Top Rugby Ref calls for TMO’s to be banished

Former top referee Peter Marshall has called for the television match
official used in top level rugby to be abolished.

Marshall speaking through his blog on www.heavensgame.com used an example from last weekend’s third Lions test in South Africa to make his point “the decision by the TMO in the 3rd South Africa v Lions Test after more than 3 minutes and 14 replays – “no try”. He ruled Ngani’s foot touched the touch line prior to him grounding the ball over the goal line. This decision was highly debatable. What did the TMO see in the 14th that he didn’t see in the 8th or 10th replay to confirm Ngani’s foot touched the touch line?”

Marshall made valid points around the time taken to make the decision.
Points which were echoed on the leading rugby union podcast RuggaMatrix by host Djuro Sen when talking to Irish Rugby’s defensive coach Les Kiss.

Marshall made a telling point at the end of the post “It will be argued
that there is so much money riding on the results of games these days that we must continue to use TMO’s so they get the decision correct. During the 2009 Super 14 season there were a number of decisions that were incorrectly made by the TMO; these were obvious for all to see.

It is time to revert back to the referee being the decision maker on the
field in consultation with his assistant referees, for the good of the
game of Rugby.”

With many rugby fans discussing the necessity of the TMO Marshall may well have provided the public voice for private opinion.