Why bother?

[Glyndwr]

As in why do referees bother, when this is the result:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/bath/6217397.stm

One week for stamping on a player!

It's a joke and a disgrace.

 

[OB..]

Let's see what the Panel said before we rush to judgement.

 

[Simon Thomas]

As referees, we have sanctions to deliver on the pitch - FK, PK, YC and RC (which leads to disciplinary hearing).

If we do not see something then citing is the alternate route for clubs to follow.

From our dismissals and from citings it is up to the Disciplinary panel (who have juristiction over that level of match) to award the appropriate bans, based on the evidence presented to them, and iRB defined bands of punishments.

In the same way that civil and crimminal courts operate, it is the court (disciplinary panel) who decide guilt / not-guilty and sentence, not the policeman who made the arrest (the referee / citing rep).