Rugby is a game for hooligans... Retort 1

...and should be played at grassroots level by neds in Easterhouse.

I have had a few people talk to me about the proposed benefits that such additions to football from rugby, and a few have made sense. I would note, that your selection misses out three rather important features of simple rugby refereeing, but before I draw you into that particular task, I sahll discuss the effects that you so adequately prescribed.

1. The Video Referee
I agree that using the video referee is not entirely fair, and by no means an easy one to take to task in football, but does have some benefits. I think that at halftime, the referee should be able to review some challenges, and then be able to either book, or send off a player who has blatantly dived/fouled/killed another player without initially noticing it. A good example of when this should be used is during the Scotland game - it was a stone wall penalty. But, I am not saying that after the referee sees it, a penalty should be taken after half time, but the player who committed the foul should be given some sort of reprimand, to let him know that he has a foul noted against his name, equivalent to a ticking off during normal play. In other decisions, Hawk Eye will be essential, especially on the goal line, and Carroll for Manchester United can easily be shown to be a total bellend.

2. The Citing Commission
This idea sounds a bit like what UEFA are already doing, with respect to retroactively punishing Dida for acting like a tube, and Mikalunas diving against Scotland. In the League, they have to review every game via a Referees report, so why not instead of a written report, just watch the blinking game? And if a decision is made against the true, real and right decision, the referee must rationalise his mistakes. I agree with this one.

3. The Ten-Yard Rule
You saw it last year, and it was a joke - it normally caused more dissent that normal. I would suggest one my options (below) to tackle (titter) this problem.

4. The Sin-Bin
This only works when a player is essential to a phase in Rugby, or the person is normally active inside the scrum. In football, due to the less phase like territorial play, a missing player would be like having a player sent off, and can be totally crippling. Agree that this is a little bit of a joke.

5. Timekeeping
I have no problem with the existing system, so no need change. Agree.

Now, my suggestions:

1. Blood Substitute and Treatment
In rugby if a player is injured the play continues, unless there is a stoppage in play. the phsyios run on, treat the player, and then when he is treated, he can rejoin the play as he technically never left it. If this rule was brought into to football, diving would be removed, as if you are actually injured a physio would come on whilst the play is taking place. No point in rolling about trying to get a foul if you are missing out on the action. For real fouls a stumble and a get up should be sufficient to allow the ref to notice your illegal tackle (titter) without hampering his judgement.

Blood substitutes are a really good idea. If a player does need to go off for even the smallest amount of time, a player should be able to take his place until the treatment is over. I wonder why this is not in place already?

2. Line-outs (Throw-ins)
When the ball goes out for a Line-out, the touch ref signals the direction of the team that the advantage to to, and then stands in the place where the ball went out, and this is where it must be taken from. This should be directly transferred over, without translation - it is a joke seeing throw-ins being taken 10-15 and even 20 yards from where the ball left the field. Simply, the ref and linesman must be more vigilant, as this rule is already in the game, it is just not policed at all.

3. Referee
"Sir, may I talk to you!" is something that you hear occasionally on the telly. Why? Because the referee is connected directly to the commentary, and you can hear every decision being made. The reason this is not present in football is that the players can swear,and I am assuming the refs swear too. But the idea behind this is that we hear the decisions being made. This might not transfer well to football, as it is much more fluid, and normally we don't need an explanation - it is either a foul or it isn't, or a goal or not.

However, the only player that is formally allowed to talk to the referee in rugby is the captain, and this should be transferred over. This would stop the Chelsea running at the referee and shouting at every challenge that does not go their way. The respect the referee gets from rugby players is amazing, and should be the same in football, but the problem lies in that the fans shout "You're a cunt!" week in week out, and the players are beginning to believe it. I suggest this should be brought in, and John Terry should be kicked in the bollocks, the little twat. I hate Chelsea for the simple reason that the treat the Referee like shit, but they are not the only team and he is not the only player to do so, and that should be able to sort it out quite quickly.

I think my points are fair, and I wonder what you think about the suggestions I have made? Comment and argue!

PS. Good luck, South Africa, I know you can do the Scots proud.