Not Straight !!

For a long time we've seen crooked feeds ignored by referees much to many peoples frustration. This season I've watched a lot of Aviva and Pro 12 games and there seems to be an increasing reluctance for referees to call blatant not straight line outs. I like to see free flowing rugby as much as any fan but it's getting ridiculous.

Please don't tell me I'm the only one seeing this - any other Mr. Angry' out there?

Lots of really crooked lineouts being ignored.

It's a very difficult skill without the pressure of being in a game watched by thousands of people. If the other team haven't challenged and it's straight enough, play on.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:It's a very difficult skill without the pressure of being in a game watched by thousands of people. If the other team haven't challenged and it's straight enough, play on.

Absolutely - there is enough scrums in the game as it is.

This does seem to be an increasing problem. A clamp down on crooked throws at lineouts especially given how much advantage an attacking side is given with rolling mauls and on crooked feeds at the scrums would be welcome.

I'm not talking about when teams don't challenge. There was a great example in the Dragons game last night when the Glasgow jumper took the ball on his left shoulder!

The problem with not enforcing a rule like this is:

a) Team with possession start taking liberties
b) Defending team know there is no point contesting as if they do they will be penalised for going through the line.

I posted somewhere else about this: I believe the rules allow for some leeway at lineouts, I.e. Doesn't have to be dead straight and allows an allowance to the left and right of dead straight.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:It's a very difficult skill without the pressure of being in a game watched by thousands of people. If the other team haven't challenged and it's straight enough, play on.

Disagree, throwing a straight lineout is a skill, and if you know you will get away with crooked throw you will gain more confidence and the opposing team wont compete as a result. Another aspect of the game, as with the maul which isn't refereed properly.

VinceWLB wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:It's a very difficult skill without the pressure of being in a game watched by thousands of people. If the other team haven't challenged and it's straight enough, play on.

Disagree, throwing a straight lineout is a skill, and if you know you will get away with crooked throw you will gain more confidence and the opposing team wont compete as a result. Another aspect of the game, as with the maul which isn't refereed properly.

Not only that but it encourages players to complain to the ref if that's the only way they get fair calls to go for them.