[Law] Discussions with Captains

Jarrod Burton


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While I was watching the Wallabies v All Blacks last night I noticed that Wayne Barnes listed the Australian Players that he was watching or had a chat with while talking with the All Blacks captain. I can't see any justification for this and if anything it provides an unfair advantage to one team over the other.

What are your positions on it? I may tell an opposition captain that I've spoken with a captain but won't outline more than that there was a chat. I think telling the opposition that I've spoken to specific players is unfairly giving them the ability to target those players.
 

OB..


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While I was watching the Wallabies v All Blacks last night I noticed that Wayne Barnes listed the Australian Players that he was watching or had a chat with while talking with the All Blacks captain. I can't see any justification for this and if anything it provides an unfair advantage to one team over the other.

What are your positions on it? I may tell an opposition captain that I've spoken with a captain but won't outline more than that there was a chat. I think telling the opposition that I've spoken to specific players is unfairly giving them the ability to target those players.
Or it could be seen as making sure the team does not seek retaliation. "Leave it to me."
 

Jarrod Burton


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It didn't seem like a leave it to me, it was more like listing the players that he was keeping an eye on, especially in scrums - I thought he lost control and credibility in the scrums by allowing the teams to engage on bind, and several times the black loosehead would bind on the crouch call. The game was spiteful but to me it was something that an elite referee shouldn't do - I don't recall him talking the same way to Hooper.
 

crossref


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If you do that with one captain you would also need to do the same with the other
 

Pegleg

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Tell Balck captain that you are watching Yellow 3, 4 and 8. Black captain thinks "right now we know who to "push". Sorry that is nuts.

Much better for me is this sort of line: "That you for your "input". However leave it to me! I'll watch then AND YOU".

I remember a WElsh Cup semi final many yeas ago where the wcrums had been a mess for 60 minutes. A new prop came on and in front of the other 15 forward and 2 SHs at the ensuing scum the ref said to him: "the scrums have been fine all day. Any trouble you are going to the bin." Needless to say the scrum when down and he was binned. Poor game management indeed.
 

Pinky


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I occasionally tell an oppo captain I have spoken to a player, especially if it is someone he has spoken to me about, but it is usually in the frame of making sure his team do not take retaliatory action.
 

Pegleg

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But would you do what the OP states : "...Wayne Barnes listed the Australian Players that he was watching or had a chat with while talking with the All Blacks captain..."
 

Ciaran Trainor


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Never, I occasionally will talk to a captain if I think one of his own players is seeing the red mist but would not tell oppo
 
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