Dont be ridiculous. Best ref in the league by a country mile.

Correct decison.

But I would give him SOS, I don't think for one minute that Raynor was trying to hurt Tompkins, but he took a risk to try and dislodge the ball with his fist and it didn't work so he must pay, which he and his team did.

It was a pathetic decision from ganson, sin bin at worst

Half hearted attempt to dislodge the ball for me. What else could he have done defensively in that situation? He'd never have wrapped it up or made a tackle so he had to go for the ball.

I don't believe anyone is stupid enough to punch someone in the head one-on-one in the head deliberately to stop a try at that stage of the game.

Saying that, just because it wasn't intentional doesn't mean it isn't a red. It was reckless, and extremely dangerous. He had to go.

Still no one explained why no penalty was awarded. Any ideas?

I guess it depends how you define the 'act of scoring'. If diving for the line is the act of scoring then it should have been an 8 point try. However if the act of scoring is the actual grounding of the ball then it shouldn't have been as the offence occurred before the act of scoring and advantage was played.

Tomkins' reaction being lying completely still with glassy eyes after faceplanting?

Pretty hard to fake that...

To be honest though i was a little worried when he didn't get up i thought he'd swallowed his tongue or had a seizure at first, i know he milks penalties but to fake that would have got him oscar.

Absolutely spot on post.

Foir goodness sake, douse Tomkins down with the magic sponge and get on with it. The game is becoming too sanitised, a game for wimps.

Do none of you remember the cheapshot on Hanley after his try against Fax at Wembley in '88 ? Offiah would get hit after every try (then he'd throw the ball at the offending player, and run to hide behind Sorenson or Skerrett

).

It's meant to be a hard, physical game. The likes of Jim Mills, Andy Goodway, Kevin Ward and Paul Cullen must laugh their b*****ks off when watching the pampered girls of today playing what amounts to tag rugby.

The worst thing was that his eyes were staring he didnt close them or anything thats when I knew he wasnt ok coz human instinct is to shut eyes as you hit the ground to protect them and he didnt.

I dont for a second believe that Raynor meant to hit his head but I do think that, due to that clenched fist, he definitely meant to hurt him rather than grab him like a defender usually would. I have played rugby and Im sure that you've said that you play and so Im sure you'll agree that you dont go in with a fist unless its to hurt someone.

Theres more contact with the head in almost all of these 'big hits' people rave about. It was unlucky and if Ganson was so spot on with his cards why wasnt there a sin binning for the chicken wing in the second half when he gave a penalty? Harsh decision for me, you could almost hear the excitement in Gansons voice as he got to be Mr Centre spotlight again

So this was a red card foul on a player in the action of scoring a try , surely a penalty should have been awarded resulting in an 8 point try ?

but it wasnt in the act of scoring the try, close but no cigar. As someone else pointed out, it was a penalty and advantage was played.

I cannot believe the rubbish spouted on this thread.

It was an absolutely terrible foul and desrved a straqight red.

All this talk about intent by Raynor is rubbish as NO ONE knows what his intent was and NO ONE will.


I hate tomkins as much as anyone and if he had been tackled fairly and knocked out i would have applauded the good tackle but the only reason people are spouting rubbish about it not being a sending off is because it was Tomkins.

I cannot believe i am agreeing with Wigan fans on this.

I feel as though i need to go and shower.

classic Bailey

Nail on the head. Did you see anyone sticking up for Mathers when he did that ridiculous shot on King? No because noone has anything against King even the Wigan fans after he chose Wire over Wigan for more money (understandably tbf) this same thing would happen if Briers, Long, McGuire, Smith, Senior etc etc had the same thing happen to them. Unless of course it was one of the others that inflicted the knockout because the fans would dislike them enough to blame them too.

I dispise tomkins, but thats as clear cut red card as you are ever going to get. I've never heard of the 8 point try until now either. Thats a pretty cool rule (maybe ganson forgot about it too), i'm a qualified ref and i've never been taught it. I would of given a penalty on the halfway line to the attacking team.

That "tackle" is one of the worst cheap shots i've seen in a long while too. Surprise that hull fans are defending it

My only comment on this is watch the number of times players attempt to punch the ball from the person carrying it rather that slapping the ball.

There is a reason for this.

I get what you are saying nick but it was a bad challenge.

The game 20/25 years ago was a lot dirtier,not necessarily tougher.

Anyone but me think the red card decision was based on Tomkins being ko'd?

If Tomkins had been sparked out Raynor wouldn't even have been penalised. We see far more malicious head shots go barely punished every week.

Yes it was the right call, but for completely the wrong reasons.

Spot on! Finally, some one talking some sense.



At the end of the day it was a high risk play from Raynor. You can argue intent until the cows come home, only Raynor himself knows whether he intended to hurt Tomkins. He either saves the try and keeps his team in the game/competition or he risks making the wrong contact and getting sent off. In short, sh*t or bust. I will say this though, Ainscough didn't look too happy when he was talking to him in the dressing room, he's one of Sam's best mates.

As for the 8 point try, the rule is quite clear on this "If a player fouls an opponent who is touching down for a try, a penalty kick at goal shall be taken from in front of the goal posts after the attempt to convert the try." How Ganson didn't give it is beyond me. Having said that, Ganson is a mystery unto himself as we all know

You may be right there Col ......... dirtier rather than tougher .......... but it was certainly more fun to watch.

And yes, I know I'm an old dinosaur stuck in my old fashioned ways, but I used to enjoy watching a bit, okay, a lot of biff.

He wasn't touching down for a try at the time. He had just started diving for the line. Interesting that they have changed the wording from 'in the act of scoring' to make it clear that it only applies to when a player is actually grounding the ball.

So nobody can possibly know what Raynor's intent was but you know exactly what everyone on this thread's intentions are?



Hypocrisy much?