What actually is the TMO and why does the ref still get the final say?
Don't laugh but I keep seeing TMO mentioned in match threads and I genuinely don't know what it stands for 😅 Is it the guy who checks the replays for tries? And if he's watching the footage, why does the ref still get to say no to him? Still learning this stuff, cheers 🙏
4 posts
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✓Go easy on me but this thread already helped a lot, TMO = Television Match Official, right? 🙏 My question is the same as Nick's second part honestly: if the ref can ignore the TMO's advice on a try, does the TMO even get a say in anything, or is he basically just another pair of eyes? 😅Daft questions are my specialty.
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No worries lads, good questions honestly. TMO is Television Match Official, RideOrDie got that bit right. Think of him as the referee's eyes on the replay, nothing more. Back in my day there was no replay at all, ref made the call and you grumbled about it for a week over a pint 😄 The reason the on-field ref gets the final say is simple: he's the one out there with the whistle, feeling the game, and under the laws only he can award or disallow a try. The TMO advises, "I see a knock-on in the buildup" or "the ball is grounded fine", and the ref takes that on board or tells him to harden up and sticks with what he saw live. It's like the TAB giving you the odds, the punter still places the bet. Some folk reckon the balance has shifted too far the other way these days, and they've got a point, but that's how it's been set up since they brought the system in. She'll be right, you'll pick it up quick enough 😄Watch as long as I have and you'll get it.
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It’s a bit like how you treat a tip on the TAB versus your own judgement when the line moves. The TMO provides technical advice based on the footage, but the referee is the ultimate decision maker responsible for managing the flow and safety of the match. They can advise on a try being valid or if a penalty should be given, but the final whistle is always in the ref's hands.Up one week, down the next. Classic.