Assessing the rules, regulations and scoring systems for your team sport The team sport I will

doing is rugby union. I will focus on two rules within rugby. One of the rules I will be focusing on will be the tackle area. The tackle area is a key component of the game of rugby. The tackle is a dangerous manouvere when not done properly can cause serious injury of the spinal cord and the neck. High tackles were the main infringement within the tackle area until earlier this year. Earlier this year the law on tackling was changed it says Law 10.4(j) reads: Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that players feet are still off the ground such that the players head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play(http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/newsid=2059102.html) This law was enforced before the start of the world cup. Before the rugby world cup began an email was sent to every team competing within the competition about the supposed spear or tip tackle it said within the email "Foul play high tackles, grabbing and twisting of the head and tip tackles to be emphasised, with referees to start at red and work backwards." This is enforcing the tackle rule. When Wales played France in the semi-final of the competition a red card was shown 18 minutes into the game for an alleged spear, tip tackle. The red card was shown to Sam Warburton this resulting in wales loosing to France 8-9. The referee Alain Rolland was correct if we are sticking to the rules but if you saw the game, it was not a malicious tackle and you could see there was no intent on hurting the player. The referee needed to take the circumstances of the game and watch stage of the game we were in. Alain Rolland didnt take the fact that it was 18 minutes into the game and it was a semi-final of a world cup. We cant put all the blame Rolland we need to look at the structure of the game and the rules. The email that was sent out to the coaching staff highlighted the fact that referees will start at a red and work backwards, the rules dont take the emotion or the circumstances of the game into proportion which forced Rolland to show the red card. But I think that the rules should be changed to perhaps involve the circumstances of the game. Rolland instantly showed the red card without having to take two thoughts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReAs14KlFCQ The rules should also be changed not to ruin an interesting game that rule instantly can destroy a game. The rule that ruined the world cup for wales has been under scrutiny for a few years. A lot of question marks have been put next to it debating whether to change it or not. They changed the rule and was put on priority for this world cup. http://dai.ly/abbqmJ

That was in the 2007 world cup and the player was only shown a yellow card. The rules have been enforced now to stop tackles like that. If that tackle was in this years world cup he would have been show a straight red card. Sam Warburtons tackle wasnt as severe. Rolland was harsh to give Warburton a red card considering the circumstances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4EI9I6aZpU&feature=related I agree with what the pundits say it is defiantly a yellow card and a penalty but not a red card. The referee should also take into account who the player is, the ref before a game should research the potential dirty players and Identify them but Sam Warburton is not a dirty player and I think has never had a yellow card, Rolland should take account of this information and use it to make his decision. http://www.rugbydump.com/2011/09/2152/dominiko-waqaniburotu-suspensionupheld-for-tackle-on-pat-lambie This is an example of a dangerous tackle within the world cup and the player didnt even get a yellow card for a tackle just as bad. Since Sam Warburton got sent off for a similar tackle why didnt the player get sent off too? If the IRB are going to use these laws they have to be consistent. This is an example of referees and the IRB not being consistent. If the referee was officiating in the France Wales match would Sam Warburton have got sent off? Some pundits are Citizen Rolland whilst others are praising him saying that he made the right decision. Paul Ackfor who works for the telegraph he says 'it was absolutely correct' he also says What Warburton did to Clerc was an error of judgment by a young man who has had a fabulous tournament and who will go on to enjoy a stellar career, but Rolland was spot on, and any other interpretation is inaccurate and unfair. ' i completely disagree with him any other interpretation is correct, the infringement that Warburton committed is compatible with the guidelines but rugby is a contact sport and when a bigger man comes up against a smaller man theres only one winner. Sam let go of Clerc legs to stop him falling on his neck. Rolland obviously didnt see it from the angle i did but surely as one of the most experienced referees he should be making the right decision every time. To conclude i think Sam Warburtons tackle involving Vincent Clerc was defiantly a penalty and a yellow card but never a red. Clerc's legs were not at a 180 degree angle although the tackle that Sam committed does follow the guidelines of a

'dangerous tackle' it isnt a red card. Rolland needed take into account the circumstances, what stage of the game it was and the player himself is he a dirty player and had any previous occurrences the same as this one once he has done that he should be fit to make his decision.