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#Post#: 146795--------------------------------------------------
Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: December 30, 2025, 5:17 am
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I have learnt a lot from working with referees and officials and
think some tweaks to certain laws could improve the game
Warren Gatland - Daily Telegraph
30/12/2025
Since leaving Wales, I was asked during the Lions tour to do
some consultancy for World Rugby’s match officials. Going across
to the dark side (only joking!) has given me a whole new
perspective and appreciation for the work that the referees are
doing. I know they have received a lot of criticism this Autumn,
especially around some of the decisions made in the dangerous
high-contact area. They know they are not perfect. But what I
see is a group of people working really hard to rectify the
issues.
There has been some controversy surrounding yellow and, in
particular, red cards and some mistakes have been made. I know
how frustrating it can be when calls go against your team,
particularly those that fall within the grey area. For example:
side entry into a ruck, not releasing in the tackle, not rolling
away quickly enough in the tackle. This is where an element of
subjectivity is involved in making a decision.
But I have learnt a lot from working with the referees, and it
has given me a greater understanding and respect for what they
are trying to put in place heading into Rugby World Cup 2027. It
is not going to happen overnight. They want to be doing a good
job, they want consistency across the board and to get the clear
and obvious decisions right.
The top referees in the world meet a couple of times a year.
They usually meet before the Autumn Nations Series and the Six
Nations for three or four days. This is not a lot of time
considering how long a rugby side has to prepare and train for
their season. These are the areas that the refs have been
working on to improve consistency across the board as well as a
few thoughts about the game moving forward.
Working with the referees, I have observed that they are
focusing on four key areas in the build-up to the World Cup:
Space: Trying to create more space when it comes to teams being
able to attack. Focusing on offside at the breakdown. Not being
in front of the kicker. Getting players back five metres from
the scrum and 10m from the line-out.
Speed of ball: Focusing on the tackler, and ensuring that the
jackaler is completely legal at the breakdown. Players must
correctly enter the ruck as well as stay on their feet.
Safety: This is important. There have been some mistakes made
around this when it comes to consistency.
Scrum and maul: The focus here is on ensuring both scrum and
maul allow a contest for the ball and are also legal.
I do not think these focus areas and what the referees have been
trying to achieve have been communicated well enough to the
fans, broadcasters and teams. Referees come in for a lot of
criticism and they do not defend themselves or often explain
decisions. But they know they make mistakes and have a genuine
desire to build consistency and trust from players, coaches,
media and fans.
After matches, officials could be more proactive about getting
messages across and not being afraid to say, “we made a mistake
there” or that it was the wrong call, or explain a law so that
everyone understands. The most negative effect on the game can
come from a TV commentator who says things like “that was a
terrible decision”, but sometimes they are wrong or do not know
the law. I think there needs to be more collaboration with the
referees to try to get people on the same page.
Speaking as a coach, I have told referees that they will get
more respect when they are reviewing a performance and admit
that a decision was wrong, rather than trying to defend every
decision they make. If a wrong call was made for a big decision,
then this could be communicated to the fans, media and
broadcasters.
I think the jury is still out on the clampdown on kicking
escorts. The team chasing the kick is often going up just to
slap the ball down while the player receiving it has to catch it
because his players are running backwards. That now weights it
more heavily for the team kicking the ball, as long as it is a
good kick. That is why we are now seeing more box kicks in the
game.
If I were coaching now, I would be working with back-three
players to catch the ball above their head. Liam Williams was
one player who was brilliant at this. It might help eliminate
the potential for chasers to slap the ball down. We will have to
see how it evolves. As ever, we want the risk-reward balance
between the attacking side and the defending side to be equal.
You do not want it to be impossible to get the ball back against
a team playing phase after phase, but also you do not want teams
preferring to kick possession away.
If there are going to be any law changes, they should be made
within the next six months. One of the frustrations from a
coaching point of view is that changes have been made in the
past too close to World Cups and at a time when we all needed
consistency and continuity.
What laws I would change
I do not have any powers to make any tweaks, but there are a
couple of things that could make a difference and give greater
clarity to the game.
The first involves the breakdown. If a player is tackled and
brought to the ground – even by an ankle tackle – I think they
should be forced to release the ball and have to get back on
their feet before playing it again, even if they are not held. I
think it would speed up the game, because the tackler knows he
can release the ball-carrier straight away, then immediately
roll out of the way and get back onto his feet. Currently, there
is a bit of confusion. A tackler can hear from a referee that
the ball-carrier is not held, but then if he holds on too long,
he can be penalised for not releasing and not rolling out of the
way. Tweaking it would get rid of any confusion.
I would also make a change to simplify the 50-22 law. Currently,
a team is rewarded with the throw-in to a line-out if a player
kicks the ball from their own half and it bounces into touch
inside the opponent’s 22-metre area. It has been a really good
innovation and one that not only encourages attacking kicks but
also creates more space by forcing defenders to cover the
backfield, opening up gaps in the defensive line. I believe it
can be improved further if we scrap the law that says the 50-22
is not on if the ball is passed back into a team’s half before
the kick is made.
This causes confusion, forcing the officials to monitor where
the ruck was formed and where the pass was made. It also allows
the defending side to leave the backfield free as soon as they
see the ball has passed the halfway line, denying the attacking
side the extra space. Let’s make it simpler for the players,
referees and fans. If a player is inside his own half, the 50-22
is on, which would keep the defence on their toes and force them
to sit back hopefully for longer.
Speeding the game up is something that World Rugby and the
referees are working hard on. Last year, they introduced the
60-second limit for kicking penalties and conversions, and
scrums and line-outs are restricted to a 30-second set-up. And
yet the directive to do away with escorts to make the aerial
contest a fairer one has led to handling errors and scrums, and
sometimes these can lead to delays when they are reset.
