Leinster v Cheetahs Friday 1st March 7.35pm KO

[R-Dog]

Deegan having a good game. Some very nice runs and what a hit!

Is Deegan making a late run for World Cup
Squad?

Anyone have a clip of the hit, look great in real time!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

We're used to the way Byrne consistently beats defenders with the same move but again that was well executed in so little space. Made defender look poor.

Yeah it's great, not sure what the right term is but the way he bounces off his left having gone inside the first defender is incredible. It must be so hard to be off balance like that but still have the power up top to ride the challenge. It doesn't look like a natural thing to me, suspect he's spent countless hours stepping in and out of cones.

[Laighin Break]

Deegan having a good game. Some very nice runs and what a hit!

Is Deegan making a late run for World Cup
Squad?

Anyone have a clip of the hit, look great in real time!

https://twitter.com/CianTracey1/status/ ... 9982064641

[Laighin Break]

Nche cited, unsurprisingly.
I'd be interested to know, if they deem it a red card offence, if anything is said to Nigel about his decision.

[arsebiscuits1]

Nche cited, unsurprisingly.
I'd be interested to know, if they deem it a red card offence, if anything is said to Nigel about his decision.

All refs on in all professional rugby competitions are overseen.

Greg Garner is the 'Elite Referee Manager' of the pro14.

He would be giving feedback to all the referees once he's presumably reviewed the footage of their matches.

In this case, it is fairly clear Owens got the decision incorrect, especially if Nche is cited. Garner would be addressing this in his feedback like any performance review

[cormac]

Nche cited, unsurprisingly.
I'd be interested to know, if they deem it a red card offence, if anything is said to Nigel about his decision.

How he could watch a replay of that and not think it was a red card is still beyond me.

[D4surfer]

Nche cited, unsurprisingly.
I'd be interested to know, if they deem it a red card offence, if anything is said to Nigel about his decision.

How he could watch a replay of that and not think it was a red card is still beyond me.

https://www.the42.ie/ox-nche-cheetahs-l ... 6-Mar2019/

Nigel's commentary is bizarre, seeing a hit to the shoulder/chest and moving up. That certainly did not happen. The TMO and AR's were very weak, probably because of Nigel's status. They needed to be firm and point out the obvious.

[Dave Cahill]

8 weeks for Nche (10 mitigated down to

[blockhead]

Nigel should cop a few weeks too. Do a referee refreshers course if they have that sort of thing.

[bails]

Nigel Owens had a good look at the large screen following the incident and had the assistance of the TMO in his ear. Yet he somehow still managed to see the hit on the shoulder/chest moving upwards, which patently was not what happened.
The length of the disciplinary ban, even after the obligatory reduction, shows how dangerous the challenge was and as importantly how dreadful a decision it was , by referee, AR's and TMO at the time.

It makes me wonder a difficulty in making out either of the screens from the middle of the pitch. Does the influence of the floodlights affect the ability top see the screens clearly. I sit in the South Stand and can clearly make out the screen in the North/Anglesea Stand corner, but has anyone actually stood out in the middle of the pitch and looked at the screens to see is there a problem with the view.

Both Nigel, his AR's and the TMO would do well to have a look at themselves, based on this decision, as it is quite inconceivable that none of them picked it up as a charge to the head, despite multiple replays on the big screen. As it turned out, the ongoing medical assistance to Fergus McFadden gave them all ample opportunity to look in detail at the action and get the decision right.

For me, Nigel might do well occasionally listening to what his TMO and AR's are saying to him, rather than intimidate them into not speaking up for what they have seen.

A definite censure due for all concerned - if World Rugby/Pro 14 really want to protect players.
Unlikely I'm sure

[Xanthippe]

8 weeks for Nche (10 mitigated down to

I wonder if the fact that Ferg got up and played on helped Nigel to stick with his original decision - i.e. would he have been more likely to up the card if he knew McFadden was having to go for a HIA?

[bails]

I think Nigel reacted too quickly in immediately brandishing the yellow card.

He seemed thereafter to be looking for reasons not to change his decision.
As if trying to convince himself and the other 3 officials as to what he had seen

[fourthirtythree]

I thought the initial angle which was played on the telly showed it as a straight red but the rest of the angles were inconclusive. They ran through them all and then he asked to play them again. When they did that the initial angle seemed to be missing. Perhaps he stopped them before they got to it, if so the TMO should have offered guidance. We have often heard them say "there is another angle".

