Renowned former All Blacks coach, Sir Steve Hansen has voiced his disquiet about the need for amendment of rugby’s officiating system, in light of New Zealand’s loss to South Africa at the Rugby World Cup final. Invited to Sky’s The Breakdown show, an evidently disappointed Hansen delved into the highly-debated role of Television Match Officials (TMOs) during rugby matches.
The decorated former Rugby World Cup-winning coach has strongly voiced his opinion, stating that TMOs have stripped the game of its spontaneity, turning it into a robotic event dictated by replays. He asserted that the referee should be in control, seeking assistance from the TMO only when needed, rather than enduring constant interruptions.
His stance, comments, and proposed changes come in light of a tumultuous match where both teams demonstrated exceptional efforts but fell prey to the questionable refereeing system. Hansen passionately argued in favour of changing the officiating foundation, pointing the finger not at the referees themselves but instead at the intrusive role of TMOs.
Drawing parallels between rugby union and rugby league, the multiple-time World Rugby coach of the year calls for a page to be taken from the latter’s playbook regarding their bunker system. According to Hansen, the league provides a far smoother functioning system, which could help alleviate the stop-start nature currently plaguing rugby union.
Hansen elaborated on his concerns saying that he noticed the profound negative effect of this system on match referee Wayne Barnes, who appeared frustrated during the final. The frustration stems from TMO’s interruptions that are only done when something is presumably missed by the referee and not when a referee error occurs.
Using the penalty against All Black, Ardie Savea, in the 17th minute as an example, Hansen argued that this was a perfect opportunity for the TMO to step in and overrule the incorrect decision. A move that, according to Hansen, could have pivoted the result of the game.
Moreover, Hansen touched upon the issue of player safety and the gray area of ‘foul play’. When taking split-second decisions, it’s impossible for players to always coordinate their body position perfectly, leading to unintentional contact. The former coach feels strongly that such instances shouldn’t warrant sanctions such as the red card Sam Cane received during the final.
Without a reform in rugby’s officiating and a deliberate effort to incorporate more common sense into game decisions, Hansen warns that the sport risks alienating its followers. “Until we sit down at the very top and work out how we get some common sense into our officiating of the game, we’re going to turn people off watching by the droves” expressed the seasoned coach.
