O'Driscoll injury

[BCH24]

I didn't see this myself, so sorry if this is wrong, but I heard O'Driscoll went off injured with a knee injury in the Heineken Cup Final but then came back on to the field of play later on. Was this a blood injury? If not, why would Nigel Ownes let him back on? Just interested if anyone noticed this please.

 

[The Fat]

I thought the same when he came back on but just thought that I must have missed that it was for blood. Maybe it was a cut to knee.

 

[Mike Whittaker]

How long was he off for? Was he subbed?

 

[Account Deleted]

The official line is Blood.

 

[Simon Thomas]

It was a blood injury and signalled as such by the 4th / 5th official.

There will have been a match replacement slip filled in by Leinster with all the details entered on it, including blood injury (time off & elapsed time back on), which was given to the 4th / 5th official.

 

[Dixie]

Welcome to the forums, BCH24. Nigel Owens, like all elite refs, has far too much on his plate managing the game itself to worry about whether the substitutions are being correctly managed. Throughout the English National League level, a 4th Official is assigned delegated responsibility for this. It's a demanding task - you do nothing for an hour except time and manage any yellow cards, and then all hell breaks loose with both sides wanting to make multiple substitutions over a very short period of time.

Above the national leagues, in the Championship and Premiership, more officials are added as more stuff needs to be managed accurately and timeously. In many cases, the referee has no need even to wear a watch.

 

[irishref]

wasn't Nigel Owens the ref during the infamous bloodgate game a few years back? I seem to remember him questioning the substitution of Nick Evans at the time it took place. Evans was being carried off since it was common knowledge he had a dodgy knee, but the management insisted it was a tactical substitution - which of course gave him the leeway to come back on as the blood replacement to "ahem" score (or miss) the dropgoal attempt at the death!

 

[Account Deleted]

He was indeed. Not one of Dean R's finest moments.

 

[FlipFlop]

The issue with the sub law is - why would ANY player come off for injury, rather than tactical sub? The answer is - they won't, except for.....

.... when being injured allows a previous FR player to return
.... when they are injured by blood (to allow anyone to return)
.... when they can't fake it (i.e. ambulance required on pitch)

This is a problem with the laws on replacements.

 

[Simon Thomas]

The issue with the sub law is - why would ANY player come off for injury, rather than tactical sub? The answer is - they won't, except for.....

.... when being injured allows a previous FR player to return
.... when they are injured by blood (to allow anyone to return)
.... when they can't fake it (i.e. ambulance required on pitch)

This is a problem with the laws on replacements.

I was 4th official at Hampshire v Sussex County Champs match recenty and both sides had the Replacement Chits' Reason line pre-filled with "tactical". One Hampshire player was carried off with a bad knee and could not put any weight on his leg - but the Hampshire DoR insisted it was a tactical replacement with a wink (Anthony Allen's dad and England Schools cap of a certain vintage in the 70s :biggrin

 

[Taff]

I was 4th official at ... match recenty and both sides had the Replacement Chits' Reason line pre-filled with "tactical".

Doesn't that make the law a joke?

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I know lets have a Deeeefence, an Arffffence and special teams.

What a load of old crap substitutions/replacements (at higher levels) are!

 

[L'irlandais]

How long was he off for? Was he subbed?

Off for about 7 minutes :

At 68 minutes of play Blue13 limped off, replaced by Blue 23
At 76 minutes Blue 13 comes back on and Blue 15 leaves the field of play.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Doesn't that make the law a joke?

not really, as Law 3 only covers the basics........................and leaves the detailed rules for rolling subs to the Home Union and Competition Regulations :biggrin:

 

[Phil E]

Doesn't that make the law a joke?

I think you'll find 'The Law is an Ass', not a joke.

 

[didds]

which just goes to show that everybody colludes in the malpractise at the end of the day.

maybe not to Richards type levels, but nonetheless.

didds

 

[Simon Thomas]

or decides to ignore a law or regulation that is not applicable, redundant, immaterial, etc

 

[Davet]

3.8 THE DECISION FOR PERMANENT REPLACEMENT

(a) When a national representative team is playing in a match, a player may be replaced only when, in the opinion of a doctor, the player is so injured that it would be unwise for that player to continue playing in that match.

(b) In other matches, where a Union has given explicit permission, an injured player may be replaced on the advice of a medically trained person. If none is present, that player may be replaced if the referee agrees.

The default position is that a player is NOT being replaced -
In internationals he can only be replaced by order of a doctor
In other games by order of a doctor (if the union has given authority) OR only when the ref agrees.

In other words if the Doctor does not order the replacement or the ref feels he is not injured too badly to continue, then he is substituted not replaced.

 

[didds]

or decides to ignore a law or regulation that is not applicable, redundant, immaterial, etc

so why is it there?

Its not a dig at you Simon... I just don't see the point in laws/regs/rules which everybody then agrees to totally ignore.

Its tawdry. (said in best shocked home counties voice)

didds

 

[Simon Thomas]

no dig taken Didds - I ask the same question frequently.

the answer is more elusive than The Scarlet Pimpernel or a side stepping English fly half :biggrin: