The Ref Zone: TMO Extension & Bans Needed!

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healyDUBLIN, IRELAND – After watching Ireland vs England this weekend, I’m left boggled as to why the TMO hasn’t had further extension into the play.  Cian Healy got away with Murder… okay, fine – not murder – but he did get away with career murder and had nothing done to him during the game. I’ll stop short of the the huge rant that I’ve put out before but it’s time to really reexamine the thought!

For those of you who didn’t see the game, it was fairly boring. I was reffing and watched the match afterwards.  It was a penalty-fest!  One incident however, caught the eye of all the viewers-this:

refereeFirst Question that needs to be asked is how does the referee miss it? He’s standing right there! However, he does miss it; checks out the offside line, moves his eye for just a second… it’s easy enough to miss. Which leads to the Second Question: Why have we yet to have a TMO extension  in International Rugby??

Healy’s behavior is unacceptable within the game of rugby and deserves to be punished – and it should be punished on the spot!  This was a Red Card offense that was not seen by the referees, but it was seen by every other person watching the game on a television.  Why aren’t Red Cards reported when they happen on the field?

This has really got me ticked off… someone gets off with potentially ruining a career and his punishment is a two/three week 6 Nations ban?!  I’m sorry, but something this serious needs to be evaluated. Sure he has a clean record but it was deliberate and to a joint.  Something of this scale shouldn’t be mitigated, just give him the punishment and get on with it.

Your thoughts?

About Cody Kuxmann 60 Articles
Cody Kuxmann is a Referee at London Society Of Rugby Football Union deciple... When not sending innocents to the Sin Bin, The American International University in London grad splits time between England and... Green Bay, WI! And like all referees, is Blind, Deaf and Dumb.