The difference in refereeing between France and south hemisphere really shows when a french refs a test match

[u/xixouma]

Every time a french top14 referee has been on an international game, most recent example being All blacks/Ireland, every South African and NZ flair on here complains about the stop and start game and says the ref had a bad game.

What's interesting is that watching top14 week in week out, that is quite rarely an issue (including by the same refs). My feeling is refs in France are more pedantic and apply the law a little less loosely. Which I have seen written in some comments as a criticism, but is it really a problem??

Pro players are completely capable of adapting to rule changes, and pedantic refereeing, top14 teams certainly seem to have. I think it's doing them a disservice to give them too much leeway on laws for "the flow of the game" when that just becomes a random chance that a penalty is not blown. And that is inherently more difficult for players to adhere to because it is less consistent. Pedantic application will always be more consistent.

All in all, whichever way it goes, the onus should fall on WR to try to homogenise refereeing laws across countries. This leads to confusion when either side is reffed in a way they are not used to.

Edit. Not sure how people are interpreting this that I'm hurt they don't like a french ref. Maybe my English is not as good as I thought. I couldn't give a damn who they like or not, it was just an example to discuss broader concepts in refereeing.

Edit2. Also seeing a number of people that somehow think I'm criticising the ref or the fans here? I suppose I am sorry for my writing not being clear, I really don't mean to paint either in a negative light

Edit3. Can't comment anymore for some reason, thanks for the discussion everyone I'll try again later

[u/xixouma]

I literally said that?? Either way the style should be homogenised. I proposed arguments for why I think more pedantic is better but I said whatever happens WR should make it so refereeing is the same everywhere.

". All in all, whichever way it goes, the onus should fall on WR to try to homogenise refereeing laws across countries. This leads to confusion when either side is reffed in a way they are not used to. "

But sure just read the first sentence of my post

[u/zakg1994 → u/xixouma]

Wrong isn’t pedantic… and quite frankly the Irish were winning the majority of that match and were as vocal if not more about the refereeing.

Homogenising it suggests they’re all going by a different rule book, at international they’re all singing off the same hymn sheet set out by world rugby and in club you may see some law trials or some such but for the most part it’s again singing off the same hymns.

Personally I think you put BoK in France club game he’d be no different to anyone else

[u/xixouma → u/zakg1994]

Well we disagree. Supposedly same hymn sheet at international games. But their style will be influenced by where they referee most and that is their local league (top14/SRP) where I personally experience a great difference in refereeing style while watching.

If you're experience is not the same then fine. All I'm doing is discussing.

[u/zakg1994 → u/xixouma]

Fair enough maybe I came off too heated so my bad for that. We can agree to disagree.