TMO=FORWARD PASS! ! !

Haveing watched 3 games today on telly their seemed to be a lot of calls for a forward pass.

Should the TMO becallled in to check if it was a forward pass or not.

When they showed the slomotion, It was no where near a forward pass.

So my quuestion is shlould the TMO becalled to check if a forward pass or not.?

No.

No they shouldnt, referees just need to wear contact lenses

It is rare that a forward pass is called and it is back. So often the pass is forward and missed. So many tries have forward passes in them

Mind the funniest was one today when Poite/Touch judge called it forward by Scarlets. Quinlan, 3 times says it is not, each time the replay showing thaball passed by a man inside the 22 and caught by a man outside the 22.

As to your question - no I do not want the TMO adjudicating unless it is the scoring pass - and obvious. Otherwise the game stops too much.

the assistant refs should be watching for the forward pass.

the tmo could be used more but not for this.

Isn't it really the responsibility of the men running the lines to call forward passes, anyway? Who else has a better angle?

Very very difficult to call a forward pass off a video without the camera being in the perfect place. Even then the IRB won't clarify what a forward pass even is.

HammerofThunor wrote:Very very difficult to call a forward pass off a video without the camera being in the perfect place. Even then the IRB won't clarify what a forward pass even is.

Thats the biggest issue with forward pass, unless you are standing still then technically every pass is a forward pass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=box08lq9ylg

IronMike wrote:
Thats the biggest issue with forward pass, unless you are standing still then technically every pass is a forward pass.

Nope - its perfectly possible to throw a pass backwards when running at speed but a "momentum" pass is forward - the law is clear - if the ball travels towards the tryline it is forward

TJ, you're right of course, but the law isn't interpreted in line with its wording.

I think the best move would be to state simply that the ball cannot go forward relative to the passing player. This would preserve the spirit of the law as it has always been understood, but clarifies the position in relation to the effect of the momentum of the passing player on the motion of the ball.

So, a pass by a tackled player (no longer moving forwards) will have no momentum advantage, and must go backwards. Obviously some allowance will have to be made when a passing player is tackled (or for any reason collides with his opposite man) so that the ball seems to go forward.

If this did happen, the Super 15 try rate would drop dramatically

gcBlues wrote:If this did happen, the Super 15 try rate would drop dramatically

Having watched a fair few games hungover on a Sat morning on Sky Player I think you're right

Something should be said for the action of the pass. It's easy to tell if a pass is thrown forward, backwards or level.

Trying to pass backwards when a winger is running flat out is nearly impossible.

If that player gets tackled as soon as he passes - the ball will look like it travels miles forward.

"If that player gets tackled as soon as he passes - the ball will look like it travels miles forward"

That's because it does trabvel miles forward.

The problem with the current interpretation is that the judgement of what is or is not forward varies so much dependion on location on the pitch. If the pass is thrown near a line, forward passes are often given for marginaly forward ('momentum') passes, but the same isn't true well away from the lines.

The interpretation of 'momentum' and 'throw the ball backwards' is equally subjective, and could easily lead to passes that are several yards forwards being allowed.

Have to say though, the forward pass against Ospreys before Sarries second try was an extremely tough call - I think it was pretty much flat, but looked a bit forward becauase Shane got ahead of the ball and caught it almost behind him. Was awarded by the TJ, who was ideally placed, but I think got it wrong (and as others have pointed out, it is very unusual to have an OK pass given as forward, but not for forward passes to be missed).

Every stadium so be set up with a complex series of sensors along with all players boots. The ball should be equipped with sensors also and be multicolored, staying white at most times but turning red if travels forward while not being held by a player or after being kicked. It might cost £2bn to implement but hopefully we can get EU/IMF funding for this. Also the clock should be linked into the ball so that once the 40/80 minutes are up, the ball explodes/deflates/turns red.

Simple really.

That video shows that it should be relative to the 2 players, if the receiver is parallel or behind the passer its deemed a fair pass, despite the momentum allowing the ball to travel forwards during the pass.

No it doesn't -= the law is clear - it has to be backwards in relation to the ground. what the video shows is why folk get confused because not all forward passes look forward