Referee: Is it a try - yes or no?

Television Match Official: “There was no problem with the grounding; would you like more information from before the goal line?”

Referee: “Yes.”

Television Match Official: “It was a forward pass.”

South Africa's battling Tri-Nations victory over New Zealand in Port Elizabeth on Saturday will be remembered for many reasons - the gutsy return to form of the under-fire Springboks, the clear cracks in the All Blacks' armour and the intensity of the atmosphere. But those noteworthy facts may be over-shadowed by some maverick officiating.

A simple exchange between Irish referee George Clancy and South African TMO Johan Meuwesen, which followed what looked to be a second-half try for New Zealand, should, on the face of it be applauded. We often long for clear lines of communication between officials and on this occasion clarification was sought swiftly and the try was correctly ruled out as the pass from New Zealand's Israel Dagg to Cowan in the build up to the try was forward. The trouble is that in coming to the 'right' decision they broke the Laws of the game.

Current regulations are quite clear as to when the referee can call on the TMO and what information he can provide. The TMO can be consulted, "if the referee is unsure when making a decision in in-goal with regard to the scoring of a try or a touch down when foul play in-goal may have been involved." They can also be called on if the referee is, "unsure if a player was or was not in touch when attempted to ground the ball" and to clarify if a kick has passed between the posts.

There is no mention of providing clarity about incidents in the build-up to an act of scoring and as a result, Meuwesen's offer of 'more information' and his comment regarding the forward pass were clear breaches of protocol. Justice may have been done but the decision to play fast and loose with the regulations does not sit too well.

Clancy, who will referee at next month's World Cup starting with the opening game between New Zealand and Tonga, and Meuwesen can expect to be called to account for their actions by IRB referees boss Paddy O'Brien - unless there has been a directive on the matter that we have missed. But such an important change in policy would not have been made without some kind of fanfare.

In an ideal world, TMOs would be able to offer input outside of their current remit, using the sometimes amazing television technology available to broadcasters. But the IRB are aware that this is not as straightforward as it sounds - how would they interrupt the game? Would they only be able to rule on forward passes? Foul play? The breakdown? Scrums? A lot of questions and far too many for the IRB to process right now it would appear. Especially with a World Cup almost upon us.

So instead, we must add this latest high-profile blunder to that involving referee Jonathan Kaplan and touch judge Peter Allan during this year's Six Nations clash between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff when we were screaming for the TMO Geoff Warren to bring some sense to proceedings. On that occasion a strict adherence to protocol resulted in injustice whereas the opposite occurred in Port Elizabeth.

There is clearly a need for a review of the current regulations and failure to address these concerns and embrace the added clarity technology can provide could result in yet more embarrassment. Let us hope that the sport's showpiece event is not blighted by such self-induced trauma.

These two men should be celebrating a World Cup victory next year - but will they? © Getty Images

At the start of the November internationals we attempted to mark your card with a prediction of how things would pan out and as the dust settles it seems only right to sum up what we've learned over the course of the last few weeks.

All Blacks are a class apart
Graham Henry's side continue to play a different game to their rivals for next year's World Cup crown. The Springboks may be able to match them for muscle and the Wallabies may pose an equally dynamic attacking threat but neither can offer the all round excellence of the All Blacks. In an all too familiar scenario, the Webb Ellis Cup appears theirs to lose.

Player welfare takes a back seat
England's hopes against South Africa took a nosedive following a collision between winger Chris Ashton and Boks captain Victor Matfield. The blow clearly knocked Ashton senseless and referee George Clancy was unhappy and moved to comment, "He's nearly asleep, he's slurring his words", before urging the medics to make the "responsible decision". England were not prepared to lose one of their key attacking threats with barely a minute on the clock. "The medics said Chris was good to go, and they don't take risks," said England boss Martin Johnson after the game but those same medics did not look too convinced at the time. Ashton never looked right from that point on while Matfield, who broke a rib in the tackle, was not himself either. Risky business.

McCaw sets the standard
'Richie McCaw will stand like a colossus above everyone else' was our prediction a few weeks ago and he did not disappoint. Rather than his exceptional skill setting him apart, it was his temperament. Australia's Quade Cooper was the first to push his luck with a gloating shove in Hong Kong. England hooker Dylan Hartley also tried to get under his skin with a stray forearm at Twickenham while Wales' Andy Powell waded in with the cheapest of cheap shots in Cardiff. They all tried and failed to rattle McCaw, who just dusted himself down each time before returning to the task in hand. Add in another boring round of finger-pointing and accusations of cheating and it is amazing that McCaw did not boil over. He stands head and shoulders above his peers in more ways than one.

