Tappe: TMO try reviews add to the theatre

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Vodacom URC head of referees Tappe Henning believes it is necessary for the TMO to check every try after it has been scored.

Gone are the days when a five-pointer could be celebrated by players, coaches and fans when awarded by a referee. Now, a TMO check automatically follows and a try can be disallowed even after the conversion has been taken and, in fact, right up until the restart.

While this process is supposed to ensure the correct decision is made, it can suck the emotion right out of the try-scoring event.

"During that period, everyone probably realises and understands that the try has been given, but it is still under review until the game restarts with a kick-off," Henning said during a URC round table with the media on Thursday. "And that is actually adding to the theatre of the game.

"What I would like to make clear is that the TMO is not trying to find something wrong. It is just to see if there is something that is clear and obvious that was unfair in the build-up to that try and to bring that to the attention of the referee and the two assistant referees.

"The scoring of tries are big-impact moments in the game and accuracy in that is paramount. We are trying to give teams the assurance that those big moments are being reviewed, irrespective of whether a captain asks for a review or not. We say to the captains, "You should know by now that these things are being checked."'

Henning also confirmed that TMOs in URC matches had to rely on replays provided to them by the host broadcaster and did not have access to all camera angles.

"At the moment in our competition, the TMO is in the hands of the producer and what they can show. But the TMO can ask the producer, "Can you show me a replay of that, please." If the broadcaster can deliver a replay of an incident while the game is still running, they will do it, but it needs to come within that window of opportunity."

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In light of the Mack Hansen incident, which saw the Connacht wing banned for three matches, Henning was at pains to point out that referees were held accountable for their mistakes.

"Referees are appointed by the URC and they are accountable for their performances to the URC.

"How do we hold them accountable? Every referee is reviewed by a reviewer during a match. We have a panel of four selectors who do the reviewing and they make note of decisions made by the referee during a game that may not be accurate, or decisions that the referee didn't make that required him to make a decision, or where a referee has managed a situation and we would like to ask some questions around that.

"On the Monday after a game, there is a review process where the referee will self-review his game. The referee and the reviewer will then discuss the incidents that they have seen, and ask questions and get clarity around those decisions.

"Our review process is three-pronged: to make referees accountable to the URC who appoints them, to identify flaws in their refereeing so that we can then, thirdly, assist them to correct those errors and get a better outcome during a match.

"It is an evidence-based system – there is a 15-second clip of each and every decision that we talk about, question or query."

Henning added that teams were able to submit clips and ask for clarity on decisions after a game.

“We share those questions with the referee and ask them to explain their decisions. I then formulate those answers and give them to the teams.”

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Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

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