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I thought every angle was conclusive

Agree with those who said he didn't want to back down from his original decision. His excuse would probably be that he couldn't see the screen properly, but the whole thing was bullshit.

[arsebiscuits1]

Nigel Owens had a good look at the large screen following the incident and had the assistance of the TMO in his ear. Yet he somehow still managed to see the hit on the shoulder/chest moving upwards, which patently was not what happened.
The length of the disciplinary ban, even after the obligatory reduction, shows how dangerous the challenge was and as importantly how dreadful a decision it was , by referee, AR's and TMO at the time.

It makes me wonder a difficulty in making out either of the screens from the middle of the pitch. Does the influence of the floodlights affect the ability top see the screens clearly. I sit in the South Stand and can clearly make out the screen in the North/Anglesea Stand corner, but has anyone actually stood out in the middle of the pitch and looked at the screens to see is there a problem with the view.

Both Nigel, his AR's and the TMO would do well to have a look at themselves, based on this decision, as it is quite inconceivable that none of them picked it up as a charge to the head, despite multiple replays on the big screen. As it turned out, the ongoing medical assistance to Fergus McFadden gave them all ample opportunity to look in detail at the action and get the decision right.

For me, Nigel might do well occasionally listening to what his TMO and AR's are saying to him, rather than intimidate them into not speaking up for what they have seen.

A definite censure due for all concerned - if World Rugby/Pro 14 really want to protect players.
Unlikely I'm sure

Ah in fairness, as an elite ref I'd expect Nigel to be able to jog 40m to get a better look at the screen

[backrower8]

Nigel Owens had a good look at the large screen following the incident and had the assistance of the TMO in his ear. Yet he somehow still managed to see the hit on the shoulder/chest moving upwards, which patently was not what happened.
The length of the disciplinary ban, even after the obligatory reduction, shows how dangerous the challenge was and as importantly how dreadful a decision it was , by referee, AR's and TMO at the time.

It makes me wonder a difficulty in making out either of the screens from the middle of the pitch. Does the influence of the floodlights affect the ability top see the screens clearly. I sit in the South Stand and can clearly make out the screen in the North/Anglesea Stand corner, but has anyone actually stood out in the middle of the pitch and looked at the screens to see is there a problem with the view.

Both Nigel, his AR's and the TMO would do well to have a look at themselves, based on this decision, as it is quite inconceivable that none of them picked it up as a charge to the head, despite multiple replays on the big screen. As it turned out, the ongoing medical assistance to Fergus McFadden gave them all ample opportunity to look in detail at the action and get the decision right.

For me, Nigel might do well occasionally listening to what his TMO and AR's are saying to him, rather than intimidate them into not speaking up for what they have seen.

A definite censure due for all concerned - if World Rugby/Pro 14 really want to protect players.
Unlikely I'm sure

[Peg Leg]

Nigel Owens had a good look at the large screen following the incident and had the assistance of the TMO in his ear. Yet he somehow still managed to see the hit on the shoulder/chest moving upwards, which patently was not what happened.
The length of the disciplinary ban, even after the obligatory reduction, shows how dangerous the challenge was and as importantly how dreadful a decision it was , by referee, AR's and TMO at the time.

It makes me wonder a difficulty in making out either of the screens from the middle of the pitch. Does the influence of the floodlights affect the ability top see the screens clearly. I sit in the South Stand and can clearly make out the screen in the North/Anglesea Stand corner, but has anyone actually stood out in the middle of the pitch and looked at the screens to see is there a problem with the view.

Both Nigel, his AR's and the TMO would do well to have a look at themselves, based on this decision, as it is quite inconceivable that none of them picked it up as a charge to the head, despite multiple replays on the big screen. As it turned out, the ongoing medical assistance to Fergus McFadden gave them all ample opportunity to look in detail at the action and get the decision right.

For me, Nigel might do well occasionally listening to what his TMO and AR's are saying to him, rather than intimidate them into not speaking up for what they have seen.

A definite censure due for all concerned - if World Rugby/Pro 14 really want to protect players.
Unlikely I'm sure

I hear the refs sponsor is pulling funding after that episode.