Not straight. Again. And again.

[SimonSmith]

The replacement thrower, incidentally, was great and nailed his man, fairly, every time.

 

[Taff]

... "Sorry sir, he's our only thrower" ..

Well that's blatant bullshit IMO because the "replacement thrower did just fine".

If the thrower was genuinely incompetent, then you'd expect some of the throws to be their opponents favour wouldn't you. I'm happy to bet a pint though that all these "not straights" were in his teams favour. Am I right?

 

[Wedgie]

I had a ladies match the other week and, in common with other parts of the game, the LO was very different from a men's game. No trying to keep the lines apart - the first one lined up at least 2m apart. I looked at them quizzically, but allowed them to carry on. The throw went in as straight as a die, the jumpers went up .......and neither of them could get close to the ball which then landed between them, on the ground between the two lines. Next LO, I encouraged them to get just a bit closer together ;-)

 

[Dickie E]

the choice of line-out or scrum is much more of an advantage than a FK.

??? That would suggest a team would always take the scrum option at a FK ... which they don't do.

 

[Dickie E]

What is the difference with a line out?

a straight lineout throw is more difficult, and more subject to the vagaries of the weather, that a straight scrum feed

 

[SimonSmith]

The throws all went in one direction, and there were absolutely no mitigating factors in terms of weather

 

[Dickie E]

The throws all went in one direction,

that would be the telling factor for me. Might be different if he was spraying them all over the place.

“Mr Bond, they have a saying in Chicago: 'Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action'.”

 

[ChrisR]

From Pegkeg above: "Of course, there is no FK option at the line out we go straight to the PK."

Make that " Of course, there is no FK option at the line out for not straight, we go straight to the PK."

 

[ChrisR]

??? That would suggest a team would always take the scrum option at a FK ... which they don't do.

Agreed, they don't and "much more of an advantage" is a stretch. So, inside their own 22 they'd want to gain ground and inside the ops 22 a quick tap can be effective especially if the ops don't retire.

However, between the 22s the FK doesn't get you much if the ops retire in order. Both LOs and scrums create space by packing half the players into a box. LOs give you lots of options and scrums used to be a good attacking platform until they sank into a PK shambles.

Maybe those teams that always take a FK should reconsider.

 

[didds]

Well that's blatant bullshit IMO because the "replacement thrower did just fine".

you presume that the talents of the replacement were already, definitely, known.

Or maybe every other time he has been truly shite, and somehow that day got it right!

It is somewhat odd though. And whilst I appreciate the law does seem to accept a card for incompetence, even up to a RC, _personally_ I think thats stinks, and is another indication that the laws are written for
the very very small top level elite player level and do not reflect the huge pyramid base of weekend warriors.

And you still have "safety - ENJOYMENT - law" to consider. I fail to see that in the weeds carding someone for incompetence adds to anybody's enjoyment, except maybe the oppo's as they get a numerical advantage from it. And in the OP it actually ruined their constant supply of ball form L/O turnovers as the forced replacement could throw, it turned out!


I do appreciate I am in a minority of one here


didds

 

[didds]

??? That would suggest a team would always take the scrum option at a FK ... which they don't do.

caveats about weak scrummages aside, between the two 22s what other realistic option is there? A tap and go is about it, and is often messy, and doesn't concentrate 18 players in a small part of the pitch.

didds

 

[didds]

a straight lineout throw is more difficult, and more subject to the vagaries of the weather, that a straight scrum feed

yup. A scrum feed is a metre of getting the line right along the ground basically.

A throw in is typicall 6+m, in the air. weather potentially affecting it etc.

didds

 

[didds]

The throws all went in one direction, and there were absolutely no mitigating factors in terms of weather

In which case... the thrower, his captain, and frankly all his teammates are total and utter idiots.

why would you continue deliberately not throwing straight to your own team, in the knowledge that the ball WILL be turned over, with escalations eventually to PKs (losing territory, or even points) and eventually losing a player temporarily and then possibly permanently.

That makes no sense at all. Why WOULD you do that?

Bombay bookmakers?

didds

 

[didds]

scrums used to be a good attacking platform until they sank into a PK shambles.
.

do you guys that ref at (say) L6 and below see a PK shambles with scrummages?

didds

 

[Pegleg]

a straight lineout throw is more difficult, and more subject to the vagaries of the weather, that a straight scrum feed

And yet the Scrum feed goes through FK to PK. Whereas we miss the FK here. and "we" ping line outs but rarely ping scrum feeds.

Funny how it is (as implied by TAFF) almost always that the not straight goes towards the throwers own team. If it was genuinely "accidental" there would surely be a larger incidence of not straights going to the other side too.

If the weather is really affecting the issue use some common sense!

I think there is some naivety going on here.

 

[Rich_NL]

If you're on PKs every time, I think I'd suggest to the hooker that he aim for the opposition; at the best he'll find it going down the middle, at worst they gain possession without a PK advantage.

 

[DocY]

do you guys that ref at (say) L6 and below see a PK shambles with scrummages?

didds

Nope - I can probably count (albeit on both hands) the number of reset scrums I have per season - and the huge majority of scrum penalties are flankers not binding (typically the first scrum or two every game).

 

[FlipFlop]

Wow - all these people saying no YC.

Lets look at this. Ref has escalated. Ref has given the captain an opportunity to correct. Captain didn't try anything to correct it.

Ref sent player to bin.

Suddenly the problem goes away.

Seems to me like the card solved the problem, after the referee tried to manage it away.

Seems like a perfect use of a card to me - problem seen, attempt to solve problem, problem not solved by management (via players and captain), issue card, problem solved.

 

[Ian_Cook]

And what if you escalate to PK's and during the next 4 or 5 minutes he throws 3 more that you award 3 more quick PKs for? See where I'm going?

The reality is this won't happen. The opposing team will be throwong to the line-out, and some distance downfield too.

 

[OB..]

do you guys that ref at (say) L6 and below see a PK shambles with scrummages?

didds

No......