Mark Lawrence answers readers' questions.

1. Name: Matthew Bell

Question: Hey guys. I've noticed more and more that big tackles are being regarded as "dangerous" and thus being penalised or sometimes sin binned under the "tip-tackle" law. It seems to me that if a big hit is made or a players feet leave the ground in any tackle referees are quick on the whistle. Don't you feel this is taking away from the much loved physical aspect of the game? Is it really necessary?

Mark Lawrence: Hi Matthew,

Thanks for an interesting question.

One does seem to get the impression that rugby has gone ”soft”. No more rucking the opponent or boots on players, no big hits, even the good old days of the mass brawl with a couple of big swinging punches are history!

Well, the professional era has brought on numerous new dimensions to rugby. The game is a lot faster and harder than before. Athletes training all day and every day,  has given rise to a bigger, stronger player. Australian stats showed us that in the amateur era, the average back line center was on average under 80kg and under 6ft in height. Now they are over 6ft tall and over 90kg in weight.

I have just read that New Zealand did a study on rugby injuries and they conclude that 60% of all injuries are from dangerous tackles. Our local experts all tell us that most neck injuries occur from tackles and not in scrums as we would presume.

I think we need to give the IRB credit here, as they constantly study the SHAPE the game is taking and introduce measures to look after player welfare. I think it is very necessary to prevent injuries, especially neck injuries, as one neck injury in my book, is one too many. The tip tackle or spear tackle is outlawed because there have been numerous players left seriously injured and while our professional players  are well trained and can cope with theses kind of tackles, players at the lower level, who play social rugby, are in NO shape to contend with dangerous tackles and can be seriously hurt. 

Matt, it is a game for all people and we need to consider that junior players will copy what they see their heroes do on TV. Let’s keep it clean and safe at the highest level as this will filter down to the very lowest level. A SAFE game for all shapes and sizes.

Regards, Mark

2. Name: Johann Delport

Question: Hi

Thank you for a great site. I have learned a lot from it. 

I referee in England and our season is about to start and I just want to clarify a one of the newer law amendments.

Law 15.6 (c) as in Right or Wrong - Clip 6, Tuesday, 18 August 2009. 

The two Sharks players bring the Lions player to ground but they stay on their feet and try and play the ball and it looks as if they didn't release the Lions player. 

Now as I understand Law 15.6 (c) they will have to release the player and the ball before being allowed to play it again. Which seems to be what is said in the clip, but then it goes and says that they were on their feet and were allowed to play.

This has unfortunately caused me a bit of confusion. Was the penalty right or should it have been against the two Sharks players?

Johann

Mark Lawrence: Hello Johann,

Thanks for a very good question. I must say that I always rewarded players on their feet who got to the ball first. This included the tackler, who over time has become a big problem at the breakdown. I know that a few years ago in the Heineken cup, all and sundry, decided that referees were referee the tackler strictly and even if in doubt, afford the tackler no leniency. The stats showed that the result of clamping down on the tackler was that  tries per game went up by 2!!

The current trend in union (as in league) is to gang tackle. That means we often have 2 players tackling 1 ball carrier and often one of the “tacklers” does not go to ground. Unless he releases the ball and ball carrier, that ball is not going to be contestable or available and accordingly we often penalize the ball carrier for holding on.  Now unless we can get that player (who is on his feet) to release momentarily that breakdown is going to be a mess. Law 15.6  is there to address this. Apply it like you would any other law and players will learn and respond. Your initial understanding is correct in terms of law so don't be confused. Remember that at the breakdown, accuracy of your decisions is more important than popularity!

All the best for the season

Regards, Mark

3. Name: John Davies

Question: I was desperately sad and shocked to read of the circumstances leading up to Willie's resignation. I must declare an interest as I organised his first international exchange to the UK and subsequently have gained great pleasure in seeing him progress to the pinnacle of blowing. I am also the disciplinary secretary for Warwickshire. Match official abuse is not just a South African problem but eats away at the very fabric of our game. In fact I feel match official abuse is a greater danger to the game than the use of fake blood which is getting a lot of press here. 

My questions are: what is /can be done by referee officialdom and governing bodies to rid our game of these corrosive acts ? Secondly what advice would you give a new referee who is climbing the ladder on how to handle the situation when the line between banter and abuse is crossed?

In Warwickshire we have a good rapport with our CB and miscreants have received significant punishment. We see this as vital to the retention of our match officials.        

Mark Lawrence: Hello John,

Nice to hear from you and thank you for your statement and questions. If there is any referee out there who has not been abused in some way, I would like to meet him. I just don't know what we are going to do about this. In my career,  I learnt the hard way, as from the very start, I attended every after-match function and at times I had to face the music. I must say, I learnt a lot about supporters' biased perceptions and I certainly learnt a lot of man-management skills. It was survival of the smartest. However, how do you reason with someone who chucks a drink in your face or the coward that hurls a bottle?

What I can say is that I fear match officials numbers are going to decline rapidly and accordingly so will the standard as inexperienced referees will have to handle the bigger matches – and that is a recipe for disaster.

I guess all match officials in SA are now waiting to see how SARU and the referee department are going to react to this. The jury is still out so here’s holding thumbs for the future of match officialdom

Wishing you all well up north.

Kind regards, Mark