Rugby has been using video replays since 2001 but referees have tended to use the technology sparingly with the majority of try decisions made immediately on the field.
One reason to go upstairs is on pushover tries either through a maul or scrum when a mass of bodies obscures the referee’s view. What predictably happens is the replay is inconclusive as the camera can’t zoom in close enough, while maintaining picture quality to determine if the ball was grounded.
Hawk-Eye is aiming to change that and other scenarios with enhanced replays to be used by Television Match Officals (TMOs) at this month’s Rugby World Cup.
The TMOs will be able to choose which replays they have access to instantly, independent from the host broadcaster. The replays allow the TMO to zoom in while retaining a high quality image, have split screens of the same moment to determine such things as whether a player is in touch, and better slow mo replays to make a ruling.
Due to the independent replays the TMOs can theoretically check every single play and let the referee know once there’s a stoppage if action needs to be taken. A point emphasised by TMO Shaun Veldsman when speaking to World Rugby.
“We can have play continuing, and while play is continuing we can look at certain things with the live screen and have the delayed screen at the same time,” he said.
The technology has already been used in selected matches leading up to tournament and Veldsman says it helped in deciding on a yellow card which may have otherwise gone unnoticed until after the match.
“I’ve been involved in a game between Scotland and Italy where there was potential foul play and I first reviewed it before I even had a chat to the referee, and after reviewing it was able to ask the referee. The player ended up with a yellow card and a penalty against him.”
Despite all the positive talk about Hawk-Eye in rugby, it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles we’re used to in other sports such as ball tracking in tennis and cricket.
“In a contact sport like rugby, we’re not using ball tracking technology. Hawk-Eye is looking at every angle from a television broadcaster and playing it back to either the TMO in a decision making sense or the medical staff to identify potential player welfare issues, particularly concussion,” said Head of Rugby World Cup, Alan Gilpin.
Hawk-Eye’s SMART Replay technology promises to be quick and accurate in assisting decision-making, so hopefully fans won’t notice any undue delays in the games.
Just like cricket, tennis and football Hawk-Eye is there to remove the ‘howler’ and it would have been handy to have to determine if Mark Cueto had indeed scored a try against South Africa in the 2007 final.
Aucklandlaurie
Guest
And how do we know if the "Hakweye " man is neutral, he may well chose to only look for incidents pertaining to one team.
PeterK
Roar Guru
The TMO should only be able to refer it the referee no stoppages in play have occurred i.e. that the first stoppage in play is after the incident then it can be brought to their attention, you cannot go further back. This would be consistent with touch judge reports. They see an incident in backplay they cannot come onto the field until there is a stoppage. If that happens to be 5-10 mins so be it, that is the way it is now, and makes it consistent. Thye go back to the spot of the incident and award a penalty as is the case now. The one exception I would make is a clear red card offence. Eye gouging , king hits from behind, head butts etc. They can be brought to the attention at any time, if it happened and a stoppage in play has occurred in between then play is continued from where it currently is with a penalty and a red card is given to the offending player.
Lostintokyo
Guest
Agree with that logic Kuruki.
Lostintokyo
Guest
It irritates me to see currently twenty angles of the ball grounding while ignoring the replay of the full build up to the try. If they can use a split screen technology for independent TMO decisions, surely they can broadcast split screen technology to the wider public whilst the TMO does his thing to decide try or no try. Try or no try plus a replay of the full try at the same time, split screen. Watching a split screen showing ball grounding and legs in touch or not simultaneously would also quicken proceedings for the TMO as well. The issue of the local broadcaster continually replaying opposition digressions at play stoppages to influence the referee is not addressed still. Sounds like the technology is there to enhance the game and it is a question of how best to use it.
Redderthankevin
Guest
Thankyou for noticing that. I to often notice that the tv match offical often dissallows visiting teams tries in sydney, while finding all manner of spurious angles to allow waratah tries
DelaNightmares
Guest
Ha ha it will just let them make the wrong call in super duper high definition
Kuruki
Roar Guru
This is just going to cause more drama then it's worth. Foul play that is missed during a game can be reported and acted upon afterwards like it has always been. What we don't need is for periods of the game to be ruled invalid because of foul play that happened 3-4 minutes earlier. What happens if it is not worthy of a yellow card do they go back for a penalty or do they play on? If they go back do they add the cancelled out 3-4 minutes back onto the game or do they not?. We already have means to deal with foul play that is missed during matches and it works. I don't care how great they claim the technology to be the problem has and will always be the human beings sitting in front of that screen making poor decisions even with all that technology at their disposal. I'm against this development because i can see it soon developing into a tool where someone sits there and studies the entire match picking minute infringements to pieces and ruining the flow of the game.
chucked
Guest
e.g Wayne Barnes as well 2007..
PeterK
Roar Guru
only for foul play
Paul
Guest
Good move. Anything that can take the power out of the partisan local broadcaster the better. Too often the camera angle needed to see the home teams infringement is for some reason "unavailable". It won't impact the "big screen + crowd" effect, but it's a step in the right direction.
Mad Mick
Guest
Bryan I agree with you. In the Samoa Barbarians match a Samoan player was penalized for a deliberate knock down. This law in itself is a cause for much controversy because who are the officials to read the mind of a player. Those in favor of the law always quote the 'downward motion part of it but i don't agree because i have seen some very good rugby players regather the ball and play is allowed to go on. had they not regathered the player would have been penalized. Now back to the Samoan player. The ref called on the tmo to s determine if a try would have bnn scored but during the replay it became most definite that there was a preceding forward pass by the barbarians. idiotically the forward pass was disregarded and the Samoan player was yellowed carded. I hope the standard of refereeing improves for the world cup. Hawk eye or No hawk eye I'm not confident. these guys have the potential to ruin a game eg Bryce Lawrence.
bryan
Guest
I actually like how rugby uses the video ref already. Worst thing they could do is head down the NRL path of referees not making any decisions.
Hello
Roar Rookie
I hope this does not lead to going back 5 -10 min to give a penalty after play has moved on