Expanding the TMO's scope

Again it has been suggested that the scope of the television match official's ability to advise referees should increase. This time the case in point was a try awarded to the Bulls' prop Dean Greyling in their match with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

The incident happened after just eight minutes of the first half with the scores locked at 3-all. Greyling drove at the Cheetahs' line and then grounded the ball over the line. The referee, clearly unsighted till he saw the ball over the line asked the TMO, Johann Meuwesen if there was a reason not to award the try. The TMO tried to broaden the scope of his reply but the referee would not allow it, requiring just an answer to his question, rather than the question try or no try which would have allowed the possibility more scope in the answer.

Now the SARU general manager in charge of referees', André Watson, has stated that the try should not have been awarded and that the TMO's should be allowed to advise more broadly than is currently allowed by the IRB's protocol on the television match official, which is limited to the grounding of the ball and touch, touch-in-goal, ball being made dead during the act of grounding the ball. Greyling's offence had been before the goal-line.

Watson is quoted as saying that  a rigid protocol had helped the Bulls score an illegal try in their clash at the Free State Stadium. Watson told Die Burger it was an unfortunate incident where the protocol prevented the right call to be made.

Watson said: "According to protocol from the IRB a referee is not allowed to respond to any additional information from the TMO which does not relate to his original question. Johann wanted to give Craig extra information, because it clearly was not a try. But both of them would have ended up in hot water.

"The problem started with Craig not spotting Greyling's transgression. In this case the protocol led to the wrong decision being made and Craig has taken full responsibility," said Watson.

The IRB is to subject wider scope for the TMO's use to trial.

Watson said: "It will allow the TMO to point out foul play and to give additional information to prevent a situation like what happened at the weekend. If there is, for example, a forward pass which leads to a try 30 meters on, he'll be able to point it out.

"I really hope the Currie Cup is one of the competitions in which the protocol will be tested. A decision will be made next month."