Ireland v England

[Donal1988]

Two things that Mr Lawrence did I'd like to ask about

- Ben Youngs yellow card. Was it for throwing the ball into the crowd preventing a QT or was it for throwing the ball into touch? Seemed harsh at first glance. I'd have happily settled for a lineout to Ireland and a warning. There was no real option of a quick throw anway.

- Ruck formed. Mr Lawrence calls "ball is out". Irish players try to come challeneg for it and are continued to be blocked by English players. Referee gives England scrum for unplayable at ruck. If ball is out then it can't be unplayable at ruck. Its a bloody PK to Ireland and a cop out by the ref.

 

[Zulu_Bravo]

YC was for preventing a quick throw. It looked a tad harsh through my green-tinted glasses. Agree with your second point.

 

[Sphinx]

So far a very poor performance by england and the ref.

 

[Bungle]

I'd like to ask him one question: how on earth can you be a professional or elite referee and carry that much timber round your midrift?

There are no excuses if it is your job. Everytime the camera went to him it was the first thing I noticed and I instinctively felt less of him regardless of whatever he decided.

 

[Zulu_Bravo]

Bungle - as an 8+1 ref you ought to know he will be subjected to regular and rigorous physical testing. He would not be out there if he was carrying timber. Far more likely to be his comms gear.

 

[PaulDG]

- Ben Youngs yellow card. Was it for throwing the ball into the crowd preventing a QT or was it for throwing the ball into touch? Seemed harsh at first glance. I'd have happily settled for a lineout to Ireland and a warning. There was no real option of a quick throw anway.

Preventing a potential QT.

Harsh, but as a way of setting out the stall, I've no problem with it.

But, Ireland prevented England from taking quick FKs several times in the game by walking away with the ball, obstructing and so on. Never penalised.

Consistency there would have been nice. Wouldn't have affected the result, but would have been nice.

 

[Bungle]

Zulu - you could see his belly button in the middle of the bulge under his shirt. If there was a comms kit infront or at the side the bulge would look different. If it was at the back....

I fully accept that he will be regularly tested etc but when you get upto higher levels you are told you have to sell your decisions by looking the part. IMHO his physical shape detracted from his game. Other refs have struggled with this - Nigel Owens also seems to have piled it on a bit this season.

 

[Zulu_Bravo]

I'm sorry but that's rubbish. The levels these guys are tested to mean they will not be overweight and / or lacking in fitness. You simply won't pass those tests if you've got a gut bulging beneath your shirt.

 

[OB..]

Well done Ireland.

Load of rubbish from England.

It looked as if Ireland had at least twice the energy and commitment.

 

[niall murphy]

Did anyone else think Ireland were slow to form the lineout and the ref just seemed to wait for them, while they were in a huddle discussing the next play ?

 

[Buzz]

Zulu - you could see his belly button in the middle of the bulge under his shirt. If there was a comms kit infront or at the side the bulge would look different. If it was at the back....

I fully accept that he will be regularly tested etc but when you get upto higher levels you are told you have to sell your decisions by looking the part. IMHO his physical shape detracted from his game. Other refs have struggled with this - Nigel Owens also seems to have piled it on a bit this season.

According to NO's latest fitness test his body fat has dropped and his lean muscle mass has increased, so maybe the 'piling on' is the effect of his improved stats

 

[Ian_Cook]

Two things that Mr Lawrence did I'd like to ask about

- Ben Youngs yellow card. Was it for throwing the ball into the crowd preventing a QT or was it for throwing the ball into touch? Seemed harsh at first glance. I'd have happily settled for a lineout to Ireland and a warning. There was no real option of a quick throw anway.

YC was for preventing a quick throw. It looked a tad harsh through my green-tinted glasses. Agree with your second point.

Not harsh at all IMO. Ireland were hot on attack and England were in disarray, with very few defenders. Deliberate, cynical offence while defeding in the "red zone" - YC is deserved.

- Ruck formed. Mr Lawrence calls "ball is out". Irish players try to come challeneg for it and are continued to be blocked by English players. Referee gives England scrum for unplayable at ruck. If ball is out then it can't be unplayable at ruck. Its a bloody PK to Ireland and a cop out by the ref.

I thought he had already ruled the ball unplayable when it popped out (which happens often).

 

[Toby Warren]

Well done Ireland.

BL not my fav ref, sadly didn't much today to change my view.

 

[Ian_Cook]

BL not my fav ref, sadly didn't much today to change my view.

Well he's not my favourite either, but TBH I didn't see a lot wrong with his game today.

Are there specific things you saw that you disagreed with?

 

[Toby Warren]

Mainly his mgmt style grates, both Easter and BOD seemed to take him to task at time. I thought he was poor at scrum time and both teams very slow at clearing the tackle are, YC harsh but not horrid.

To be clear he didn't cost England this game, Ireland fully deserved their win.

 

[Account Deleted]

A lot of high tackles from the Irishman O'Callaghan went unpunished. The Irish seem to like to second "tackler" to go high to keep the "tackled" player on his feet and force a maul and turnover ball.This leads to "careless" highs from them. BL did not pick them up all day.

 

[Toby Warren]

Lots of complaints about Bowe's try from my club mates, apparently a high tackle on Fodden earlier anyone else see this deleted it now in disgust!

 

[peperami]

Lots of complaints about Bowe's try from my club mates, apparently a high tackle on Fodden earlier anyone else see this deleted it now in disgust!

Yes after the kick was gone nearly lost his head, initial contact was shoulders, ended up under the neck.

I thought Bryce didnt have his best game, but did not make diference to the result.

On the yellow card, harsh and as some said inconsistent with what happened at other times.

Also I think that Ronan O'gara was lucky not to get spoken to when he got up and kept going at it even though the England player was backing away.


Ben

 

[didds]

YC was for preventing a quick throw.

which was quite possibly never on. especially at a 5m l/o, tactically.

later in the game England win a FK at a scrum... as it breaks up and England MAY have a chance of a quick tap as irish defense is in a mess, several Irish forwards manage to oh-so-accidentally trip over the ball and continue to disrupt any opportunity to collect it to make said quick tap.

what's the difference?

didds

 

[didds]

Well he's not my favourite either, but TBH I didn't see a lot wrong with his game today.

Are there specific things you saw that you disagreed with?

2/3rds of the irish front row just stand up under pressure. reset with ireland put in!

if ashton's high tackle was a PK, then what about the tackle on Foden that preceded a a l/o that Ireland scored from the subsequent play? If it wasn;t a high tackle then it was late!

Young's YC versus irish forwards "tripping over" the ball when England are wanting to take a quick tap?

none of these things altered the (deserved) result. Though they potentially had prevented some rythm being created.

I am sure Irish eyes saw things they were unhappy with as well

didds