Tri-Nations: Rules to be changed

[Grimmace]

Why rules will finally be changed
By David Riccio


EMBARRASSED officials have admitted that the controversial Tri-Nations judicial process has failed.

As Test coach Ricky Stuart called for an independent board to be appointed, ARL general manager Geoff Carr revealed that there were plans to abolish the much-maligned citing system.

"Obviously this year's tournament has shown that there is a need for improvement in that area,'' Carr said. "I've already had discussions with Nigel Wood (chairman) at the RFL (Rugby Football League).''

Team managers have just 30 minutes after a match to send any on-field incident to the video match review panel. Great Britain management used the present system to have Willie Mason suspended for one match for punching Lions prop Stuart Fielden.

They lodged a complaint within the 30-minute time frame to cite Mason after the Kangaroos forward escaped being placed on report during the match. Players and coaches have described the citing system as farcical.

Stuart wants an independent committee because a series of violent incidents have gone unpunished during the Tri-Nations. "We need an independent board to oversee the running of the international game,'' Stuart said.

"We need a board that's going to hold responsible for rules and regulations of the Tri-Nations.''
Carr said the ARL and RFL would push for an immediate overhaul of the system at the completion of the Tri-Nations tournament.

"The rules were drafted three years ago for a tournament in Great Britain,'' Carr said. "The 30-minute window was drawn up for convenience ... but convenience is not always the best way.

"Without yet talking to New Zealand about this, we should have a match review committee headed by someone independent, like a Greg McCallum. They would then nominate incidents and determine if they would go to the judiciary.

"You could have the hearing after that process is complete, closer to 24 hours after, rather than 30 minutes after, a Test match. In the debrief, when this tournament is over, (changes to) the judiciary will be one of the recommendations that we'll put forward.''

Carr ruled out proposing an NRL-style points system to the international committee.

Source: Sunday Telegraph

[hugebrianfan]

some rules to need to be changed yea