Thank the Lord - I thought it was just me it was doing my nut in. I was shouting about it constantly.

Leeds are the other GREAT exponents of this dark art.

Get it sorted Ref!

Ah, like Stevo's "let the game flow" argument?

Which is entirely dependent on what mood he's in. He'll be commentating on a Friday night peddling that line, then on Saturday he'll be shouting 'he should have been PENalised' every thirty seconds.

He should be PENalised.....of his job.

That comment about coaches not asking their players to infringe reminds me of a discussion I have with my old man a couple of times a season. When a senior player gives away a penalty for lieing on or holding down (used to be Joynt, now often Wilkin), My pa is close to thrombosis, berating our player. I explain that its likely the more experienced players are coached to do this when we are perhaps being a little overrun, to hinder the opposition's momentum and often they'll get away with it. He says "I'm your dad.....go to your room"

It stands true though.....if they were penailsed more often, teams on the front foot wouldn;t be slowed and the game would be fast and exciting.....or perhaps one sided with a very high score!

And i do recall a game some years back being reffed morer stringently and after half time the players were better behaved, but I couldn't quote numbers or 'owt.

I think the problem was that, around 2006 and before, refs were encouraged to give less time to the tacklers, resulting in a quicker play the ball, but it very much favoured the Brian Smith school of coaching - big forwards, quick play, run from dummy half.
Whilst the game was quick, it was perhaps limiting the amount of constructive, attractive rugby, as the ball often didn't get wide of the ruck.

When we came up against the aussies in or around 2007, we looked (more than usual) way adrift in terms of playmaking ability. That's when they decided to slow things down, give more advantage to the defenses in order to make the attacking teams come up with better plays. I think it has worked - the emergence of the full back as an extra pivot is one result.

It has gone a bit far though and I wonder whether, instead of concetrating solely on the time allowed at the play the ball, they could have a look at what I would call cynical grappling.
Genarally too many second efforts when a guys been tackled and on his way up.
Too often I see a tackled player on the floor and one of the tacklers will grab their loose arm and wrap it in an awkward position.
Very often, the player's tackled stood up, the ref shouts held and the defence are then (for some reason?) allowed half a second extra wrestling to pull him to ground.

Also, we very rarely see the sin-bin used for holding down following a break. This should be a must, IMO.