John Smit's international days look numbered
Many believe Springboks skipper John Smit should have called time on his international career following last year's series victory over the British & Irish Lions and Tri-Nations conquest but his quest for 100 Test caps and the support of coach Peter de Villiers ensured he was still a pivotal figure as they embarked on their 2010 campaign. Injury sidelined him for the end of year tour and Matfield was an able deputy as skipper while Bismarck du Plessis was outstanding in the hooker role. Reports suggest another flirtation with tight-head is unlikely next year, seemingly leaving Smit with the choice of being a back-up option or retirement.

Scrums are a blight on the game
There can be no denying that the general issue of the scrum is a mess right now. Despite the International Rugby Board's best efforts to improve things with the painfully long crouch-touch-pause-engage sequence it is an area of the game that needs urgent attention. I don't care if stats back up the claim that there are now less re-sets and collapsed scrums - it remains an ugly aspect of the game. Far too much time is wasted - can we not stop the clock somehow? - while the difference in interpretation from game to game and referee to referee is infuriating for those on the front line and those observing from afar. Sort it. Please.

England could win the World Cup...
...but probably won't. Martin Johnson's side are on an upward curve in terms of development despite the battering at the hands of the Springboks. They have shown an ability to produce breath-taking back play and stand toe-to-toe with the world's best up front but failed to do that with the kind of consistency that would have the southern hemisphere worried. The Six Nations may offer further improvement but do not expect the Tri-Nations giants to stand still in that time. England's young guns are going to have to do a fair bit of thinking on their feet if they plan to be in New Zealand beyond the quarter-finals next year.

France have lost their way
Just a few months ago Les Bleus were basking in the glory of a Six Nations Grand Slam but now they look a shadow of that side. The warning signs were there when both South Africa and Argentina swept them aside in the summer but they papered over the cracks with victories over Fiji and Argentina earlier this month. Australia were not so forgiving and heaped woe on France coach Marc Lievremont by hammering his charges in emphatic style at the weekend. OK - they may have been missing first-choice fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc and he's good - but not that good. Far from setting the benchmark as they were earlier this year, they now appear to be going backwards while all their main rivals can boast some kind of improvement in recent weeks. There are plenty of questions to be answered between now and the Six Nations. Who in their right mind drops Imanol Harinordoquy?

Islanders are the sleeping giants of the game
Fiji's draw with Wales stands out as the best performance by a rugby minnow this month although Samoa deserve credit for more than holding their own against Ireland, England and Scotland. Both sides showed that there is more to their game than the crash-bang brand of rugby that made their name. As good as they are with limited preparation you wonder what they could do if granted the same kind of luxuries afforded their Tier 1 rivals.

An unstable scrum will derail the Wallabies' World Cup hopes
It can't be easy being Patricio Noriega. As Australia's scrum coach he has had the unenviable task of picking up the pieces of the Wallabies' set-piece time and time again. Such is the talent in the team's back division it is almost a crime that the forwards cannot provide a stable platform for them to do their stuff. It will be their undoing on the World Cup stage unless they can remedy the malaise. There were signs of hope in the victory over France with the re-shuffled front row of James Slipper, Stephen Moore and Benn Robinson proving a match-winning combo.

Dan Carter is the king
We know that you know this already but we could not let DC's ascent to the top of the all-time Test points standings go without some form of praise. Even operating at a generous 70% he still had too much class for the UK and Ireland's finest and we should consider ourselves lucky to be following the game when two of the all-time greats (along with McCaw) are at the height of their powers. The problem for the All Blacks is that he casts such a shadow that question marks remain about a worthy understudy. Carter is pivotal to the All Blacks' World Cup hopes - if he stays fit they win. Simple.

England's Mark Cueto stretches for the line during his side's Rugby World Cup 2007 defeat © Getty Images

Pop Quiz: Who was in the TMO booth when TV technology made its debut on the international rugby stage? (answer to follow...)

Now, I'm not normally one for kicking a man when he is down but in this instance I am more than happy to wield our sport for a little Blatter-bashing.

Putting the real story to one side, that being England's astounding mediocrity, FIFA president Sepp Blatter's historical reluctance to embrace technology in the form of TV replays has always seemed nonsensical and two high profile errors - the decision not to award Frank Lampard a goal against Germany and the equally woeful call to allow an offside effort from Argentina's Carlos Tevez to stand - have made the sport look even more foolish.

