Glasgow Warriors | Greater neutrality needed
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May 12, 2008

Greater neutrality needed

Posted by Editor on May 12, 2008 10:43 PM | 7 comments | Print | E-mail author

Sean Lineen was upset with the performance of the Irish touch judges
Glasgow coach Sean Lineen has called for greater neutrality among match officials in Magners League games.

He had been incensed by the performance of the Irish touch judges during Saturday's meeting with Munster at Cork's Musgrave Park, where his team squeezed home 21-18.

Sean believes Glasgow would have won much more easily but for those officials and matters came to a head when Anthony Foley scored a try after using one of the touch judges, who had strayed on to the field of play, as a blocker.

"When Foley went behind the touch judge, it was almost like a planned move," Sean told The Herald. "We need to have neutral touch judges as well as referees because something very similar happened in our last match of last season, which was also in Munster. Then the man was clearly out of play prior to scoring and the referee asked the touch judge who said Yes, try'. He was smiling as he said so - I can still see that clearly.

"In some ways, it is only human nature in rugby strong-holds because these people have to live there, but it is not good for our competition.

"Other coaches are talking about it as well. We feel that Irish and Welsh touch judges give us nothing. Dan Parks can put a raking 50-metre clearance in and they will mark it 30 metres downfield.

"We feel that Scottish touch-judges tend to go the other way to be seen to be fair, but what has to happen is that we get neutrality, so that it is seen to be fair."

Posted by Alan Fulton on May 13, 2008 12:15 AM | Reply to this comment

Conspiracy theory. Can anyone explain just what the touch judge was doing on the field of play anyway?? If it had been the ref himself, he would have pulled it back, realising he had obstructed play.

Posted by sunday5 on May 13, 2008 12:47 AM | Reply to this comment

It was bizzare to see the touch judge on the field and actually get in the way of defenders. He should be repremanded, that said the touch judges did give Evans try which was touch and go ( no pun intended) and gave us the decision on our own little bit of blocking.

Posted by Alan on May 14, 2008 12:13 AM | Reply to this comment

The ref gave Thom's try after consulting the TMO .. it was a try!.. and, TBH, don't think we had a defender there anyway when Foley went over!

Posted by luckyrugger on May 13, 2008 08:47 AM | Reply to this comment

I think they greater point was that since Foley ran behind the touchjudge, there was absolutely no way of knowing whether or not he ran into touch. Therefore to give the try without consulting the TMO was just horrendous beyond comprehension. As the replays showed he did manage to stay in play, but nevertheless the touchjudge was guessing in favour of the home side.

Posted by luckyrugger on May 13, 2008 08:51 AM | Reply to this comment

And put it this way, if Paddy O'Brien got a hold of him and asked him, "How did you know he wasn't in touch", the touchjudge would have literally no explanation. It was inexcusable and he shouldn't be trusted with running the line again.

Posted by lineens weegie army on May 13, 2008 04:08 PM | Reply to this comment

TBH, i think Seans coments are about our season as a whole - hes just (wisely) waited until the end to voice them.

His coments about touch-judges underestimating how far Dan has kicked I would suggest is refering to the Ospreys game - where the Main Stand linesman was flaging in the wrong place for every kick (adding for them, subtracting for us).

Cant coment about Saturdays game though, but what was the linesman doing on the park? :?

Posted by luckyrugger on May 13, 2008 04:48 PM | Reply to this comment

He stepped about a yard in-field to monitor a ruck/maul, and Stringer grabbed the ball and threw a quick pass out to the touchline, Foley took it, ran round the back of the linesman and touched down.

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