Given that in the case of referral to Video Refs forward passes are allowed, is it time for them to be allowed in general play providing that the receiving player is not offside. This would give forward passes the same status as forward kicks, so that any infringment can be referred to by all officials including VR.

The Rhinos would never be awarded a try if we went down that road

You mean we should allow forward passes, but only to players who are level with or behind the player passing the ball? Have you thought this one through?

Sh...



I think he means they should be allowed to go to the VR...after all they can do it with kicks & offside cant they.

Posted after a season of delibrate forward passes, leading to tries etc. Either we allow forward passes or we dont.

We don't. Never have.



Then again, it depends on your definition of "forward".

What's your definition?

Thats the difficult question-what is forward? is it relative to the ground, the player etc

The rule book is pretty clear on what it's relative to.

which is?

relative to the passing player, not the ground. A ball can be passed backwards and still travel forwards relative to the ground for a number of reasons (one of which we saw in the weekend's play-off games). And it is a perfectly legitimate pass which it would be stupid to outlaw.

Richie, at the moment the Video Ref isn't allowed to review forward passes, so in effect forward passes are allowed by one of the match officials.

What i am saying is that either the forward pass rule needs ammending or its interpretation clarified to allow all match officials to be able referee all aspects of the game.

Why does it need amending? How could it's interpretation be further clarified? t's already perfectly clear?

If you changed the law to allow the VR to rule, all you would get is a ton of VR decisions saying "back to you ref. My angle and footage doesn't give me as good a view as you had"