Owen Doyle: Rugby players seem to think they can interrogate referees. It needs to stop
Officials must lay down a marker with teams during Lions tour
The Whistleblower
Owen Doyle: Conflating cheating with ‘character’ will make refereeing rugby impossible
URC chief executive’s failure to condemn gamesmanship around Jaden Hendrikse’s ‘cramp and wink’ is perplexing
Owen Doyle: Rugby’s failure to punish violence and gamesmanship risks pushing a generation away
Amateur players are abandoning the sport over fears of sustaining brain damage
Rugby’s 20-minute red card is a dangerous departure that risks devaluing the importance of player safety
It will be in operation during Lions tour, with players sent off replaced after 20 minutes
Owen Doyle: Leaving an arguable try scoring decision totally in the TMO’s hands does not stack up
All referees should insist on seeing the replays when so many points are at stake
Owen Doyle: On the knockout stage, referees need to deliver their best performance
Scotland’s Sam Grove-White, Ireland’s Eoghan Cross and Wales’s Adam Jones could all up their games in charge of the whistle
Owen Doyle: The laws of the game are clear - Leinster should have had a penalty try
The decision facing referee Pierre Brousset in the last-minute of the Champions Cup semi-final was complex, but there should have been only one outcome
Owen Doyle: World Rugby session will have big focus on 20-minute replacement red card
There will be huge interest in the outcomes of the World Rugby’s specialist group studying the breakdown
Owen Doyle: Chaotic cock-up cost Munster and it reflects badly on a number of people
The lineout is supposed to be a contest for possession, but this trial appears to be heading in the opposite direction
Owen Doyle: As game faces an existential threat, World Rugby must not duck the replacements question
Use of 7-1 split is clearly against the spirit of the game
Referee tolerated too much chat and needless sledging from Munster
Weekend injuries go some way to explaining why participation is falling quickly; it’s hardly a mystery
Alex Nankivell’s straight red for collision with Cian Prendergast was right call
Bunker was missing in action at MacHale Park, as Connacht left it too late to fire on all cylinders
Owen Doyle: Time for referees to stop running shy of showing red cards
Shocking hit on Ireland’s Hugo Keenan by Italy’s Ross Vintcent in Six Nations match an obvious example of need for ultimate sanction
Owen Doyle: Some decisions made in the Ireland v France game were utterly bizarre
Antoine Dupont injury should draw attention to major problem at the breakdown in rugby
Owen Doyle: World Rugby should leave the lineout alone and fix the scrum
World Rugby's lineout law trial risks veering into black comedy
Owen Doyle: Ireland were major beneficiaries of the new 20-minute red card against Wales
Ireland were major beneficiaries of the new 20-minute red card against Wales
Ref should have given Ireland a penalty try but Henshaw can count himself lucky
Unlike James Doleman at Murrayfield, Nika Amashukeli’s communication at Twickenham was ideal – firm, concise, precise, polite
Owen Doyle: Nika Amashukeli showed again why he is the best referee in the world
Leinster were fortunate against Bath with the sequence of events leading up to Obano red card
Chris Busby resigning shows Mack Hansen issue has been botched from first to last
Affair raises serious questions for URC and IRFU, and is unlikely to do much for recruitment and retention of referees
Amateur rugby officials don’t give up their time to be insulted and abused
Everyone needs to remember the simple old truism that without a referee there is no game
Owen Doyle: Steven Kitshoff’s close call shows scrum laws need to change
New global law trials lack suggestions to improve what has proven to be a disastrous phase of the game
Owen Doyle: Mack Hansen’s ill-advised comments simply cannot be allowed pass without sanction
The international’s comments set a dangerous precedent and the URC, and the IRFU, must take appropriate action
Owen Doyle: Referees should not strive to be everyone’s pal. Foul play needs real disapproval
Dangerous carded actions must get more than just a nonchalant wave of the card from the referee
Owen Doyle: Luke Pearce had a bad day at Thomond Park, including one extremely poor call
Leo Cullen doesn’t need telling that Sam Prendergast needs serious tackle mentoring
Owen Doyle: Scrum is too often an ugly blot on the game, rather than a terrific attacking platform
Joe Schmidt will be examining video of Ireland’s win over Australia with a particular focus on knock-ons
Owen Doyle: Andy Farrell sure to have a word as Sam Prendergast lucky not to see red
Referee Hollie Davidson needs more of a cutting edge when it comes to communication
Owen Doyle: Caelan Doris plays a risky game but match officials found wanting
Ireland’s captain obstructing a potential Argentinian defender for winning try but validity of score not checked
Owen Doyle: Ireland must ensure Scott Barrett’s claim about Joe McCarthy is not swept under the carpet
World Rugby Council’s decisions this week on new laws could have big effects
England vs New Zealand: Players tackling lower leading to more offloads and running
Owen Doyle: A crying shame that World Rugby is not studying the scrum and attempting to restore this pivotal part of the game to its original purpose
Owen Doyle: Video nasties required to show just what merits a red card
Forget words, written or spoken; visuals are needed – clear, unambiguous video clips of what foul play gets what punishment
Owen Doyle: The defining skill of top referees needs to be brought up to speed
‘Too often we see referees falling behind the play, failing to anticipate what should be blindingly obvious’
Defusing rugby’s bomb squad: Revised replacement rules needed to protect player wellbeing
Sweeping replacements up front mean fatiguing opponents face what amounts to a new opposing pack
Owen Doyle: World Rugby needs to stick to its guns with no replacement red cards for ‘aggravated foul play’
World governing body’s new proposals could allow a replacement for Cane-like incidents while remaining utterly unforgiving of hard shoulders to the head and similar foul play
Owen Doyle: Brutal and compelling Test was great to watch – but who’d want to play it?
South Africa v Ireland: In their reimagining of the game, it’s very doubtful that this is what World Rugby have in mind
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