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Smith talked about this in the press conference.
Was not at panfers game, watched on tv. The MOMENT a riff player was tackled by easts, there was an immediate screech by ref "MOOOOOVE!!!!!" And, knowing from experience that if they didn't it would be a certain penalty and a kick 50 metres downfield and a repeat set, that's just what they did. This happened last week against the vermin too, allowing them to make huge metres in every set as our guys could not set a defensive line, instead backpedalling trying to avoid the inevitable offside penalty.
As Smith said, our opponents, just like last week, frequently held our guys down for up to 7 seconds, with no screech to "MOOOOOVE!!!" by refs. The consequences are obvious. Plenty of time to set defensive line, and we make 2 metres advancing the ball on next hit-up, before the next protracted tackle hold-down.
It used to be the scrum penalty was the easiest area of a game to manipulate by referees, but this has been taken over by the refereeing of the rucks. Far and away the easiest area for refs to manipulate. Because there are no rules - it is purely up to the refs to use their "discretion".
If I thought honestly that this was all due to poor tackling technique, or not "wrestling" properly, I would suggest Smith ask the referees directly for advice about how exactly we can effect the kind of tackles that will enable us to hold down players for up to 7 seconds without being penalized, as our opponents each week, whoever they are, seem capable of. It would be useful information don't you think?
I know there are many on here who reflexly jump over posts questioning the impartiality of our beloved referees, and yes feel free (as you always do) to call me a cry baby, loony conspiracy theorist, whatever, but I know what I see. And although Smith has a job to protect, clearly he thinks he sees it too, as do the 4 senior players he says came up to him after the game to complain about it.
Bottom line for me, there is a stench to this, and I will cop the criticism because this one area of the game needs to be highlighted as, unless a team is extremely strong (or something freakish happens, or both, as against the bunnies), a result can be engineered very, very easily by biased policing of the rucks by referees.
Was not at panfers game, watched on tv. The MOMENT a riff player was tackled by easts, there was an immediate screech by ref "MOOOOOVE!!!!!" And, knowing from experience that if they didn't it would be a certain penalty and a kick 50 metres downfield and a repeat set, that's just what they did. This happened last week against the vermin too, allowing them to make huge metres in every set as our guys could not set a defensive line, instead backpedalling trying to avoid the inevitable offside penalty.
As Smith said, our opponents, just like last week, frequently held our guys down for up to 7 seconds, with no screech to "MOOOOOVE!!!" by refs. The consequences are obvious. Plenty of time to set defensive line, and we make 2 metres advancing the ball on next hit-up, before the next protracted tackle hold-down.
It used to be the scrum penalty was the easiest area of a game to manipulate by referees, but this has been taken over by the refereeing of the rucks. Far and away the easiest area for refs to manipulate. Because there are no rules - it is purely up to the refs to use their "discretion".
If I thought honestly that this was all due to poor tackling technique, or not "wrestling" properly, I would suggest Smith ask the referees directly for advice about how exactly we can effect the kind of tackles that will enable us to hold down players for up to 7 seconds without being penalized, as our opponents each week, whoever they are, seem capable of. It would be useful information don't you think?
I know there are many on here who reflexly jump over posts questioning the impartiality of our beloved referees, and yes feel free (as you always do) to call me a cry baby, loony conspiracy theorist, whatever, but I know what I see. And although Smith has a job to protect, clearly he thinks he sees it too, as do the 4 senior players he says came up to him after the game to complain about it.
Bottom line for me, there is a stench to this, and I will cop the criticism because this one area of the game needs to be highlighted as, unless a team is extremely strong (or something freakish happens, or both, as against the bunnies), a result can be engineered very, very easily by biased policing of the rucks by referees.
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