The White Card: Useful or not?

[TRF_Ezequiel]

This is the second week of Super Rugby and we have seen a couple of situations where the referee pulls out a white card. Last week we had Mark Lawrence who used the new card when Andries Strauss (Cheetahs) performed a tip-tackle on Wikus van Heerden Lions). The referee also gave a yellow card, proving that he determined the tackle as an infringement. In this case, you can argue if a white card was necessary. When a player is given a yellow card, the citing commissioner is already focused on this incident.

Should a white card be given only when the referee isn't clear if it is an infringement (therefor not giving a yellow or red card) or is this the right way of using it?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The above example is wrong, but the way it was used in the Rebels game this morning was right.
Tom Carter went over to the Ref and said he'd been eye gouged, the referee got the white card out and said that it's on report and will be investigated afterwards.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Haven't encoded that match yet so not able to upload that incident at the moment but will do that later this weekend

 

[TNT88]

Lyndon Bray discussed this briefly on 'the rugby club' the other night. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[Tomsey]

Should a white card be given only when the referee isn't clear if it is an infringement (therefor not giving a yellow or red card) or is this the right way of using it?

Yes.

 

[TNT88]

Here you go:



Bray talks briefly about the white cards from about 7.15

The whole interview is good so I uploaded it in full. Ignore the stupid things our commentators say please! I agree in advance...

 

[Feicarsinn]

G'wan the Bray!

 

[welshglory]

From that video it basically sounds like the commentators want to turn rugby into league!

 

[SelimNiai]

So a white card can only be given if the miscreant(s) are unidentified? If the ref sees who dunnit and doesn't bin or red card him thats the refs incompetence?

 

[TNT88]

So a white card can only be given if the miscreant(s) are unidentified? If the ref sees who dunnit and doesn't bin or red card him thats the refs incompetence?

See the Strauss incident that Bray talks about. He could see that a lifting tackle occurred but was in no position to judge what angle/s he was dropped at. (and his positioning was fairly standard for that part of the field). So he gave a yellow card for a dangerous tackle and gave the white card so that Strauss would be questioned about the incident soon after the game. Without the white card, it would have just been yellow.

In another game Tom Carter claimed he was eye gouged in a ruck and had blood on his eye. The ref didn't see it so just gave a white card.

I can see why people might think it is mainly cosmetic effect, but I don't see what it has to do with referee incompetence or whatever.

 

[big ginger 8]

One of the Franks' recieved one today.