How a sport with football's status can let itself be dragged into such a mire is beyond me. With the eyes of the world watching, football has scored an outrageous own goal that only BP chief executive Tony Hayward will have applauded as the media spotlight passed, if only briefly, onto another unfortunate individual.

Rugby can learn a great deal from football - especially as it continues to labour in its professional infancy - but in one respect, at least, rugby can teach its sporting cousin a valuable lesson. Rugby may not have been the first to embrace TV technology to aid with game management but they were quick to realise the benefits and the fact that those pros certainly outweighed the cons.

The 'Television Match Official', as he is now known, made his international bow back in 2000 after being trialled on the domestic stage within the southern hemisphere's Super 12 competition. English referee Steve Lander was the first to call on a TMO to pass judgement on whether a try had been scored during New Zealand's rout of Tonga in Albany - and Kiwi Steve Walsh subsequently awarded a try to All Blacks captain Todd Blackadder.

England fans may remember a more contentious TMO decision the same summer during the Springboks' narrow 18-13 win in Pretoria. England fullback Tim Stimpson appeared to be tackled without the ball by South Africa's Andre Vos as he looked to get a try-scoring touch to a loose ball but the TMO ruled a knock on.

On that occasion the officials may have got it wrong but that was not the case in the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final when England's Mark Cueto saw a try ruled out by the TMO - funnily enough against the Springboks again. These examples show that the technology will not always provide a definitive answer and we must still rely on the interpretation of the images by a real person, and they are prone to the odd error, but in most cases TMO decisions provide the clarity that is sought and are controversy-free thanks to the superb tools available to broadcasters and the sport.

Some of the decisions are still hotly debated - and in some cases rightly so as there are still some dubious calls being made. But in the vast majority of instances, the input of the TMO is a welcome one and the delay - a few seconds at best and a few minutes at worst - is a small price to pay for the integrity of the sport. Original concerns about robbing the game of one of its key elements - continuity - have long since vanished and the International Rugby Board must be applauded for embracing technology all of those years ago and sticking with it as the marriage between the two worked through some difficult early years.

Sadly for football, the second World Cup on the trot is set to be remembered for all the wrong reasons - in 2006 it was Zinedine Zidane's shocking head-butting of Marco Materazzi whereas this time around the dark cloud of controversy stretches from Thierry Henry's handball in qualifying all the way to the officials' foul-up in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.

Admittedly rugby has its issues - Bloodgate to name just one - but at least the IRB and the RFU talk a good game about addressing them. FIFA on the other hand appear happy to fly in the face of common sense on this issue and as a result will continue to be dogged by needless controversy until they join the 21st Century.

Could a clash between the winners of the Heineken Cup and Super Rugby competition be staged every year? © Getty Images

It must have been about a year since the last attempts to stir up the prospect of a 'north v south' showdown so it was no surprise to see the subject hit the headlines once again this week. But surprisingly the latest call came from Premier Rugby chief Mark McCafferty who, not content with tinkering with how the game is played in England's top flight, revealed that an annual clash between the Heineken Cup winners and the Super Rugby champions is in the pipeline. Surely if anyone should be leading the debate it should be the European Rugby Cup suits?

The potential financial windfall for those clubs involved is no doubt the driving force behind the latest attempts to get this idea off the ground but it was interesting to see McCafferty go public with the plans in the shadow of the Heineken Cup quarter-finals where Northampton are the only English side still in the mix - England's worst performance in the competition since 1999 - the year they boycotted the tournament.

The push for an official Six Nations v Tri-Nations showdown has run out of steam with the southern hemisphere's finest now annual visitors to these shores and it is that same November window that McCafferty appears to have set his sights on for a club v franchise clash with an early December clash put forward for consideration.

The problem is that any fixture staged then would lack any real credibility due to the fact that the new European season would be in its infancy while the leading players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa would be coming to the end of a gruelling 11-month season. For fans in the north, the focus will be on the new season and representing the Heineken Cup would mean little considering the fact that the latest battle for European supremacy will have already kicked off the previous month. These one-off games have previously done little for the game and held little attraction - anyone remember the Orange Cup play-off between the Premiership and Top 14 champions? Admittedly the World Club Challenge in rugby league continues to thrive but the rugby union calendar is not nearly as accomodating.

