{"id":292471,"date":"2023-09-14T08:34:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T08:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=292471"},"modified":"2023-09-14T08:34:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T08:34:04","slug":"rugby-world-cup-what-is-the-tmo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/rugby-union\/rugby-world-cup-what-is-the-tmo\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby World Cup: What is the TMO?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Referee Andrew Brace signals a referral to the TMO <\/p>\n
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The television match official (TMO) has been in place in rugby union for more than two decades.<\/p>\n
The official is a crucial member of the matchday refereeing team, helping the on-field referee and assistants make decisions.<\/p>\n
The TMO has access to all game footage on television screens in front of them, and is usually situated in a truck outside of the ground.<\/p>\n
Usually a former or active top-level refereee, they are consulted in certain scenarios during the game: usually an incident of foul play or a potential try-scoring moment.<\/p>\n
The TMO can alert the referee to something they may have missed during the game, or be called upon by the on-field official, who indicates as much by drawing a rectangle, or television, shape.<\/p>\n
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The incident or moment is then put up on the big screen in the ground, allowing the on-field referee to review the footage in consultation with the TMO and their two assistants.<\/p>\n
The referee then makes a final call and communicates the decision.<\/p>\n
If there is a potential try, the referee will indicate whether they feel it has been scored or not, with their decision only able to be overturned with clear and compelling evidence.<\/p>\n
The foul play process, meanwhile, has been revamped ahead of this year\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n
Where previously the referee and TMO would decide on an appropriate sanction after reviewing footage, this has now been taken out of their hands.<\/p>\n
Instead, if an incident clearly meets the yellow card threshold after a quick consultation, the referee and TMO place the incident on review, indicated by a crossing of arms in an \u201cX\u201d shape, and a yellow card is shown to the offending player.<\/p>\n
The foul play review officer (FPRO) then has eight minutes to decide whether the card should be upgraded to red or remain a yellow, allowing the player to return from the sin bin after ten minutes.<\/p>\n
The overhaul comes out of a desire to speed up the sport, with play able to resume while the FPRO makes their decision.<\/p>\n
Who are the TMOs at the 2023 <\/strong>Rugby World Cup<\/strong>?<\/strong><\/p>\n Brett Cronan (Australia)<\/p>\n Tom Foley (England)<\/p>\n Marius Jonker (South Africa)<\/p>\n Brian MacNeice (Ireland)<\/p>\n Joy Neville (Ireland)<\/p>\n Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)<\/p>\n Ben Whitehouse (Wales)<\/p>\n