The IRB law directives for the World Cup?

Paddy O'Brien had a meeting with the media and stated that referees had been briefed on 5 key areas and how to manage them:

1) Mauls
2) Offside
3) Scrums
4) Obstruction

There was, in the words of Martin Gillingham (the ITV commentator) and Stuart Barnes, an emphasis on letting the attacking team play. What do you make of this?

Personally, I think it's all overplayed and the defending player who's on their feet has every right to contest the ball. I would rather the referees focus on players being sloppy at the breakdown going off their feet and stopping a contest.

I have to say, and I'm not blaming George Clancy at all because he's only following the directives, but if the tournament goes like the opening game in terms of interpretation then I'm not looking forward to it at all - far too much inconsistency still

All they did was remiond they to start enfocing the previous interpretation directives again.
The IRB were concerned that the changes made last year (which had a positive effect on the game) ghad slowly slipped.

Rucks ...The general principle is thet the attacking team should be given the opportunity to recyle the ball quickly (tackler release), its then up to them to take it....and someone to be there supporting.
Offside...enforce the line strictly
Scrums...just get on with, make up a rule, penalise someone who wasnt even there etc
Obstruction ...enforce the laws, watch for crossing etc. Im not sure if this included cracking down on teamshaving a blocker infront on the wrong side of the ruck stopping the opposition entering it legally.

Scrums won't be any improvement. Referees simply don't know what goes on in there. It annoys me that tight heads are hanging on the sleeve of the opposing LH, dragging them down. It happens all the time, and refs and linesmen just ignore it!
Breakdown - as long as attacking teams stop flopping over the ball and sealing it off, I'll be happy.

What they need to do is sort out the pause when setting a scrum some refs have a ridiculously long pause.

Cymroglan wrote:What they need to do is sort out the pause when setting a scrum some refs have a ridiculously long pause.

Refs are told to have a ridiculously long pause unfortunately.

or they could just get the linesmen and themselves to enforce the straight put in.

Straight put in = the Hooker having to hook the ball, this means the props are having to do their job of 'propping' the hooker, therefore there is less emphasis on the collision and more on retaining and securing the ball under a stable scrum.

This should see less collapses, less injuries and allow the scrum to function as it should.

TMO should be able to relay to the ref if the front row are boaring in and not driving straight. Only using this example as it fits perfectly, in the 1st warm up game between England and Wales. The welsh scrum was penalised several times for coming up, losing binding etc. Dean Ryan showed excellent footage of one of the occasions when wales were penalised show both english props driving in and also stated how it was illegal and the penalty should have been to wales? Do you think this would help?

nope, I reckon if the props had the job of stabilizing the Hooker then they'd concentrate more on a straight push

fair point 13

of course, they could still bore in once the ball is secured (either side) but there would be a gap of time for the fight for possession by the Hookers to finish.

I've heard that the refs directive has carried on some very inportant laws from the last 6 World cups and that is that,

A) the All Blacks must NEVER be penalised, under any circumstances by any official, including 4th official, and if in doubt about an All Black infringement, the opposition must be penalised forthwith.

B)Any benefit of the doubt regarding off-side must be given to said All Blacks, and when a team is attacking (if All Black) they are to be given said benefit of doubt, especially re -forward passes.

C )Any benefit of the doubt, when All Blacks are defending is of course to be given to them.

In a codicill to above law regarding Off-side, the All Black number 7 and Captain is to be allowed to play continually off-side and must never be penalised under any circumstances, and in very rare instances an official will be allowed to tackle opposition players on behalf of said All Blacks.

Seems to me the All Blacks have a mountain to climb with rules like these!!

I thhink the reminder is fair enough, in that:
1. it essentially repeats the advice given 2 years ago.
2. that decision was made by the IRB.
3. it's obvious refs haven't been implenting them, some more than others.

My issue is that they didn't do something earlier. From what I've seen in the last three days, the game could benefit from quicker ruck ball and more continuity. But they missed the boat by not addressing the issues this year. It means a number of refs, e.g. Clancy and Barnes have to make significant chages to what they look at. I can't see that happening at this late stage. It's not fair on the teams either. Most of the 6 nations teams have been able to systematically infringe at the initial tackle (everybody infringes oneway or another). I think it's asking a lot to get teams to change their basic technique at this late stage. It just makes a mess and causes resentment. Worst of all the fans aren't used to the infringements being pinged, so we think the refs made an error.