Rugby

[MissWalshy]

I thought the ref was particulary good. When they had the bust up and he sent them to the sin bin - Funny when he said and you got involved you're off too. Then he told the captains to have a word because it was getting really firey.

Good game. Really enjoyed it.

[Niall]

I thought the ref was particulary good. When they had the bust up and he sent them to the sin bin - Funny when he said and you got involved you're off too. Then he told the captains to have a word because it was getting really firey.

Good game. Really enjoyed it.

if refs in soccer had the same approach itd be a whole lot better

[firehazard]

if refs in soccer had the same approach itd be a whole lot better

Or perhaps if they had the option of sending players to the sin bin?

[MissWalshy]

I thought the ref was particulary good. When they had the bust up and he sent them to the sin bin - Funny when he said and you got involved you're off too. Then he told the captains to have a word because it was getting really firey.

Good game. Really enjoyed it.

if refs in soccer had the same approach itd be a whole lot better

I too think that the refs in football should take a leaf out of the ruggers ref book. So many bad decisions are made and if they had playback on the big screen etc it would save loads of arguements. Esp between friends. e.g. did Jermain deserve that penalty yesterday??

[Shaz]

if refs in soccer had the same approach itd be a whole lot better

Or perhaps if they had the option of sending players to the sin bin?

Yeah, I'd like to see that in soccer. I always wanted to see soccer try that old rugby ruling where, if a player couldn't keep his mouth shut, the ref moved the other side forward five metres. It usually did the trick immediately. In soccer, some teams would spend the match camped out on their own goal-line

[MissWalshy]

We have a player on my team called Clinton Morrision. Now he does not know when to shut up. He's like mouth almighty. There was a foul against our player and the ref made the wrong decision.. and clint has to run over and cause a big scene. Totally unnecessary... and then the ref goes and gives him a yellow card. Good. He deserved it. He wasn't anywhere near the foul if anything it should of been the captain going mad.. not mouthy!

Sorry.. i'm going on and on...

Back to rugby lol..

[firehazard]

if refs in soccer had the same approach itd be a whole lot better

Or perhaps if they had the option of sending players to the sin bin?

Yeah, I'd like to see that in soccer. I always wanted to see soccer try that old rugby ruling where, if a player couldn't keep his mouth shut, the ref moved the other side forward five metres...

It's a good rule, that "moving-forward" one, especially as players get to know that a bit of dissent can lead to an easier chance of three points for the opposition. I'm sure it cuts down on the backchat.

The use of video technology is good, but it doesn't mean the decision is always going to turn out right. As an example, there was a perfectly sound England try wrongly disallowed by the video ref in the game against the All Blacks, when if the ref on the pitch hadn't had the option of using the technology, he'd surely have awarded the try himself. I guess it's a bit of swings and roundabouts on that one.

Two other rugby rules that soccer could properly adopt would be the advantage rule; and the idea of stopping the clock every time there's a break in play - does away with all arguments over added-on time, and everyone knows that when the clock says 80 minutes, that's it. Just imagine, no more purple-faced managers angrily pointing at watches.

[left]

I think that soccer players and refs should just watch thousands of rugby matches, and learn off the RESPECT for each other that there's in rugby. I'm so bored of this fashion-money-fake soccer...
in the last months rugby is the only thing that I watched on tv...it's so...kind of a PLEASURE to watch it, instead of an agony..

[Shaz]

if refs in soccer had the same approach itd be a whole lot better

Or perhaps if they had the option of sending players to the sin bin?

Yeah, I'd like to see that in soccer. I always wanted to see soccer try that old rugby ruling where, if a player couldn't keep his mouth shut, the ref moved the other side forward five metres...

It's a good rule, that "moving-forward" one, especially as players get to know that a bit of dissent can lead to an easier chance of three points for the opposition. I'm sure it cuts down on the backchat.

Two other rugby rules that soccer could properly adopt would be the advantage rule; and the idea of stopping the clock every time there's a break in play - does away with all arguments over added-on time, and everyone knows that when the clock says 80 minutes, that's it. Just imagine, no more purple-faced managers angrily pointing at watches.

But what would Fergie have to moan about?

I agree on both counts.

Mind you, I do remember the first time I went to an ice hockey match -- I thought the game was never going to end, as there seemed to be constant stoppages, and the clock was stopped each time.

[Shaz]

I think that soccer players and refs should just watch thousands of rugby matches, and learn off the RESPECT for each other that there's in rugby. I'm so bored of this fashion-money-fake soccer...
in the last months rugby is the only thing that I watched on tv...it's so...kind of a PLEASURE to watch it, instead of an agony..

I agree. I'm pretty burned out on Premiership soccer, although I still watch highlights and read match reports. The last soccer match I went to was Forest Green in the Conference, and that's only loosely what might be called soccer.

So far rugby has managed to stop itself going down the money path that ruined the Premiership. I suppose the amounts at stake will never be comparable, though, and it's really only the rugby Premiership where there is dosh at stake and the chance of making a full-time career out of the game. There were interesting pieces about Shaun Perry, the new England scrum-half, who worked as a welder while playing for Dudley-KIngswinford until pretty recently.

[firehazard]

I think that soccer players and refs should just watch thousands of rugby matches, and learn off the RESPECT for each other that there's in rugby. I'm so bored of this fashion-money-fake soccer...
in the last months rugby is the only thing that I watched on tv...it's so...kind of a PLEASURE to watch it, instead of an agony..

I agree. I'm pretty burned out on Premiership soccer...

Agree with both of you. I think it's good for the game that there aren't the same amounts of money in rugby. And what the game's also well off without is the level of "celebrity" that goes with footie. It's interesting that the only time that threatened to take over, in English rugby anyway, was when the England team won the World Cup. And it may just be coincidence that thereafter they reverted to rubbish.

When I watch rugby, I can't help thinking that it's just a better game. Most of the time, anyway.

[Niall]

I think that soccer players and refs should just watch thousands of rugby matches, and learn off the RESPECT for each other that there's in rugby. I'm so bored of this fashion-money-fake soccer...
in the last months rugby is the only thing that I watched on tv...it's so...kind of a PLEASURE to watch it, instead of an agony..

I agree. I'm pretty burned out on Premiership soccer, .

i rarely watch premiership anymore at all

[left]

I've seen:
Italy 41 - Canada 6: finally a win for them, and with a big score..canada was clearly inferior.

France 27 - Argentina 26: wow, I've seen only the second half...what a spectacular final...the French were worried until the last second

[Shaz]

Did anyone see the interview with the UEFA guy on Football Focus today where he said they're thinking of introducing the rule that rugby has where only the captains can talk to the ref? The guy from the FA, though, was your average pompous FA prick, and poured cold water on the idea

I felt like directing them towards our discussion so that they could pick up some other useful tips from rugby

[firehazard]

Did anyone see the interview with the UEFA guy on Football Focus today where he said they're thinking of introducing the rule that rugby has where only the captains can talk to the ref?

Didn't see that interview, Shaz. But did note that in the Wales-NZ match, when the NZ captain was sent to the sin bin, the ref's first action was to ask who was acting as captain now. 'Tis a good rule.

The All Blacks, by the way, were awesome.

England were even worse than last time, impossible though it may seem.

And Ireland said farewell to the old place in suitable style.