Quicker, accurate decision-making is the rationale behind amendments to the Television Match Official (TMO) protocol set out today by World Rugby. The governing body say that the changes are very much bringing existing practice firmly into the protocol, rather than leaving grey areas, or creating more reasons to stop the game.
The only new element relates to the extension of a formal check after a try to before the restart, rather than the conversion. This follows the 2022 Italy v Scotland Six Nations game where a knock-on in the build-up to a try was not shown to the TMO until after the conversion so could not be formally checked before the restart.
The new protocol becomes fully operational for all competitions and stand-alone matches taking place after 1 July, although dispensation has been given to those competitions which start at the end of June.
Formal adoption of the current practice of live-time, on-the-run decision-making, where the TMO acts as a ‘sweeper’ on behalf of the referee to examine the following scenarios without stopping play:
• Law 8 Scoring: Incidents relating to whether a player was in touch or touch-in-goal
• Law 9: Dangerous play, specific to where any dangerous play can be immediately determined as a ‘play on’ or a penalty kick only offence
• Law 11: Knock-on or throw forward
• Law 18.2-18.8: All touch/touch-in-goal decisions, including whether a ball was in touch or not, and who took it into touch
The revised protocol has had input from the world’s top match officials, broadcasters and laws experts, underpinning a collaborative and solution-focused approach. The work was lead by World Rugby TMO consultant, Stu Berry from South Africa who was an elite referee and TMO for many years.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said, “Our mission is to help the sport to be all it can be in terms of safety and spectacle, and this TMO revision supports that mission.
“Not only will this update help the elite game better identify and deal with any foul play, it will assist in the clear and obvious being addressed without stopping the game, potentially reducing the number of unnecessary and often lengthy stoppages which impacts the spectacle for all concerned.
“Combined with the trial adjustment to the scope of water carriers, this is a common-sense development that can aid the spectacle by reducing stoppages, and I would like to thank the match officials for their full and expert input. Many of these updates are a question of formalising practices that were already taking place in any event, so fans and viewers alike will already be accustomed to them in most cases. We must now all work together to ensure consistency and accuracy of application of this protocol at all levels where the TMO operates.”
Download a copy of the TMO protocol here (Rugbyreferee.net gated)
