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Greg Growden Chief Rugby Correspondent | May 23, 2009
AUSTRALIAN officials are considering following American football in having their Super 14 referees "miked up" so they can announce their decisions to the crowd.
A common complaint in rugby is that spectators at major games are often bamboozled by the referee's decisions, with some of the hand signals proving vague or confusing. Coaches and players are also often at a loss to know why their team has been penalised.
To overcome that, the Australian Rugby Union is considering trialling referees wearing microphones that are connected to the ground's public address system. When a referee awards a penalty, he would then explain to the crowd exactly why.
ARU deputy chief executive Matt Carroll said the proposal was among a list of innovations SANZAR officials recently discussed in a bid to improve the game.
"We've been kicking around some ideas for Super Rugby, and what technology we can bring to bear," Carroll said. "I just thought that the NFL having the referees explaining the decisions looks good. You do have these dead spots when the referee has made his decision, and you can see all the thought bubbles in the crowd, where spectators are wondering, 'What was that about?'
"It's something that you would trial, and see what the fans think. If the fans hate it, there's no point doing it. If they are attracted to it, then it's something we might do."
Meanwhile, the Queensland Rugby Union might openly oppose the proposed fifth Australian Super team being based on the Gold Coast, but their NSW counterparts are adopting a wait-and-see approach on the side possibly being located in their backyard - western Sydney.
QRU officials are pushing Melbourne as the best venue for the 15th team from 2011, believing that a Gold Coast side would cannibalise the Queensland rugby market.
The Waratahs will have a similar problem if SANZAR opts to place the fifth Australian team in western Sydney. But NSW Rugby Union chairman Edwin Zemancheff said yesterday it was not yet time to either support or condemn a second team being based in Sydney.
"We support the SANZAR expansion, because more rugby is critical not only to NSW but Australian Rugby generally. But at this stage we're not making any comment [on the fifth team's location], because we want to see a bit more detail," Zemancheff said yesterday.
"When that happens then we can think a bit more deeply about it. We're not saying: 'Absolutely no way another team should be in our backyard,' because I think that's the wrong approach. Instead it is important to step back, wait and see the detail, and then look at it objectively.
"We could argue both ways. Let's say the team is in Parramatta. You can argue it's good for the code because it attracts more people and players, therefore more exposure, sponsors and members. There is the counter argument that it might detract from all of those things."
Zemancheff said the Waratahs would conduct a review of their Super 14 season, and that it would be reasonably positive. "We have a culture of excellence at the Waratahs," he said. "We had high expectations for 2009, and the bottom line is that we fell short. It doesn't matter whether you fall short by an inch or a mile. We still fell short.
"There were still some real positives which came out of this year, including beating four out of the five New Zealand teams. But for me the biggest success we had this year has been the commitment shown by so many of the players re-signing with the Waratahs.
"Many of those guys had options to go to other provinces and offshore for more money, and most have decided to stay because they've got unfinished business. That's a really positive sign."
While the SANZAR expansion in 2011 will improve the Waratahs' finances, primarily through more home derbies, life until then will be difficult.
Zemancheff said: "We will have one less home game, and are already putting in plans and strategies to try and cushion what will continue to be a tough environment to operate in."
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...e#contentSwap1
Why not just run the same stuff as we hear on Sports Ears???To overcome that, the Australian Rugby Union is considering trialling referees wearing microphones that are connected to the ground's public address system. When a referee awards a penalty, he would then explain to the crowd exactly why.
May have to make all games M15+![]()
Posted via space
Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
Yeah... we kind of already have the ref announcements through Sports Ears (although they are ridiculously expensive, IMHO).
Good thing we're moving from Subi, if they want to introduce it here. Subi's PA system is rubbish.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to continue that counts.
- Winston Churchill
the professinal referees are extremely clear on every signal and they rarely get it wrong. I dont think anybody is complaining and if they are give them a link to some signals and they will take 5 seconds to learn.
Is this thread heresy?
Is nothing sacred any longer?
Whatever next; we'll need to explain our decisions to the actual players soon.........
Thin end of the wedge, if you ask me
time to bunker down EckY
Now out of subi you may see what happened...
link to referees hand signals is http://www.irb.com/mm/Document/LawsR...gnals_7687.pdf
an explanantion of the 2009 law amendments at this next link .........
http://www.irb.com/mm/document/lawsr...atory_7684.pdf
and some might just like to read the laws ......................
http://www.irb.com/mm/Document/LawsR...lores_7685.pdf
Last edited by Blackswan; 23-05-09 at 14:12.
I like the idea. Many outsider's claim not to understand why the ref has pulled up play. If they can have it explained clearly could help. It will also help spectators at the ground who may be unsure about the calls and it will keep the ref's accountable for their decisions. So maybe Aus teams might start winning more games under one Jonathan Kaplan if he has to try to explain some of his horrendous reffing decision's. Aus teams onlt win under him less than 25% of the time. A very disproportionate stat.
Law 6a5 is a nice law:
6.A.5 PLAYERS DISPUTING A REFEREE’S DECISION
All players must respect the authority of the referee. They must not dispute the referee’s decisions. They must stop playing at once when the referee blows the whistle except at a kick off.
Penalty: Penalty Kick at the place of infringement or where play would next commence.