4. Penalise players who deliberately trap tacklers
Owens also warned referees about a growing tactic at the breakdown, where attacking players deliberately prevent tacklers from rolling away in an attempt to win a penalty.
He believes officials must recognise the tactic and punish those responsible rather than the trapped defender.
“Players [are] deliberately holding a tackler in, in order for the referee then to not reward the jackler or penalise the tackler.”
Owens went as far as describing the practice as “cheating”.
“Referees need to be aware of what is essentially cheating, with players maybe putting their knees on the tackler to stop him moving away or holding him in there to make sure he’s penalised.”
5. Continue rewarding attacking rugby by policing offside
Not all of Owens’ observations were critical.
He praised referees for their recent approach to policing offside around kicks and the offside line at the breakdown, believing it has created more attacking opportunities and improved the spectacle.
“They’ve recently been quite strong on offside in front of the kick and on the back foot.”
“By allowing that little bit more space, I think it has contributed to some really open games of rugby that we saw in the Six Nations.”
6. Maintain high standards at the scrum while finding the right balance
Rather than introducing fresh scrum laws, Owens wants officials to continue improving their management of the set-piece while striking the balance between strict law enforcement and allowing games to flow.
He believes the very best referees are those capable of applying the laws while still understanding the rhythm of the contest.
“The referees who go on to be exceptional referees are the ones who get that balance right, and often end up being the ones who land World Cup finals or big games like that.”
He concluded by saying there is still work to do on foul play decisions and scrum officiating.
“I hope they continue to be strong on that and on refereeing scrums, and dealing with the foul play a bit better too because there was a little too much head-scratching over what was and what wasn’t a red or yellow card.”
Quiz: Name these 10 retro rugby players
From jaw-dropping tries to unforgettable moments (and yes, some questionable haircuts), these players defined a golden era of the game. If their names don’t instantly come to mind, we suggest a quick trip to YouTube to jog your memory. Trust us, it’s worth it.
Ready to test your knowledge? Let’s see if you’ve still got it. Good luck!
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