The international matches at that time of year do well to retain significant interest considering the same factors while the problems for a side like the Waratahs for example, of re-grouping for one game months after the end of their domestic campaign would be numerous. The players would have long since returned to club duty or been busy on international duty. But we can at least assume that the majority of the leading southern hemisphere players will be in Europe on tour with their respective countries.

Some suggest a more sensible option would be to schedule a game in early June ahead of the international season but as of next year with a new-look structure to the southern hemisphere season the Super 15 season will only just be warming up - the expanded competition will start in late February and take a break for the June internationals before resuming to a finish in early August.

An August date for a world club challenge will have its own problems - a fixture clash with the Tri-Nations, Air NZ Cup and Currie Cup plus the fact that the northern hemisphere players will have just returned from their already limited off-season - but the idea in general has its attractions. Just think, Heineken Cup winner and Super 15 champion are crowned in May and August respectively with a showpiece clash taking place later in the year to a guaranteed packed house in either hemisphere - or even on the road to Japan, Russia or the USA? But would concerns over player welfare trump any financial incentive?

SANZAR may have poured cold water on this idea but crucially admitted some interest in the concept. In other words, cut us a big enough slice of the pie and then we can make it happen.

The apparent pipe dream that is a global season may be a long way off but World Club Challenge match each year could really be a big plus for the sport, for fans, broadcasters and sponsors. But sadly it would appear until the north and south are aligned this is not going to get off the ground - and as the chances of that are remote then the proposal is doomed.

You couldn't help but laugh as England attempted to explain away their latest abject display against Argentina at the weekend.

"I can understand the frustration. We must continue to strive for improvement," declared captain Steve Borthwick. Now, is it me or could that quote have been lifted from the post-match coverage of any of England's matches since Martin Johnson took the reins in the summer of 2008? In the words of baseball legend and master of the malapropism Yogi Berra - "It's like deja-vu, all over again."

On the evidence of their last two performances, England are going backwards at an alarming rate and there must come a point when enough is enough in terms of excuses. It's all very well 'striving' for improvement but if the players, coaches and management continually fail to provide evidence that they are heading in the right direction then I'm afraid it's time for a change.

As sure as night follows day, England will be on the wrong end of a harsh lesson at the hands of the All Blacks next weekend if they serve up a repeat performance. Even if they raise their game significantly the game will be all about damage limitation. Both on the scoreboard and in terms of reputation.

Fake blood hogged the headlines earlier this year and my money says there will be more of the red stuff shed before the year is out - albeit on this occasion metaphorical. A shake-up is looming and the cleaners at Rugby House will no doubt be busy scrubbing the carpet in the aftermath of the autumn campaign. Johnson's reputation - and the RFU's emphatic endorsement of him - will buy him more time but the axe is looming over his coaching team.

The team is lacking direction - not to mention a style of play - which calls to mind another Yogiism - "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

On the subject of unintentional humour there were more laughs to be had in Toulouse on Friday night when Rastafarian Ras Dumisani slaughtered the South Africa national anthem Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika ahead of their clash with France. Maybe it was the pressure of the occasion or the demands of lyrics that contain five of the country's 11 languages?

The crowd were heard to be laughing during the performance and not surprisingly the Springboks were more than a little offended. "As a union we were shocked and horrified by the rendition of the anthem," said SARU chief Oregan Hoskins.

France's response? "Every time we welcome a foreign side, we ask the embassy to propose people for the national anthems,” said team manager Jo Maso. He could still play with a pass like that.

A Facebook group called “Ban Ras Dumisani from ever singing again” already has over a thousand supporters - have they got a point or is this just nonsense? They of course went on to lose the game so perhaps we have stumbled upon a new tactic here?

Dumisani himself reportedly claimed he sang “beautifully" which suggests he has either been indulging in a bit too much of the ganja or has spent too much time listening to Steve Borthwick.

The International Rugby Board have announced the shortlist for the 2009 Rugby Photograph of the Year - check out the pictures by clicking here.

Which one gets your vote? Jeremy Duxbury's effort of grassroots (or should that be mudroots) rugby in Fiji is my favourite - but can any of you do any better? Feel free to send in your efforts to news@scrum.com and I'll publish the best here on the blog

Rugby is once again showing its charitable side with a worldwide effort being mobilised in the wake of the recent tsunami that hit the Pacific Islands.

More than 170 people died last week when a tsunami triggered by a quake measuring 8.0 hit Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga. The Pacific Islands have long been a fertile breeding ground for top-class players and their influence is now evident across the rugby-playing globe. As a result it was no surprise to see the rugby community rallying around and leading the aid effort.

