HOW SLOW CAN UNION GO

Rugby ball on the green ground. Rugby Union

I have mentioned many times how the game of rugby union has been spoiled by the rule makers and referees who want to be on camera with technical penalties and infringements.

I watched the All Blacks v Argentina in game 1 and the referee Nika Amashukeli from Georgia was an absolute waste of time. Why would world rugby place a chap like this in a huge test match. The game went from whistle stop to whistle stop. Such a bore. I don’t care who wins, I just want to watch a good fair contest. This game was rubbish.

The two teams met a week later under Nic Berry as referee and this is how the game should flow. Fast with advantage being played, less penalties, explanations given to the players all the time and viewers able to understand what is going on.

On the rules I watched South Africa v Wallabies, Game 2, and here is an example of rubbish rules. When a South African player was given a yellow card, and sent from the field for ten minutes, the next time the ball was in play was two minutes later. However when the Australian player was sent to the sin bin, South Africa was able to start play in 12 seconds.

They obviously waste time to run the clock down. In scrums there were reset after reset again winding down the clock. With penalties there is a team meeting from the spot of the penalty, the ball is kicked to touch, the players make a cup of tea and slowly walk to the lineout, have another chat and then take the lineout.

This all takes about two minutes. If players want a walk ,go to the park and walk, but I want to see action, that’s why rugby league is way in front of union. To much time wasting in union, to much interference from officials, scrum resets, average referees, TMO’s who want to be on camera, video refs who go back 10 phases looking for something to not award the try.

Get on with it. Give the bloody try and move on. No need for the video bloke, he’s having a nap. Go with the ref .If he thinks its a try, good oh, move on. try.

Union is dying and dying fast. If the rule makers want people like me to pay good money to watch this code, then they need to sharpen up. There are plenty of other codes to watch and play.

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