Premiership: Marcus Smith expects increase in time-wasting decisions from referees

David Skippers 30 Sep 2022 9:15 PM

Marcus Smith is bracing himself for an increase in time-wasting calls after seeing the Wallabies lose to the All Blacks due to an an unprecedented refereeing decision in the dying moments of a recent Bledisloe Cup encounter.

Smith, who is England’s first choice fly-half, watched with great interest as French referee Mathieu Raynal repeatedly instructed Australia’s fly-half, Bernard Foley, to put a penalty into touch deep inside his half.

Foley failed to take the kick and when 39 seconds passed Raynal awarded a free-kick to New Zealand from which Jordie Barrett crossed for the match-winning try.

Received praise for his decision

Raynal’s decision divided opinion, especially as a similar call has never been made before, but his stand against gamesmanship has received plenty of praise.

And it certainly made an impression on Harlequins playmaker Smith, who appreciates any attempt to speed up the game.

“It was very interesting. I actually had a chat with my brother about it,” he said ahead of Quins’ Premiership match against Northampton at Twickenham Stoop on Sunday.

“The referee has set the tone, clearly. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was done again in the next six months.

“I think more referees will have it in their mind because one ref has done it on a big stage. There’s more chance now that other refs will follow.

“It’s a good way to encourage positive play and encourage ball-in-play time. And, ultimately, they’re the lawmakers so we’ve got to follow.

“I’ll definitely be…not speeding the kicks up but making sure I keep looking at the referee every weekend because I know what Joe Marler and those boys will tell me if I do something like Bernard Foley!

“In an ideal world you want more ball in play. The average ball-in-play time is 35 minutes so if we’re talking about selling the product and making the product better to watch and more accessible, then if you lift that to 50 minutes, ultimately there’s going to be more exciting things that happen.

“I guess anything we can do to make the game of rugby a better thing for people to spectate and watch will be beneficial.”

There has been some gloom at the start of the 2022/23 Premiership campaign with attendances down and Worcester having been placed into administration while Wasps are facing a similar fate.

And, apart from the disturbing finances within the club rugby, the is facing a concussion crisis and concerns over its appeal as a spectacle due to incessant breaks in play for head injury assessments as well as the use of the TMO and reset scrums.

Against this backdrop, Smith feels it is the players’ responsibility to do their jobs when they are out on the pitch.

Players must entertain the spectators

“Ultimately we are the patrons for the game. The flashlight is shining on us and it’s our job to entertain and put on a show for the people who come and support,” he said.

“We’re very lucky at The Stoop. Our attendance against Saracens in round two was brilliant and the whole of last season was really good. The least we can do is work hard, try our best, and do it with a smile on our face.

“Obviously there are problems with Worcester and potentially Wasps as well. At Quins we’re very grateful for our owners, but it also shows how fragile it can be.

“More importantly, you have to enjoy yourself while it’s here. It’s not going to last forever and it’s our roles as players to lift the profile and inspire the new youngsters in this country, both men and women. Hopefully we can build the game and lift it to a new level.”

Harlequins Marcus Smith