The Samoan national side are scheduled to tour Europe later this year with clashes against Wales, France and Italy with fans being urged to dig deep. The Welsh Rugby Union is planning to use the match to highlight the plight of the islanders in a bid to encourage support for the relief operation and their French counterparts are planning to do the same.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world the Australian Rugby Union have made a cash donation and also launched a series of fund-raising initiatives including a collection at Thursday’s informal trial match. The ARU have also pledged training and playing equipment to help the nation on “the road to recovery”.

The New Zealand Rugby Union were also quick to organise collections during the Air New Zealand Cup but sadly a lucrative Test clash against Samoa was missing from the All Blacks’ 2010 schedule.

On the domestic front, London Welsh are planning to turn their Championship clash with Cornish Pirates on October 17 into a fundraiser and hope to have former Samoa internationals Apollo Perellini and Trevor Leota amongst those at Old Deer Park.

Click here for more details on how you can help.

	England's Steve Borthwick poses in his new kit at Twickenham © RFU

A new international season is upon us in the northern hemisphere and with it comes the latest line in 'innovative' apparel.

England's new playing strip, officially launched on Thursday, is once again produced by Nike with whom the Rugby Football Union have had a lucrative relationship dating back to their ground-breaking skin-tight number produced for the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

It claims to be, "the lightest and most innovative playing jersey yet" and sees England return to a classic all-white playing strip with the shirt boasting an open neck collar and the motto 'Rugbeia floreat ubique' Latin for 'Rugby flourishes everywhere'.

At 27% lighter than in previous seasons the new kit is designed to give the team every possible advantage on the pitch with the added comedic element of making out-of-shape fans rich enough to get their hands on it look ridiculous! Why don't they just get rid of the playing shirt altogether and opt for body paint?

A new and improved 'gripper' print features on the chest panels of the jersey, effective in both wet and dry weather. Nike has worked with players to ensure that the gripper print is positioned at the optimum position to help catch and carry the ball, whilst the gripper layout was inspired by the famous structure of Twickenham Stadium(!).

The authentic jersey can be yours for a staggering £90 while a replica is also available for the measly sum of £50.

Earlier in the week, Ireland unveiled their latest strip - the first product of a partnership with Puma since the end of their deal with troubled manufacturer Canterbury.

The release that accompanied the announcement declared, "The home shirt marks a return to a more traditional colour [hasn't it always been green?] with a green ('Power Green') carefully selected to symbolize the country of Ireland, with its rich history and tradition."

Those Irish fans fearing that the only innovation the Grand Slam winners are likely to benefit from is a different shade of green can rest easy.

The shirt also features, "a revolutionary double layer construction. The inner layer is especially designed to lift moisture away from the skin to the outside of the garment where, the outer layer facilitates a very rapid evaporation, to ensure the player is kept dry." Glad that's clear - you're ready to break the banks for this now I know. But it gets better.

"Pumaflex stretch panels are strategically positioned to improve the player's freedom of movement, particularly around the torso where a rugby player's body needs to twist and turn constantly during a game so that the player is not restricted or uncomfortable when reaching for the ball or diving in for a tackle." I think BOD himself may have penned this.

"An athletic fit ensures each garment is as comfortable as it can be for each player, supporting the muscles as best as possible to improve confidence and reduce fatigue whilst also limiting any unnecessary fabric that can be grabbed by an opposing player." John Hayes will sleep easy tonight.

What no motto? That will surely explain the slightly less cardiac-arrest-inducing price tag of €65 (or £60).

There has never been, and never will be any substitute to pace when it comes wing play. We are currently blessed with a host of fleet-footed stars but who is the quickest?

Paul Sackey's try at the Millennium Stadium, Leigh Halfpenny's burst in the same game and the lively exploits of the Evans brothers for Scotland only served to underline the value of speed.

Oh for the days of the original Superstars when the sporting icons of the day went at it at a variety of events - not the pale imitation that they have offered more recently that lacked the star quality and only served to illustrate what a freak of nature the super-fit Mike Catt is. See below for a retro fix.

Wouldn't you like to see a straight foot race between the likes of Shane Williams, Paul Sackey, Luke Fitzgerald and Thom Evans? Who would your money be on? I have no doubt that if it was a slalom course then the pocket-sized Williams would clean up but over 100m who knows? When that's decided we can see who is quickest with man-mountain Andy Powell on their back.