Wayne Barnes has broken rugby etiquette by calling laws ‘rules’ during Ireland’s clash with the All Blacks this morning.
The men who decided to write up the rules for playing rugby in the 1800s were lawyers by profession. So they called them ‘Laws’ rather than ‘Rules’. The term stuck.
Social media wasn’t best amused with Barnes, who funnily is a barrister by trade.
SOCIAL REACTION:
EDITORS PICKS:
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- Weekend’s match officials, including England vs Australia referee
Worst refereeing decisions in rugby:
1. Speargate on the Lions Tour
The first game of the Lions tour of New Zealand was swept into controversy following a horrific spear tackle on Captain Brian O’Driscoll, which ended his tour within minutes. The tackle, with O’Driscoll picked up by two players in the ruck, was against the rules, but the ref waved play on.
The moment caused a major knock-on effect in World Rugby, tightening up restrictions on spear tackling.