Former England and Lions wing Ugo Monye, who sits on World Rugby’s High Performance committee, adds: “There needs to be a recalibration. On some of those decisions, it felt obvious [what the decision should be] but for some reason this month it seems to have been poorly managed. I can live with the team of officials getting it wrong, but I have less grace with the bunker officials getting it wrong.”<\/p>\n
One suggestion is to drastically reduce the amount of TMO interference, empowering the on-field referee to make quick and unilateral decisions.<\/p>\n
Another is to have high quality referees as TMOs, to give the on-field referees the best possible guidance.<\/p>\n
Officials centrally contracted to World Rugby could also help with consistency, given referees interpret the game differently from league to league, tournament to tournament, and hemisphere to hemisphere.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile luminaries in the game, such as Eddie Jones, have long advocated limiting the number of replacements in a bid to increase fatigue, open up space, and reduce the number of collisions.<\/p>\n
For Ashton, referees need to get pace into the game from the off.<\/p>\n
“The refereeing has been bang average and it is frustrating the life out of me,” he says.<\/p>\n
“Luke Pearce was outstanding in the France v Australia game. From minute one he was speeding the game up. But then we come to England v Argentina, and the referee is letting a player tie his shoelace for a minute.”<\/p>\n
“The whole thing has been put under the spotlight, and World Rugby probably has to get hold of it,” Care continues.<\/p>\n
Despite the concerns, England boss Steve Borthwick feels the international game is in rude health.<\/p>\n
“I think Test rugby is in a really good place. So many games are going down to the final quarter with one score,” he told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I sat and watched the Ireland against South Africa game and I thought it was gripping. Yes there were [lots of] TMOs, but there was a whole lot of tension within them. I think from a spectator point of view, it is very good.”<\/p>\n “We don’t need to change it all and risk tweaking the laws too much,” adds Monye.<\/p>\n “For the best part of 18 months, I don’t think there have been too many complaints about the game and how it’s been refereed.<\/p>\n “But I do think it has come to a head this autumn and I would love to see how it filters into the Six Nations. A tweak is needed, but not an overhaul.”<\/p>\n