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Cape Town - World Rugby is considering limiting the use of the television match official (TMO) and hand more power to on-field referees.
READ: SANZAAR admits TMO system is not working
This follows a review into the TMO system announced last week by southern hemisphere governing body SANZAAR, which admitted to ‘some challenges’ during Super Rugby and the June Tests.
World Rugby Brett Gosper was speaking at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco this past weekend where he said changes could come as early as November.
“There is probably too much reliance at the moment on the TMO,” Gosper said, as quoted by Reuters.
“The feeling in the room is that we would like referees, themselves, to take a bit more control. That’s something that we are going to work through.”
In SANZAAR’s statement last week, its CEO Andy Marinos acknowledging that change was needed.
"A major concern for us at present is the practical implementation of the television match official (TMO) protocols. The protocols are clearly not working and a specific review is required in this area,” Marinos said.
"SANZAAR believes the appointed referee needs to remain the key decision maker on the field and that TMO interventions only provide context to the match officials’ decision making.”
