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Video: Ben Kay proves the weekend's most debated call was absolutely right
By Ian Cameron
Former England second row Ben Kay has Tweeted a video that proves beyond doubt that referee Christophe Ridley was absolutely correct in his controversial charge-down call at the end of the Exeter and Northampton Saints thriller at Sandy Park.
Chiefs flyhalf Joe Simmonds was charged down by Saints players prior to taking a crucial conversion, a charge down Ridley interpreted as legal. It caused consternation among Chiefs players on the pitch and fans online in the aftermath. Ridley adjudged that Simmonds had moved - without reference to the TMO - and that Northampton were within their rights to chase him down and spoil the kick.
According to Law Eight:
‘All opposing players retire to their goal line and do not overstep that line until the kicker begins the approach to kick. When the kicker does this, they may charge or jump to prevent a goal but must not be physically supported by other players in these actions.’
A World Rugby Law clarification in 2020 then added: 'The moment the kicker moves in any direction it is deemed that he is ‘approaching to kick.’ The reason for this interpretation is simplicity, otherwise the referee would have to judge when the kicker first moves, and in what direction. It would also be open to misinterpretation by players, match officials and spectators.’
The problem was initial close-up footage didn't show clearly whether Simmonds moved or not.
Ben Kay however has found a wider angle of the contested kick and has tweeted it: "As Rob Baxter (very classily) admitted in the clubs post match interview straight after game, the wider angle of Simmonds conversion shows he does take a small step towards the ball before stopping again"
As Kay points out Exeter Director of Rugby Rob Baxter refused to use the decision as an excuse for the loss, his side's first loss to Saints at Sandy Park in seven years.
“As far as I can tell, I think ‘Simmo’ moved, they charged and that’s what you are allowed to do,” Baxter said. “Until I watch the video I don’t know, but in a lot of ways it is irrelevant to me.
“It is not the referee’s decision at the end which has decided that game.
“We’ve not taken our opportunities, which is a little bit uncharacteristic of us, and you have to give Northampton massive credit for how they fought on their try-line."
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Latest Comments
Well that sux.
Go to commentsLike I've said before about your idea (actually it might have been something to do with mine, I can't remember), I like that teams will a small sustainable league focus can gain the reward of more consistent CC involvement. I'd really like the most consistent option available.
Thing is, I think rugby can do better than footballs version. I think for instance I wanted everyone in it to think they can win it, where you're talking about the worst teams not giving up because they are so far off the pace we get really bad scoreline when that and giving up to concentrate on the league is happening together.
So I really like that you could have a way to remedy that, but personally I would want my model to not need that crutch. Some of this is the same problem that football has. I really like the landscape in both the URC and Prem, but Ireland with Leinster specifically, and France, are a problem IMO. In football this has turned CL pool stages in to simply cash cow fixtures for the also ran countries teams who just want to have a Real Madrid or ManC to lose to in their pool for that bumper revenue hit. It's always been a comp that had suffered for real interest until the knockouts as well (they might have changed it in recent years?).
You've got some great principles but I'm not sure it's going to deliver on that hard hitting impact right from the start without the best teams playing in it. I think you might need to think about the most minimal requirement/way/performance, a team needs to execute to stay in the Champions Cup as I was having some thougt about that earlier and had some theory I can't remember. First they could get entry by being a losing quarter finalist in the challenge, then putting all their eggs in the Champions pool play bucket in order to never finish last in their pool, all the while showing the same indifference to their league some show to EPCR rugby now, just to remain in champions. You extrapolate that out and is there ever likely to be more change to the champions cup that the bottom four sides rotate out each year for the 4 challenge teams? Are the leagues ever likely to have the sort of 'flux' required to see some variation? Even a good one like Englands.
I'd love to have a table at hand were you can see all the outcomes, and know how likely any of your top 12 teams are going break into Champions rubyg on th back it it are?
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