IRB To Review Citing Rules

So after multiple viewings of the Rougerie/McCaw incident the IRB is going to have a wee look at changing some of it's policy surrounding citing windows, or citings that fall into the "exceptional circumstance" category.

In my opinion it's a great move! Clear acts of disgraceful play like this need to be able to be revisited if found after the act. With all of the camera's floating about I'm sure we don't always pick a lot of these offenses up until everyone starts dissecting games after the fact. We need to be careful we're not going to start nitpicking on every infringement that's missed, but in the case of gouging or other facial attacks, genital thuggary (wasn't sure how to word that), and other clear acts of foul play that no one wants in the game, we can move to review them after the 36 hour window.

Link below

stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/5932461/Fresh-McCaw-gouge-footage-can-t-be-used

This is a very difficult thing for me to answer. On one hand i totally agree with this type of move but on the other hand i dont.

I want to see out and out thuggery outlawed and punished as the ref cant always see it but it does take away a bit of responsibility for the ref and AR's to take action on the field. They may become too worried to show cards or penalise players due to the fact that they know that they will be covered by a review panel.
On the flip side they may be too worried that a review panel will also judge their performance and become over zealous in their actions..

The current situation is crazy.

We get far too many citings for things that really are no more than a yellow card - then fail to get a citing for gouging.

The point of citing should be to get rid of thuggery - but not leave us with a non-contact sport.

i think they should let the video ref call things like both the ref and AR's do. (not sure how it would work) but they'd see it from the same angle as we do at home, with the chances that most things we see not picked up will be.

One problem might be bias in selection of video streams.

Presumably this snippet cam from NZTV (or whatever) on an ZV icon and was not broadcast at the time.

Would TVF have made it available?

Would any home broadcaster have done so if a player from the home team committed the crime?

AFewTooManyKnocks wrote:genital thuggary

Sounds like a French name.

For me,the point is Rougerie and McCaw should be able tohave a chance to clear there names.McCaw over the Parra incident,Rougerie over the McCaw incident.NZ or France made no representation for a citing.
From the TV footage Mc Caw looked accidental[to me],I`ve seen no footage of the Rougerie incident.Mc Caw got a finger in the eye,and was treated for it."I got a poke in the eye,don`t know if it was accidental or deliberate" was McCaws comment post match.
The Journalist concerned who bought the matter up was the NZ equivalent of Bill McLaren,not a sensaonalist.
Eye Gouging if proven is beyond the pale,and a permanant ban in my view.
BUT I cannot see ANY player stooping to such thuggery.