I used to laugh at union for ignoring forward passes, but now the situation in league is a far bigger joke. Anyone who watched the Donny Halifax and Wire Wigan matches will have seen how forward passes are now virtually ignored in our game. That is what made it even more frustrating for Donny when they had a try disallowed for a forward. It did look forward, but considering that it was just about the only one pulled up in the entire match, they were unlucky. The first Widnes try at Leigh last week was a joke too. Years ago, refs always missed the odd forward pass, but now they hardly ever give one. The touch judges virtually never intervene for forward passes. IMO it is just yet another feature of our game that is cheapening it. I cannot believe that touch judges and refs are constantly missing forward passes and that they do not know what a knock on is. What is going on? Mr. Cummings has a lot to answer for. In the Rugby League World Cup, forward passes were pulled up a lot and the England boys seem shocked as did people such as Eddie Hemmings. The way the game is being officiated over here really is sad. It is not rugby league as we once knew it. The sooner Mr. Cummings is out, the better for the sport all across the board IMO.

Possibly so. What concerns me however, is that the situation has progressively worsened during the reign of Mr.Cummings. He watches all the matches that we do. He is not a stupid man and he has reffed at the highest level. He can see that the forward pass rule virtually does not exist in league nowadays and that there are huge problems regarding ball steals, knock ons etc. This has been the case for years now over here and he has done absolutely nothing about it. Therefore, I can only assume this is the new way he wishes the game to be played. I for one, cannot stand watching a rugby league that now says it was forward, but so what. That is not and never was, IMO, how league was meant to be played. ALL refs seem fixated on players being square and on side and on watching replay after replay on the big screen, to see if a player has grounded the ball etc, which is fine, but not when it seems some of the basic and crucial rules of our game, seem to be being overlooked. As all refs seem to ref in this manner,I can only assume that this is the way they are directed to do things. Very wrong and very sad IMO. I love and always will love our game, but there are a lot of areas that could easily be improved for the good of the game in general, but it would seem our director of match officials is happy with how thing are. I believe that says a lot.

i dont think things are as bad as your making out

Just what I was thinking, the speed of the game does not help the match officials and they have to be 100% certain to give them. As long as they look at the hands and make a fair judgement then its okay

Is it not todays coaches obsission with the flat pass which has brought the RU comparison of a foot or two forward is alright ?

The number of forward passes that are missed or not given is embarrassing,when you see them on the telly the passer is stood behind the line & then the receiver catches it 3 yards past the line.It is a complete joke.