Former Test referee Nigel Owens admits that he ‘hasn’t got the answer’ for one area of the game which quite often causes debate.
While rugby’s laws are open to interpretation, officials, leagues and competitions do try and get a certain amount of consistency.
However, that is tough to do when it comes to advantage, something which has caused a certain amount of controversy recently.
Controversial France try
In the recent Six Nations finale between France and England in Paris, the visitors were awarded a penalty advantage before it was downgraded.
The referee then called the advantage over and, a few seconds later, Les Bleus were scoring a try through Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
Although that was a unique situation, it raised the questions about the advantage law and when it is the right time for the officials to step in.
“It’s a real difficult one because there are so many factors that come in,” Owens said on World Rugby’s Whistle Watch.
“Let’s say you’re playing a penalty advantage and they change the directive or the law, and you call penalty advantage over much quicker than you do now, what probably will happen is the team that’s got the advantage is not going to risk having it called over, so they just put the ball down, have the penalty.
“That will then probably take a way from what the advantage is crucial for, which is opportunity and continuity in the game – you’ve got to remember that as well.”
The Welshman felt the overall standard of the officiating was very high in the Six Nations, but reckoned that there was ‘inconsistent’ application of the advantage law.
“Overall, the refereeing in the Six Nations, they’ve done a good job, but we have seen inconsistencies about lengths of advantage,” he said.
“Penalty advantage called over pretty quick and then there’s others that have gone on a long time and then come back.
“It is a bit of a grey area and a very difficult one to get right.”
Tough for World Rugby to change
Owens also feels that it is a difficult area for World Rugby to alter and, if they did, it could create more negative rugby.
“Let’s say it’s [set at] five phases… and if no advantage is gained we’re going back. What if those five phases, as we see so often today, are going across field and going nowhere?” he added.
“Whereas the next time somebody has an advantage, they could have had three phases and gone forward 20 or 30 metres.
“Is 20 metres an actual advantage? If you’re going to say 20 metres is over, the team who would have it would go, ‘I don’t want it, I’ll have the three points please’.
“It’s a very difficult one, I haven’t got the answer. I do think it needs to be a little more tightened up and a little more consistency, but I think the main thing is, as long as the referee is consistent himself in the game, it shouldn’t really matter that one referee plays advantage a couple of phases than the one next week.
“That I think is the key because it is a difficult one to get everybody on the same page.”