear, and he clatters Blue 12 who was already in that space at the time he jumped, that is reckless and Red 15 should be penalised for dangerous charging.

If it is clear, but Blue 12 moves into that space knowing that a Red 15 is going to land there, then that is reckless and Blue 12 is penalised for playing an opponent who is in the air.

 

[Five Meters Out]

What about a rule. "If your player has kicked the ball in the air, the opposition player has the rights to jump for it and you can't touch that player in the air." That would clearly have made Fekitoa and the Brumbies winger aware, from the minute the ball is kicked high, that they needed to be alert for incoming fullbacks. To my knowledge there's no such clear rule at present.

Personally i thought the Brumbie winger's yellow card was the most unfair of the two. That poor bloke didn't jump at all, but was merely watching the ball while running diagonally in open space, probably thinking, "I'm going to catch this and sprint away to score in the corner." The next minute Dagg launches himself right over the top of him. A cynic might think Dagg was thinking,"I either catch this ball or I get their boy yellow carded."