: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:25 am
Speaking as someone who went to the game as a neutral but with a hope for success of French Rugby League, I was surprised that the Catalans were still going with their lying-on tactics which have cost them dear in terms of penalties over the past few seasons (even last year they were nearly top of the penalty count table). Its an area that they certainly haven't imporived on since there first season.
What surprised me more was that they were getting away with it so much this evening. I was commenting with Wire fans around me that it was a lot like an NRL game, slow play the balls etc.
Only when I got home and watched the first part of the commentary did I realise that this was an Australian ref. Whilst this doesn't explain Wire's performance in the last 20 minutes, it was a bad development for our game overall.
Even if you've come over from Australia, it should be explained before the start of the game that the 'wrestle' as they like to call it is not what our game is about. Its about as interesting as watching an RU scrum- how can we enjoy a game from the stands when the action in taking place on the ground between a tackler who has already made a tackle and a player who has already been tackled.
Its one thing to win the tackle as Paul Cullen was pointing out on boots n all, its another to watch players trying to do it after the tackle has been made. It all added up to a much poorer spectacle than might otherwise have taken place. I suspect if an English ref or indeed M. Alibert had been in charge tonight, the penalty count against Catalans might have been much higher.
