Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
If there was one takeaway from the last Rugby World Cup, then surely it was to prevent the TMO from completely taking the pizzazz out of a game by dredging up borderline incidents in back play? That World Cup final was ruined because of it, but it seems the lesson fell on deaf ears if this past weekend's All Blacks vs France Lipovitan-D July Series opener is anything to go by.
When I get to shoot these games, I use Sports Ears and I totally recommend them if you're serious about your rugby – you get to hear the commentators and the referee! It's all live, so you can watch Nic Berry conduct a flowing game that's both exciting and spirited. Well, until the TMO rolls into Nic's ear with a questionable piece of back play that might roll the scoreboard back a notch or two. It happened twice on Saturday, and both times, a frustrated Nic had to revoke tries he had awarded.
My view on it is that the referee should have the ability to call in the TMO if he or she is unsure of a call. But the referee should be the leader making the calls as the game unfolds, not a TMO with replays, slow-mo and a team of boffins to consult. It must be very frustrating to be a referee with the eye in the sky challenging your decision-making so often. And where does it end? I get to put my 400mm lens on all the action, and I can tell you there are things like eye gouges, punches, rucks to the body and worse that no ref will ever see. It's part of the game and it always has been. If we were to really put the microscope on the game, we might have to wait weeks to get a decision ... and probably a list of yellow and red cards.
Surely it makes more sense to let the ref run the game to the best of their ability, and as fairly as possible, without stifling the buzz of two giant teams meeting like we saw on Saturday night. Wow, the French turned up. And the All Blacks had moments of clarity ... and take a bow Fabian Holland – what a sensational debut.
See you at the beach, Derek
PS Here's a date for your calendar: 11am to 5pm, October 4, 2025. That's the date for the Port Chalmers Seafood Festival. There will be culinary delights (Nadia Lim will be there), a great lineup of live bands and lots of fun things to do with the kids – this is a seafood lover's dream festival. We'll be there! You can book your tickets right here.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: