Is cheating football style the future of rugby?

With the sad decline in integrity, competency and fairness of refereeing, certainly in the disgraceful pro12, we saw today that to get the (correct) result, that a player had to take the game in to his own hands, and effectively con the referee by diving. I personally would never condone this.

But he did it.

And his team won.

This moment was PIVOTAL in the game.

Is this what is to come unless we see NEUTRAL refereeing. From officials that aren't employed by the same organisation as the players they are refereeing?

It's been trending since a couple of years, top 14 is a lot worse in that regard i can tell you. Only super rugby seems to have kept some integrity.

Yes, I'm sure if the referee had a Welsh accent Matawalu would have acted entirely differently.

Notch wrote:Yes, I'm sure if the referee had a Welsh accent Matawalu would have acted entirely differently.

You ok hun?

It's a genuine topic. This is creeping in to the game. Because of the officiating.

Life is full of disappointments, but I wouldn't worry about me. You, on the other hand, have been out to wind up Ulster fans all season. It would be very easy for you to try and continue now. But that would be unnecessarily antagonistic and endanger your future on the forum both in the long-term and short. Be a good sport and it'll be fine.

There was no need to bring up Ulster. You did that.

It all started with Harlequins bloodgate.

Please remove this complete t.,w.,a.,t someone.

Chunky Norwich wrote:There was no need to bring up Ulster. You did that.

Anyone with a shred of intelligence knows exactly what you are doing, Chunky. You are trying to be subtle and it may fool a few posters on here (ScarletsSpiderman comes to mind) but you are making this forum very unpleasant for everyone else. I am sure that is the reaction you desire, but I suspect (and hope) you will only be allowed to go so far with it.

Sorry but I believe the subject matter needs to be discussed.

It's showing your chavvy side chunkles now please do one

If you disagree with the sentiment, please explain why.

Whinging makes you look like a bad sport.

Cheating became 'de rigeur' when Welsh Skipper Matthew Rees threw Mike Phillips the quick throw to beat Ireland and got away with it.

I suppose it's unsurprising that countries that have a big football presence like England and Wales are more prone to it. Matawalu will do well at Bath.

Exagerating impacts is creeping into the game.

However absolutely bugger all to do with refs and all down to WR insisting outcome is penalised rather than the action.

The Great Aukster wrote:

I suppose it's unsurprising that countries that have a big football presence like England and Wales are more prone to it. Matawalu will do well at Bath.

Says Ireland. The country obsessed with English football.

Lets not take the debate in that direction. There is a serious issue at hand.

LondonTiger wrote:

However absolutely bugger all to do with refs and all down to WR insisting outcome is penalised rather than the action.

You see, this is my entire point.

Tonight shows that it IS ABSOLUTELY to do with refs. And the players had to do something to counter the performance of the officiating. One of them did it.............and what he did, in my opinion ultimitaley won them the game.

Chunky, I find it incredible how people can come on here and talk about 'football style' cheating like play-acting. 

To me there's no 'future' about it. Holding in rucks, shirt pulling, blocking have been a happily ignored form of cheating for years now. 

You don't call for sticter refereeing and citing of these type of cheats as far as I have seen.

There's no heirarchy. You either play with honour or you don't.

clivemcl wrote:Chunky, I find it incredible how people can come on here and talk about 'football style' cheating like play-acting. 

To me there's no 'future' about it. Holding in rucks, shirt pulling, blocking have been a happily ignored form of cheating for years now. 

You don't call for sticter refereeing and citing of these type of cheats as far as I have seen.

There's no heirarchy. You either play with honour or you don't.

I totally agree.

It's just that winning was more than honour tonight.

Chunky Norwich wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:Cheating became 'de rigeur' when Welsh Skipper Matthew Rees threw Mike Phillips the quick throw to beat Ireland and got away with it.

I suppose it's unsurprising that countries that have a big football presence like England and Wales are more prone to it. Matawalu will do well at Bath.

Says Ireland. The country obsessed with English football.

Lets not take the debate in that direction. There is  a serious issue at hand.

Sorry I though this was a serious thread about cheating - I should have known better.

Chunky Norwich wrote:

clivemcl wrote:Chunky, I find it incredible how people can come on here and talk about 'football style' cheating like play-acting. 

To me there's no 'future' about it. Holding in rucks, shirt pulling, blocking have been a happily ignored form of cheating for years now. 

You don't call for sticter refereeing and citing of these type of cheats as far as I have seen.

There's no heirarchy. You either play with honour or you don't.

I totally agree.

It's just that winning was more than honour tonight.

There is NO difference between pulling a shirt and over-acting. Both are equally NOT skills that contribute towards the excellence of the sport.

Chunky Knob

As much as I hate to see the sort of behaviour displayed by Matawalu, Ulster didn't lose the game because of him. Not using our bench probably cost us. I say probably because Glasgow were intense throughout the game, even though they lost a couple to injury early on, and their defence was outstanding.