They now look at forward passes in RU. Surely we can do the same! They've just done 1 in the Wasp v Quins game and its just a normal angle they don't use any specific technology.

They should have a chip in the balls, have it linked up to a device that the coaches can see on a laptop. Then they are allowed 1 challenge in each half against a decision. It wouldn't cost much and would solve a lot of issues

how would the chip say its forward or not?? how can you guarantee the chip won't be affect in some way when the ball is kicked??

Well the technology would need to engineered so that a kick wouldn't affect it obviously. A chip with sensors in each corner and one above, would tell you the direction it has moved. As Hawkeye does. It would cost but we need to improve the game. Just an idea

You'd also need each player to have a chip as you'd need to know how the ball is passed in relation to the player. The ball can travel forward in relation to the ground but if it's backward in relation to the passing player then that isn't a forward pass. Thats the 'momentum rule' that Stevo harps on about

2 obvious options for me:

a) Watch normally and judge the pass how a ref judges a pass, by the hands not by the floor.

b) Overhead angle (or chipped ball etc), measure the velocity of the ball at the point when the pass starts, and the velocity when released. If the second is higher than the first the the ball has been passed forward. If the forward velocity is less than or equal then the ball has been passed flat/backwards. But this would be wrong with an accelerating player...that could factor in too by mapping acceleration too etc but somehow I doubt people would trust it...

Afraid you're the one who's wrong there. Players have everything to do with it. Just read the RFL definition if you don't believe me.

I wouldn't bother looking at the hands because that only works if the player is running parallel with the touchline (which is rare). I can tell whether a pass is forward by simply looking at it. If it was borderline I would ignore it but I would be able to call all the blatant ones that the refs miss.

Forward pass rule is always a tough one. Though there are many arguments for or against, I think we should keep it down to a referee decision. Yes they may not always spot it and it can have an influence on a game. But we have got on fine without it so far and though we get annoyed, all teams will have it their way at some point.

Carry on moaning as we are and we will have the VR judging the actual refs decisions. I think we should just get on with it, as annoying as it may be.

Don't know where you got that from, as I see no mention of tackled or not on that page. It talks about the relative positions of the passer and receiver only.

The bit I have issue with is this bit

The use of "invariably" (i.e. "always"icon_wink.gif for one option, and "rarely" for the other option means that there must be some occasions when a pass is both misjudgement and a deliberate offence! "Usually" or "normally" would be a better choice than "invariably" in that context.

Isn't it rightthatForward position.

i.e.

if the player that eventually catches the ball was behind/level with the player passing the ball when the ball was thrown it is not a forward pass. (Stevo's momentum rule)

It is in fact the position of the players and not the flight of the ball that matters.

Because of the ambiguity in that definition.

Is it the relative positions of the players when the ball is released, in which case a player can pass the ball forward and the player 'behind on release' may run on to the forward pass. So clearly that cannot be it.

If it is the relative positions of the players on catching the pass, then a player passing a ball backwards who is tackled after release can end up behind the ball they passed when the second player catches. Thus the relative position on catching cannot be used properly (hence my classic example, first video on a well known video sharing website for "Forward Pass" @2.36).

If it is the relative positions of [iwhere the players would have been had each carried on running at the same speed etc[/i** then you may as well ignore the players and work with the velocity that the ball already has, and if it's forward velocity is reduced* by the passing motion. The relative positions of the players could easily be ignored in this interpretation, which is the one I have always understood it as. Hence the requirement to "pass backwards".

EDITS
* Or more accurately not increased.
** This is equivalent to saying the pass is only taken relative to the passer (catcher ignored) and that they have passed behind them (heading relatively backwards at the instant of release, ignoring any other factors after release).

The "definition" part of that page is this

All the rest of it, including mention of the receiver, is just illustration. Quite simply, the passer must throw the ball backwards relative to him/herself. Nothing else matters. It really is that simple, and all mention of players speeding up, slowing down or getting tackled or not, is just confusing the issue.