'Proper officiating' needed in rugby

SYDNEY • England rugby coach Eddie Jones believes that officiating delays and the proliferation of cards are a blight on the game and is determined to drive change that will result in a more entertaining spectacle for fans before next year's World Cup.

The increased use of the Television Match Official (TMO) to spot infringements, as well as a lower threshold for yellow and red cards as World Rugby tries to improve safety, have made for more stop-start games in recent years.

"We've gone too (far) playing it like it's a tennis game and every decision's got to be right," Jones told reporters on Thursday ahead of the final Test against the Wallabies in Sydney today.

"Rugby when it's played at its best, and when we have the laws at the right level, we get that natural flow and rhythm in the game and we don't have it at the moment.

"Every time we get a flow in the game there's a stoppage and we go back to see if someone's taken out someone... the referee couldn't see it, so it can't be too bad. If it's a blatant red card offence then we need to go back to it."

But the Australian added: "The referees are being put under pressure here... We've got to keep the game safe, don't get me wrong, but accidental head contact and this incessant use of TMO, we've got to cut out," he said.

He cited All Blacks' Test against Ireland last week, when confusion reigned after two yellow and one red cards were shown to New Zealand in a short space of time.

"I'm certainly going to be pushing for (change) because I've had enough," Jones said.

"I don't want to see a game like that ever again, where we don't even know how many people are supposed to be on the field. Imagine in the World Cup, you're playing a quarter-final, you get a red card, two yellows and you're down to 12 men, it's just ridiculous."

He also said he was not alone in his thoughts and hoped there would be an opportunity during the November Test window to discuss the issues.

"We need to get the referees, the coaches and the players together and say 'this is the game we want, this is the game people want to see', and try to put together a forthright case as to the proper officiating of the game," he added.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE