Quote: Cruncher "I find it a bit suspicious that while we seem to have worked on tackling technique, trying to bring our shots down onto the body rather than up around the shoulders, we are suddenly getting pinged for lots of technicals. I'm not saying that referees are bent, but some of them just can't seem to let the game flow.
There are certain things that really need to change. The levelling up of penalty counts, etc. If a referee wants to know what the penalty count is, he should keep it himself ... and not ask for it from some stats man. Why does he even to know? If he's doing his job properly, it's irrelevant what the penalty count is.'"
It's the what I call situational pens that drive me nuts. Perfect example is a markers not square type pen. There was one Vs Hudds where our guys were both slightly over to the short side and Hudds went open. It was an obvious disadvantage to us, but he still give the pen. The situation had no impact on either, Hudds ability to attack, or the wider flow of the game. It was just a moronic, binary decisions with no feel/thinking for the game, or anyone else apart from his own box ticking exercise.
People wanting to watch a game of rugby break out? F them, we've got pens to give. People supporting their team and wanting to see fair decisions (Mago no try)? F them, it's more important the ref backs himself than making a right call.
In every sense of the word, they really are pathetic.
