When Conor O’Shea, Harlequins’ director of rugby, launched into an angry tirade about the current state of officiating after his team’s win at London Welsh last Sunday, it was the reaction of a man who had reached breaking point.
The Irishman is smart and well aware that public condemnation of referees can lead to trouble, but could not resist adding his voice to a torrent of recent criticism. His angry remarks prompted a huge response and an apparent consensus that officiating is in an almighty mess, a crisis even.
While the bigger picture is complex and will take time to resolve, one major source of unrest could be alleviated immediately, subject to intervention from on high. The IRB must end the farce that has engulfed one particular act of foul play; the ‘tip tackle’. Since the world governing body enforced a clamp-down on this offence, there has been an over-zealous, heavy-handed focus on it.
On Sunday, while O’Shea was ranting in Oxford, down the road in High Wycombe, Wasps wing Tom Varndell had been sin-binned for what was deemed a tip tackle on Horacio Agulla. He had lifted the Argentinian off his feet and brought him down in a controlled manner, but referee Andrew Small – having consulted the television match official – showed him a yellow card.
Incident: Tom Varndell (right) was sin-binned for his tackle on Horacio Agulla More from Chris Foy... CHRIS FOY: Gatland holds breath over Lions in final showdowns with O'Driscoll among the potential casualties 23/05/13 World of Rugby: Email farce has Aussies on back foot ahead of Lions tour 16/05/13 Chris Foy: Lancaster pledges to set England's 'X-factor' backs free in Argentina 09/05/13 Chris Foy: Standby Lions face a tricky choice of resting and going off the boil... or playing and risking injury 02/05/13 CHRIS FOY COMMENT: Robshaw's omission is harsh and cruel but making Sam the leading man is a sensible move 30/04/13 Chris Foy: Jonny, hero of HQ, is set for one last hurrah with Toulon... 25/04/13 Chris Foy: It's all kicking off over Six Nations on Friday nights 18/04/13 CHRIS FOY: Fillol's 14-week spitting ban shows folly of disciplinary system 11/04/13 Chris Foy: Fans will end up paying for 2015 World Cup stadium fiasco 04/04/13 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEVarndell and the Adams Park crowd were incensed. Within minutes, several players past and present were making their damning views known on Twitter, and no wonder. IRB law 10.4 (j) states: ‘Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player’s feet are still off the ground such that the player’s head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.’
Agulla was not driven into the ground or dropped. He and Varndell came down together in a steady motion, with the Bath player landing safely on his side. But Small acted in line with what has become a witch-hunt. Zero tolerance has led to zero common-sense. Discretion has been abandoned in favour of complying with edicts containing no room for human instinct. This was the very scenario which destroyed a World Cup semi-final in 2011, when Alain Rolland sent off Wales captain Sam Warburton early in the game against France.
The overall officiating shambles will take time to sort out but this nonsense can be stopped now and it must be. Zero tolerance has failed, bring back common-sense.
Wales frozen out Careful approach: Rob HowleyRob Howley has revealed that Wales will not be travelling to Spala in Poland for another of their torturous training camps involving regular trips to the ice chambers. Instead, they will remain at their Vale of Glamorgan HQ to prepare for the Six Nations.
While taking pride in their phenomenal fitness levels, this comes across as a tacit admission that they perhaps pushed the players too far prior to the four-defeat autumn series.
They can still make use of cryotherapy chambers while training at the Vale but Wales have to tread a fine line in their scientific approach and cannot afford to go into the championship with players weary from being beasted to oblivion.
Big three can restore English prideWhen the Heineken Cup resumes, Aviva Premiership clubs have an opportunity to reassert their collective clout after three barren seasons.
Last year’s knock-out stages featured one English representative, as was the case two years earlier, while there were two qualifiers in 2010.
Making bold predictions with two weekends of round-robin fixtures to go is a fool’s game, but this fool says that Saracens, Leicester and Harlequins – all top of their pools after four games – will progress.
Saracens are quite capable of beating Racing Metro in Nantes, such is their pedigree on the road. Back in London, Quins should dispatch Connacht to go through with a game to spare.
In top form: Saracens lead Pool One following an impressive victory over MunsterWhatever happens in the Ospreys-Leicester tie in Swansea on Sunday, Pool Two will come down to the Tigers’ home decider against Toulouse a week later and Richard Cockerill’s side have it in them to over-power the French giants at Welford Road.
In theory, Northampton can qualify too, but the Saints will surely have to rely on being ‘lucky losers’, as Ulster are destined to win Pool Four.
Fourie bemused at visa row
Border bother: Hendre FourieHendre Fourie was taken aback by all the fuss when he spoke to Sportsmail earlier this week.
Having revealed that he was heading home to South Africa in haste as his visa had been cancelled due to his injury-enforced retirement, the cause of opposing the former England flanker’s deportation was swiftly adopted throughout the rugby world.
The Borders Agency have since insisted he can stay, but Fourie and his family are leaving anyway.
He deserved a choice on the back of his national service, but the episode has again highlighted the emotive issue of Test eligibility.
The concept of a player representing one country while holding the passport of another understandably incites fierce objections, although in Fourie’s case, the granting of citizenship was delayed by an especially complex visa situation.
One way to guard against these red-tape quirks would be to increase the qualification period from three years to five, or more.
Last Word
Strong addition: Billy TwelvetresStuart Lancaster and his coaches have succeeded in keeping alive the feel-good buzz from England’s victory over the All Blacks, with the revised squad they have named for the Six Nations.
The encouraging signs are that the national management are not content to consolidate and accept that historic triumph as a peak.
The inclusion of Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees is hugely positive, as he is an imposing game-breaker who could galvanise England’ s midfield – an area of concern for countless years – although first he must force his way past Brad Barritt, who has been in prime form for Saracens.
Another problem has been cover at No 8, but once Billy Vunipola has trained with the senior squad in Leeds, expect him to stay with them for the championship and put real pressure on Ben Morgan.
There is increasing depth, but gaps remain. Lancaster could do with more cover for Dan Cole at tighthead prop and another couple of wings with all-round credentials to go with try-scoring prowess.
But a year into his mission, he is assembling a formidable squad.
More... London Welsh 26 Harlequins 31: O'Shea slams error-strewn referee despite returning to Aviva Premiership summit Refs need more training in laws of scrum, blasts Cockerill after Leicester scrape win
