Jacko
Argentina Referees in Argentina
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2005
- Messages
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- Current Referee grade:
- National Panel
I maybe wrong but the TMO at elite level is there to offer advice when asked by the Referee, and within agreed protocols.
In the same way Appointed ARs at Elite down to Level 4 in Engish League and elsewhere in Society matches if appointed operate under the referee's management - hence there is a pre-match briefing.
At Elite, and National Panel levels there is a Match Observer, a Referee Coach, plus a Referee Manager, all of whom have access to match video and derived stats/analytics. Plus the two Club Coaches / DoRs will submit their own feedback reports.
The Elite or Panel Referee will be his own harshest critic and will have been through the match video many times assessing his own performance.
So there is a full and comprehensive review of the match and every decision made, and those not made (sometimes as important) to identify development, interpretation, etc issues.
I am not sure what you mean by reprimand - that is not how either the elite, Panel or Society Referee development framework or pathways work. Neither in my experience do player and coach development work on reprimands, except for bringing the Game in disrepute. All errors and mistakes are opportunities to improve performance.
If you mean the TMO is there to offer advice ONLY when asked, then yes, you're wrong!
Haven't seen the incident, but if the citing is correct and this should have been a RC, then the TMO should have advised Nigel that he should take another look on the big screen and challenged him if he was still not getting it correct. If the ref does not heed this challenge, that's fine - you can take him to water but not force him to drink.
In terms of "reprimand", I assume the PRO12 refs use the same World Rugby system we have for Aviva, EPRC and WR games, so this would be noted as a non-decision and any intervention (or not) by TMO discussed.