Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett was sin-binned for a deliberate knockdown against the Blues at the weekend. Photo / Photosport
Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett was sin-binned for a deliberate knockdown against the Blues at the weekend. Photo / Photosport
ANY GIVEN MONDAY
Rugby's dumbest rule was again exposed at the weekend – the deliberate knock down. In a game full of subjective interpretations this one just might take the cake as the most subjectively interpretative.
Referee Mike Fraser won plenty of attention for his handling of the Blues' firstvictory in an "away" since Donald Trump came to power. Most of the criticism has been grossly unfair and the finger should be pointed at Tyrel Lomax and Vaea Fifita rather than the whistler.
Fraser both sinbinned Jordie Barrett and awarded a decisive penalty try against the Hurricanes based on his belief that Barrett never had a realistic chance of gathering an attempted intercept. The call was backed by referees' boss Bryce Lawrence, though he defended it as being by the book rather than good for the game.
The law and its application was problematic on multiple counts.
For a start, Barrett was clearly trying to parry the ball up, not down. The reason you would do this is to pop the ball in the air and regather.
Two, the intercept has always been a legitimate part of the defending team's arsenal. The onus should be on the attacking team to draw and pass before the defender can get into your lane (or to entice the defender to come up out of the line and work in behind him).
Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett was sin-binned for a deliberate knockdown against the Blues at the weekend. Photo / Photosport
Three, to reduce a team to 14 men for 10 minutes is an extravagantly over the top punishment for what is essentially a skills failure.
Four, what exactly is the "chance" threshold in these situations? Would Barrett have been OK if Fraser had decided he had a 40 per cent chance of regathering? 25? 10? Does this chance metric take into account the handling skills of various players?
The skills of professional rugby players these days is so outrageous I imagine most feel that if they can get a hand on the ball they can reel it in. To try to stamp out these skills is counterproductive because the intercept should be one of rugby's most thrilling events.
It does not take a quantum leap of imagination to make this law simple and take out the ridiculously subjective element.
Jordie Barrett endured a hair-raising night against the Blues. Photo / Photosport
If a player does not leave his feet to attempt an intercept, it is fair game. If a player dives into the passing lane to break up the play, hit them hard.
