Nigel Owens and Ireland and the Ruck Monkey

by anotherworldofpain Mon 18 Jun 2012, 1:05 am

First topic message reminder :

So with all the emotional from the air disappear I take another look to yesterdays games.

First up Ireland.

Now all week we read about in the papers how Ireland better NZ at the breakdown. And a lot of complaining from Ireland about the rules at the ruck not going there way.

So this weekend Nigel Owens seem to go out with the mind already that Ireland better and really let them away with a lot of things.

"Obstruction, Obstruction, Obstruction" must have been Irish game plan because from very start this is what they doing. Watch the game again. Always have the Irish back row, particular no.6 run horizontal in front of the Irish attacker. At the ruck Ireland have "pillars" out like it was 2004. On the kick off Ireland give up catch the ball and look to impeding advancing all blacks "second receiver" to take the tip. They just barge them off the way before the ball arrive.

Second Nigel Owens allow the Irish to enter the defensive ruck in "ruck monkey" position. They flop over the tackle area and take the weight to their hands then start to grapple at the ball. This is not allowed in the SH where attacking clearance is favour and defenders must attack only the isolated runner and stay to the feet always. No wonder Richie McCaw look so confused most of the game!

On the contrary Owens penalise the all blacks on the clear out who lose their feet try to clear away the Irish defenders. This is refereeing from a decade ago.

Add to that the knee-jerk yellow card for israel dagg who was already commit to a innocuous charge down and we see that Owens was clearly start the game on the north side of euqator and too influence by the Irish fans in the crowd and media run up to the game.

This tubby Welshman is the center of a lot of controversy. And is it time to give him the pension and move on with younger fitter referees who can keep up with the rules and the match?

by MrsP Tue 19 Jun 2012, 4:42 am

thebluesmancometh wrote:This tubby Welshman is the center of a lot of controversy. And is it time to give him the pension and move on with younger fitter referees who can keep up with the rules and the match?

Suddenly decent English.

Also this 'tubby' welshman you speak of is actually an ex body builder, a bit of a fitness fenatic I hear and has recently recorded a Yo Yo test result that would trump a huge amount of international players.