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'Not a big fan': All Blacks star glad captain's referral law won't feature in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Stand-in Hurricanes captain Dane Coles says he is glad the captain’s referral law won’t be implemented in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman over the coming weeks.

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The captain’s referral is one of two new law innovations introduced to Super Rugby Aotearoa this year which allows team captains to challenge the referee’s decisions on certain plays at various stages throughout the match.

Throughout the first 75 minutes of each match, a captain can use their referral regarding a decision, or non-decision, relating to an infringement in the build-up to a try or foul play. In the final five minutes of a game, the challenge can be activated for any decision.

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Why Jordie Barrett is still first-choice fullback for the All Blacks | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | RugbyPass

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Why Jordie Barrett is still first-choice fullback for the All Blacks | Aotearoa Rugby Pod | RugbyPass

Teams are given one captain’s referral, and if their challenge is successful, they keep that referral and can use it again later in the match, but if their challenge is unsuccessful, their referral is lost for the remainder of the game.

The new innovation has been used with mixed results throughout the season, but Coles revealed after his side’s 41-22 win over the Highlanders on Friday that he doesn’t like the experimental law due to the impact it has on the game.

“Not a big fan,” the 34-year-old, who is filling in as Hurricanes captain for the injured Ardie Savea, said. “That’s probably a good thing [that it’s not in the Trans-Tasman competition]. It’s kind of going behind the refs’ backs a little bit.

“Obviously they can’t get every call right, but I don’t know how the refs are when they get one [call] wrong like they did tonight. Not a big fan and it’s good they’re gone for the next bloc. Just get on and let the refs do their thing.”

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The 74-test All Blacks‘ denouncement of the new law variation came just days after Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod he isn’t in favour of the rule because of how it slows the game down more than necessary.

“I feel it does slow down the game a little bit, I reckon,” Hall said of how Chiefs co-captain Brad Weber has used the captain’s referral system effectively this season.

“The referrals are great, but there’s just so many things that happen, and fair play, they’re [Weber’s] great calls, but there’s so many things that are penalised [that you’d say], ‘Oh, that’s probably happened three or four times in the last 20 minutes’.

“It’s kind of just slowing down the game. [Crusaders captain] Scott Barrett brought up a pretty good point around there of there’s enough [stoppages] in games.”

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The captain’s referral system will be used one last time this season when the Crusaders host the Chiefs in this Saturday’s Super Rugby Aotearoa final in Christchurch.

Super Rugby Trans-Tasman will then get underway the following week, with Coles and the Hurricanes scheduled to take on the Waratahs in Sydney next Friday.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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