Interesting threads on Rolling Maul re penalty tries from last week end. Macc and Ionians refers. The relevant referees awarded penalty tries at the first infringement on the line without re-sets or re-starts. There seemed to be a thought that the refs were wrong! Of course we know the Law - he can award a pen try at any time. Just a warning for us that in defending don't expect any favours, if we infringe, to be let off the ultimate punishment - 5 try points. Keep it up referees!
I'm all for awarding an immediate penalty try at scrums, particularly scrums inside the 22 - provided the referee isn't suckered into making a wrong decision by a craft prop on the attacking side. As we all know scrums have been messy for too long and repeat scrums in the 22 are a blight on the game.
So, how about turning the penalty try offence full circle. If the ATTACKING scrum attempt to gain a penalty try INSIDE the defenders 22 through means OTHER THAN FAIR PLAY then the referee should award a penalty try to the DEFENDING team.
In effect if the defending scrum offends, inside their 22 - even just the once - they concede a penalty try.
No change there, just tighten up on the existing rules.
However, if the attacking team offend INSIDE THE OPPOSITION 22 - even just the once - they concede a penalty try at the other end.
A big change there, a new rule.
What say you folks?
Come on Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooose
That's an issues though Phil - "other than fair play" - doubt if that is in most forwards vocabulary most of the time though I don't think they are a dishonest lot - ask Cavesy. Like it if the official doesn't linger of re sets etc and awards the pen try - though I wouldn't like to be in as close as they are with ample opportunities to miss whats going on - 'on the other side'. Match on BT the other night saw 2 full scums out of 8 in the first half - has to be stopped.
Can only say from the highlights but it seemed that there were two resets after their back row was sent off and the ref warned both players on his side not to push down on the bind, then Macc deliberately wheeled to stop forward momentum by the Mose pack around two meters out, after full time. Obviously this a Mose-centric view but the only other decision would have been a to penalty Mose.