Lost In Translation

WE WUZ ROBBED!!! An out of their depth referee and TMO, promoted way beyond their abilities cost Warriors a famous victory. Don't get me wrong, refereeing professional rugby is a remarkably-difficult task, but, these guys are being well paid for their trouble, so the least we demand is competence and consistency – these qualities were sorely lacking from Mr Brousset and his wing man in the television truck.

Don't think his failings were all to the deriment of Glasgow; I thought the decision-making in denying Exeter that second half try, following lock Lewis Pearson's sumptious chip through was also really rough on the scorers.

As a former Scottish international referee explained to me some time back, at this level, there are so-many potential infringements to choose from, in deciding when to blow his whistle, the referee's big decision is “Materiality” - which offence had the greatest material effect on the game.

Take that final scrum, in time added on – consider all that happened there:

• Exeter's loose-head hinges – ref decides: no material effect

• Scrum goes down – again: no material effect

• George Horne hassles his opposite number, perhaps illegally – again: no material effect

• The scrum is down, the players are piled up – referee allows play to continue – once more: no marerial effect

• The Exeter Number Eight picks the ball out and attempts to kick to touch – therefore, the ball is out, the scrum is over

• Euan Ferrie comes round the side and picks the attempted touch kick out of the air, going on to score – the referee awards the try

• Exeter complain, the TMO gets involved – suddenly it is decided, Ferrie had detached and was therefore not entitled to make his crucial interception – This action had a material effect on play and the try has to be disallowed.

By my arithmetic, here were at least six things the referee coud have blown for. Of these six, the fact Ferrie detached from the scrum a millisecond or so either side of ther Exeter Number Eight picking up was [robably the one which had LEAST effect on play. The referee saw nothing wrong, but the TMO suddenly decided Ferrie's actions were a clear and obvious reason to disallow the try. AYE RIGHT!!!!!

I have long held the view, when it comes to TMO referral v VAR, Rugby Union's system is far better. I will say this, the way that try/no try decision was reached was classic Scottish VAR; only, instead of “Penalty to Rangers” it was “Penalty to Exeter.”

That one decision stunk more than Lynx Africa.

Another long-held belief of mine in the game is, English and French referees, officiating in international games (games involving teams from different countries – not the lower case) are too-often guilty of taking the field with a pre-conception of which team is the stronger. They then allow this bias to manifest itsdelf in their decisions. I said as we enjoyed a few minutres of added time at the end of the first half, with Exeter pressing: “This referee is going to keep playing and giving them advantages, until Exeter score”. Sure enough, that's what happened.

The highlight from a Glasgow point of view, as I saw it, was that glorious second try they scored. For Leone Nakarawa and Niko Matawalu, read Scott Cummings and Sione Tuipulotu; the legendary “Weegies frae Fiji” would have relished that one.

Still, losing that one has not fatally wounded Warriors' hopes of reaching the knock-out stages. They can still qualify, by beating Toulon in their final game, back at Scostoun on Friday night.

The match gives them an early chance of revenge for last season's Challenge Cup loss to the same side. The game is winnable, but, will perhaps depend on which version of Toulon travels. The French side are currently riding high in the Top 14 and, with the Guinness Six Nations coming up, they may opt to concentrate on domestic matters and send a shadow squad to Scotstoun.

IF GLASGOW were robbed, Edinburgh, again, shot themselves in the foot and lost a game that was there to be won. At the end of the day, Gloucester grabbed the win on the back of the one top-class player on the field, Louis Rees-Zammit, showing why he's so special, with a stunning try.

But, had they kicked their kicks and not guddled the ball too-often when in good positions, then I am certain Edinburgh would have emerged victorious. Gloucester are, to my mind, a typical mid-table English side. They'd rather have an arm wrestle than a running festival; they kick hoping to encourage mistakes and almost seem afraid to try things. But, they brought Edinburgh, who have more of a running game, down to their level, and got their reward.

It was Cavaliers v Roundheads, and, the Roundheads won. Disappointing.

Scarlets, next up for Edinburgh on Friday night, may be pointless and propping-up Pool 4, but, with home advantage they could damage Edinburgh's hopes of advancing to the knock-out stages. There is still a lot to play for.