Leagues apart: Premiership ready for more right rulings

Between RTE, BBC NI, TG4, S4C, Setanta, Sky Sports and ESPN there were at least two matches or more showcasing the Rabo Pro12, Aviva Premiership and Top 14 over the weekend. Wasps-Harlequins won the watch with their try fest and it helps too when you have the glitzy HD coverage provided by ESPN and Sky.

Over in France, whether in lashing rain on Friday night in Grenoble or glorious sunshine on the Basque coast in Biarritz , the story was largely the same; kick fests, home crowds baying at strutting referees, loads of mauls, re-set scrums and pick and go, and little in the way of attacking ambition.

The Premiership is ahead of the other two leagues as well in that it is applying the IRB’s latest initiative which permits TMOs to look back at possible infringements in the build-up to a ‘try’ and not just in the in-goal area. This denied Wasps a fourth try just before the interval and the early evidence is that referees will have to be stronger given players will be more vocal in encouraging them to go to the TMO for earlier indiscretions, as Wasps did after one legitimate Quins try. The response of referee Craig Gardner? “Go away.”

Wayne Barnes had no qualms about utilising the TMO’s increased power, which also extends to rulings on incidents of possible foul play. An early try for Steve Borthwick being over-ruled for a slight forward pass which assuredly would have stood in the Rabo Pro12 or Top 14, Barnes then asked for adjudication on two late hits that would also have gone unpunished. Both were deemed illegal hits and led to yellow cards. More stoppages, more yellow cards and more tries disallowed. But more correct rulings too.