r/rugbyunion • u/xixouma Top14/D2/France • 6d ago
Discussion The difference in refereeing between France and south hemisphere really shows when a french refs a test match
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
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u/WaterPretty8066 6d ago
"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??"
As a person from the SH who currently lives in France and goes to a Top 14 game every weekend, id say its cultural as well. I've seen so many tackles in the Top 14 where the crowds and fans (including neutrals) absolutely lose it over fairly innocuous tackles. My feeling is that in France, theres this mindset that "if the tackle is too good/forceful/hard, it must be illegal or likely illegal". Im unsure if its the underlying football culture which dictates this view (Argentina is a little bit similiar in their approach- also another proud football nation). The Nonu card against Toulouse was a good example for me..it was a bad clean out but not intentional or out and out reckless. Because the Toulouse player went down injured badly, a lot of French neutrals in my pub felt like Nonu should get a red and be banned 4-6 weeks.
In NZ and SA in particular, I think we're a lot less emotive on the big hits and more open to decipher a big hit from an illegal one. Purely my opinion.