Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
I don't think that anyone really thinks the ref favoured either team. Decisions went both ways. It just happens that 'loosing control of the rucks' normally favours the defensive team (as it means slow ball).
We see this in international rugby a bit as well, and my opinion is that something needs to change if we want rugby to move to the next level.
The big thing that must happen is that the referee needs to get on top of this from the first minute. Players from both sides tested Jackson out on this and the players won. I think that more whistle early would have stopped at least some of what went on. I've always said that referees need to card early if a team or teams are doing this - no point leaving it to the last 20 minutes as the tone of the match has been set by then. I think that everyone has noticed that the flood of penalties and yellow card did not alter anyone's behaviour because it all happened too late. Players from both sides got away with doing things in the first 20 minutes which were penalised in the last 20.
Refereeing is a difficult craft - too many penalties kills the game, but not enough (particularly in a game like this) can also have a negative effect.
Despite the poor refereeing, I think that the Reds had enough possession and scoring opportunities to win that match, but they didn't take advantage of them. They seemed to have no problem getting the the Brumbies 22 and I'd suggest that the quickest way to stop any breakdown infringements would have been to keep knocking over penalty goals. It's not as if the Reds were coming from 30 points down. I think that 2 or 3 penalty goals might have had more effect on the Brumbies than the yellow card. I'm sure it would have caused the Brumbies to adjust their tactics - as it was the Reds, the Brumbies and the ref all kept doing the same thing.
The very reason I favour keeping penalty goals at 3 points is that this lessens the advantage of cynical try stopping penalties. (and I mean this in general terms, not particularly at the Brumbies on Saturday night)