Nigel Owens loss of form

Lee Lifeson-Peart


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I thought NO looked really tired as he blew the whistle. I wonder if he was unwell.

I thought Fekitoa deserved a YC as did Yarde. There was quite a few players being taken out away from rucks/breakdowns. NO spotted Coles but missed Woodcock on Yarde and a few others. Watching the S15 taking men out seems to be the party piece of the NZ sides especially.
 

The umpire


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That well known supporter of referees has decided it's all our fault.

"Errors by Owens prove referees are ruining rugby
International Rugby board needs to get a handle on the laws of the game as rugby's best ref has bad day at the office
Stephen Jones Published: 8 June 2014

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THE ever-increasing prospect is that next year’s World Cup will be won (or lost) by a referee. The International Rugby Board long ago lost its grip on the laws of the game, the way they are interpreted and the consistency with which they are applied.

Events at Eden Park underlined that even the world champion team can have a grevious off day, and so can the man seen by many as the best referee in the world — Nigel Owens, of Wales.

Some examples. One of the fundamental laws of rugby, the forward pass, has evolved well beyond pantomime status because the IRB introduced a fatuous concept of physics into its application, so that forward passing is now effectively allowed. Yesterday, Owens appeared to have rewritten another simple and basic law, the knock-on.

Many times he blew his whistle and awarded a scrum when the ball had plainly been knocked back. He awarded a knock-on by Freddie Burns when there was absolutely no chance from any angle or any interpretation that the ball had not gone yards backwards.

If that added elements of farce, then there was worse to come for England. With just more than 10 minutes remaining, Owens sent England’s Marland Yarde to the sin-bin for not rolling away after a tackle. Opinions were later divided as to whether this was justified, with the majority claiming that he was correct.

But after the game, England’s coach, Stuart Lancaster, referred to “one or two things I am sure we need to look at again”. Two things, to be exact. In England’s first real attack, after Chris Robshaw had burst through the home defence, the supporting James Haskell was held back off the ball by Ma’a Nonu, who grabbed Haskell’s shirt and held on for some time.

It is the sort of offence for which the yellow card was created but Owens allowed Nonu to stay on the field.

Even worse, in the second half there was an offence which almost precisely replicated that of Yarde. New Zealand’s Ben Smith was penalised for killing a play right on the New Zealand line, (with England driving forward hungrily) by not rolling away. It was the same offence for which Yarde was later sent to the sin-bin and, again, the New Zealand man escaped.

It could at least be said that this was a rare off- day for Owens. The problem is that the bigger picture is becoming increasingly blurred, the game is disappearing up its own backside through bogus slants on old laws, or by the failure to apply recent laws. Strictness on policing the rear-feet offside line, the crooked scrum feed, the offside kick chase, and illegal ruck entry, has disappeared at enormous cost to the game.

Who is responsible for the carnage? The international referees’ manager is a Frenchman, Joel Jutge. In any remake of the Invisible Man, he will be a shoo-in for the title role. There is never any explanation for anything at any time, still less anyone admitting any errors.

No doubt Nigel Owens will be back on form by his next game, if a little late for England. Sadly, he will be refereeing against a backdrop of anarchy. "
 

ddjamo


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So you don't actually know whether the comments about his performance are justified, or whether it's just the England fans whingeing?

no I don't. but I do still wonder. I'm 10min in....
 
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Toby Warren


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Fantastic. Demonstrate England fans' bias by trotting out your ABE bias!

Once you've seen the game, and in particular 3 'yellow card' incidents - 1 given 2 not - would be interested on your view.
 

Browner

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Some of what Stephen Jones says resonates with many of our members, the posting history over the way some laws are ignored in favour of 'entertainment spectacle' proves it

His main criticism is with that, & not the rank & file ref.
 
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ddjamo


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well....early in the match I surely can empathize with the english comments...sir nige seems a bit off.

I think he may have second guessed that phantom KO at 6:30 and then had to - in good faith - hold that standard and that's where his mental whirlwind started.
 

RobLev

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Some of what Stephen Jones says resonates with many of our members, the posting history over the way some laws are ignored in favour of 'entertainment spectacle' proves it

His main criticism is with that, & not the rank & file ref.

I don't think that this:

One of the fundamental laws of rugby, the forward pass, has evolved well beyond pantomime status because the IRB introduced a fatuous concept of physics into its application, so that forward passing is now effectively allowed.

is anything other than aimed at all refs who allow the "fatuous concept of physics" to interfere with refereeing a game of rugby. What's next? A rant about lifting because gravity is just a "fatuous concept of physics"?
 

Shelflife


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In fairness stephen jones is nothing more then a paid troll, id say he has lost more readers than he brings in. hes a wannabee englishman and his theories and statements are at times laughable. Hes so bad that they rarely put him in the Irish version of the ST.