We have also seen the television match official (TMO) reviews
leading to two or three-minute delays as they go through replay
after replay. I think if a referee is convinced an offence is at
least a yellow card, and he is having to view different angles
as he is not quite sure, I would suggest just showing a yellow
card and put the decision to the bunker straight away, so we can
get on with the game. Everyone wants the right decision, but in
the pursuit of perfection, there can be too many delays.
Interestingly, when it comes to overall TMO interventions, the
stats show there are much fewer than I expected. They are mainly
involved only in the big decisions. It is not the easiest thing
to do because if a TMO is reviewing an incident, he is not able
to look at the real-time footage. It makes it important to have
two people in the box, one who can review foul play, which they
have at the highest level.
Coaches and players should take more responsibility. We have
increasingly seen players who experience some head contact being
encouraged to stay down, like we have seen in football. This
ensures there is a stoppage in play and then the TMO can review
the incident and maybe a yellow card will be shown to their
opponent. The consequences can be significant, but I would like
to think that there is a responsibility for the players not to
go down if they are not injured. This can also apply to players
going down injured to rest and have a break.
The referees should be backed. I think there is an onus on World
Rugby, because refereeing is such an important part of the game,
to make sure that they have the resources and funding they need
to support and prepare them in the best way possible. They are
integral to the game, not just the performance and results, but
also for fans and sponsors to make the game attractive. I have a
greater appreciation now of what referees have to go through,
the challenges they face and dealing with criticism from coaches
at the top level and on social media. They enjoy what they do,
and they want to get the right outcome and make the right
decisions. But they are human, and all of us need to support
them.
I am not Georgia coach... I am waiting for the right opportunity
Right now it feels like anytime there is a new rugby position
open anywhere in the world, my name is mentioned, and all of a
sudden, I’m getting texts from everyone saying, “Oh,
congratulations on the new job.” For the record, I am not the
new head coach of Georgia.
When I finished with Wales, I said to myself: “I just do not
need this level of negativity from the Welsh media in my life.”
Genuine Welsh rugby fans understood where the team were and that
rebuilding was going to take time. I hope that Steve Tandy is
given the space and support to do his job.
Since February, I have been enjoying a break. I feel now,
though, that some sort of role with a national team going into
the next Rugby World Cup could be a good challenge given my
experience in preparing sides for these tournaments. It is the
one time when an international head coach has his players for an
extended period, almost like a pre-season with a club side.
But if the right opportunity came along, I would also consider
other competitions in the world. I loved my time coaching at
Connacht, Wasps, Waikato and the Chiefs. Those were incredibly
enjoyable times. Managing a club side in the Northern Hemisphere
is a different kind of challenge. The weather sometimes dictates
how you have to play. One of the key areas for running a
successful club in the Northern Hemisphere, given the long
season, is how to manage players not only physically but also
mentally, keeping them fresh and charged. You need to know when
to push them and when to back off and give them a bit of a
break.
I also think it would be great for the Premiership if clubs with
the history and tradition of Wasps, London Irish and Worcester
could make a return. Currently, I feel that a Premiership with
only 10 teams is a little bit light for a country with the
playing numbers of England. Moving to 12 or 14 teams would
create more excitement and I am sure the broadcasters would
encourage it.
#Post#: 146796--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: December 30, 2025, 5:17 am
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Gats is free......
#Post#: 146821--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: sussexquin
Date: December 31, 2025, 4:20 am
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--- Quote from: deadlyfrom5yardsout link ---
>
> Gats is free......
>
--- End Quote ---
and looking for a role with a national side. Why would he risk
his reputation trying to rescue Quins this side of the World
Cup? He would be a great signing but I just don't see it
happening.
#Post#: 146829--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: Subterra
Date: December 31, 2025, 5:27 am
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Remember the dfays when we played A-league games at Aldershot
Barracks and used the pitches for training.
Met Gatland there a few times and even managed to get a smile
from him.
Be wasted at Quins these days
#Post#: 146832--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: December 31, 2025, 6:10 am
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Any thoughts on what he is saying about refereeing?
#Post#: 146836--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: T-Bone
Date: December 31, 2025, 6:22 am
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No thanks to the rugby Wales played. Can't remember if wasps
played decent rugby.
#Post#: 146838--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: December 31, 2025, 6:30 am
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Wasps played fantastic rugby and his good Wales sides also did.
He's up there with Rassie for getting a fight to the death
attitude out of his teams.
It all went to pot a few years ago and he's had several very
humbling appointments since.
#Post#: 146840--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: December 31, 2025, 6:36 am
---------------------------------------------------------
"..The referees should be backed. I think there is an onus on
World Rugby, because refereeing is such an important part of the
game, to make sure that they have the resources and funding they
need to support and prepare them in the best way possible. They
are integral to the game, not just the performance and results,
but also for fans and sponsors to make the game attractive. I
have a greater appreciation now of what referees have to go
through, the challenges they face and dealing with criticism
from coaches at the top level and on social media. They enjoy
what they do, and they want to get the right outcome and make
the right decisions. But they are human, and all of us need to
support them...."
#Post#: 146841--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: December 31, 2025, 6:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Boring.
Anyway I think Gatland is the guy that all the fans of Steve
Diamond should be begging for.
#Post#: 146849--------------------------------------------------
Re: Warren Gatland I’ve gone over to the dark side of refereeing
DIR By: Subterra
Date: December 31, 2025, 8:43 am
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--- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
>
> Boring. Anyway I think Gatland is the guy that all the fans of
Steve Diamond should be begging for.
>
--- End Quote ---
No one could be more boring than you shirley :)
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