Its not the first time that he has had a go at NO and at this stage anything he has to say is taken with a bit of salt.
 

dave_clark


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I don't think that this:



is anything other than aimed at all refs who allow the "fatuous concept of physics" to interfere with refereeing a game of rugby. What's next? A rant about lifting because gravity is just a "fatuous concept of physics"?

yeah. surely the IRB laws are the ones that matter, why are we abiding by the laws of physics?

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWxZm8WjlI8) - ignore the quality.
 

leaguerefaus


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In fairness stephen jones is nothing more then a paid troll, id say he has lost more readers than he brings in. hes a wannabee englishman and his theories and statements are at times laughable. Hes so bad that they rarely put him in the Irish version of the ST.

Its not the first time that he has had a go at NO and at this stage anything he has to say is taken with a bit of salt.

A paid Rushforth, to put it another way.
 

Browner

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I don't think that this:



is anything other than aimed at all refs who allow the "fatuous concept of physics" to interfere with refereeing a game of rugby. What's next? A rant about lifting because gravity is just a "fatuous concept of physics"?

He said... " the IRB introduced" not ..."referees unilaterally introduced" we follow direction
 
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Ian_Cook


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Some of what Stephen Jones says resonates with two many of our members, the posting history over the way some laws are ignored in favour of 'entertainment spectacle' proves it

His main criticism is with that, & not the rank & file ref.

FTFY

Stephen Jones is an idiot with zero credibility, whose is opinions are mostly laughed at with anypne who has a brain and can think for themselves.

There is no cure for stupid, and Jones is no exception.
 
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Rushforth


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FTFY

Stephen Jones is an idiot with zero credibility, whose is opinions are mostly laughed at with anypne who has a brain and can think for themselves.

There is no cure for stupid, and Jones is no exception.

I dislike arguing with idiots.

Referees, moderators, judges and the like have a duty of care. For my own part, only being a referee, this means I care about the physical safety of my players. It also means I am not rude to them; even if I need to use a card I must be polite.

Ian, may I suggest that if you wish to moderate these forums, or any other forums for that matter, you refrain from using the "FTFY" meme.

Working on the assumption that you are not an idiot, your stupidity can be cured.

Strongly suggest you reread http://www.irblaws.com/index.php?charter=3 - and this applies to all over-critical of NOs performance too.
 

Ian_Cook


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Ian, may I suggest that if you wish to moderate these forums, or any other forums for that matter, you refrain from using the "FTFY" meme

Why ?
 

SimonSmith


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I have no issue with the use of FTFY, especially in this context.
 

chief


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Jones' article (although laced with bitterness) raises a very valid point. We saw some grotesque and incompetent inconsistency from that ref on Saturday. Nonu should have been dispatched to the bin earlier. Haskell was lucky he didn't get thrown to the bin either. It defies logic and common sense that Owens rightfully sends the English bloke to the bin for a cynical slow down, yet he didn't send the All Black around 10 minutes later.

What we saw was a grotesquely weak performance from an inconsistent referee. Let's hope the IRB stands up for inconsistency so SA, NZ, Argentina and Australia don't have to put up with his nonsense in the Rugby Championship. Owens clearly wasn't up to standards needed and should quite frankly take a hike to reflect the damage he has inflicted on public confidence of IRB refereeing standards. What a joke.
 

Phil E


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I dislike arguing with idiots.

Referees, moderators, judges and the like have a duty of care. For my own part, only being a referee, this means I care about the physical safety of my players. It also means I am not rude to them; even if I need to use a card I must be polite.

Ian, may I suggest that if you wish to moderate these forums, or any other forums for that matter, you refrain from using the "FTFY" meme.

Working on the assumption that you are not an idiot, your stupidity can be cured.

Strongly suggest you reread http://www.irblaws.com/index.php?charter=3 - and this applies to all over-critical of NOs performance too.

MOD
Rushforth, disagreeing with the use of ftfy is one thing, and can be done in a constructive manner. No problem.
Calling someone an idiot is different and unacceptable, please refrain from insults.
/MOD
 

menace


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Jones' article (although laced with bitterness) raises a very valid point. We saw some grotesque and incompetent inconsistency from that ref on Saturday. Nonu should have been dispatched to the bin earlier. Haskell was lucky he didn't get thrown to the bin either. It defies logic and common sense that Owens rightfully sends the English bloke to the bin for a cynical slow down, yet he didn't send the All Black around 10 minutes later.

What we saw was a grotesquely weak performance from an inconsistent referee. Let's hope the IRB stands up for inconsistency so SA, NZ, Argentina and Australia don't have to put up with his nonsense in the Rugby Championship. Owens clearly wasn't up to standards needed and should quite frankly take a hike to reflect the damage he has inflicted on public confidence of IRB refereeing standards. What a joke.

Are you kidding me? Talk about over-exaggeration! That is dribble.
"grotesque and incompetent inconsistency from that ref" - these labels are way over the top! You don't get to be a test level referee by being incompetent or inconsistent!
 
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