The yellow card was introduced to the schools game in 2005/2006, but no player was sent to the sinbin - for the compromise seven-minute period - during the main section of the Leinster Senior Cup. We ask three people with hands-on experience of this competition to cast an eye over rugby's greyest grey area
The Referee
David Keane
(Leinster Branch - refereed 2003 SCT final: Terenure 3 St Mary's 0)
1 - Is there a place for the sinbin in the schools game?Absolutely. So long as it's used correctly to stop teams taking advantage of laws.
2 - Is it being implemented correctly?
Common sense is very important. The referee must take into account the difference from the professional game and make decisions accordingly.
These players are coming into the matches with a lot of nerves so from a referee's point of view we must identify whether incidents are intentional or just deserving of a penalty due to a lack of skill or knowledge.
3 - Granted, common sense is required but are teams taking advantage?
What's important is how a referee manages a situation. In the schools games I did last season I didn't feel the need to show a yellow card.
If a team is being cynical, say, consistently slowing ball down, then it should be used, but coaching of referees focuses on identification of these situations before they become a problem. Communication is important.
There are downtime periods in a game when I would walk down a lineout and whisper to a player to stay onside if he had been transgressing. It normally gets the point across.
The Coach
Rodney O'Donnell
(St Mary's coach - British and Irish Lion 1980)
1 - Is there a place for the sinbin in the schools game?
Yes, but there is no point having a half-baked law. There has already been a yellow card this season in the Vinnie Murray Cup when a player persistently slowed down ball. It was warranted so the referee had no choice.
2 - Is it being implemented correctly?
Last season there was a question mark about it. In the senior final a player was persistently penalised at the breakdown but no yellow card followed. Was he treated harshly? If not he should have gone to the bin but the handling of the incident, in the competition's showcase game, left a cloud over the use of yellow cards.
3 - Granted, common sense is required but are teams taking advantage?
There are different interpretations of the breakdown. Until a referee calls "ruck" it is open season for players who remain on their feet. The better-coached teams can steal possession during these crucial seconds.
If you look at (Gordon) D'Arcy and (Brian) O'Driscoll in this situation they have one knee leaning into the grounded player, which is an art in itself, but the law dictates a player must stay on two feet. When it works, players naturally copy what they see.
The Player
Kevin McLoughlin
(Leinster A captain - Gonzaga College 2003)
1 - Is there a place for the sinbin in the schools game?
It's certainly something that can improve discipline, although I always felt the schools game was reasonably clean. It will cut out any dirty play or slowing down of the game.
2 - Is it being implemented correctly?
I don't think referees should go overboard but it can certainly be used to good effect.
3 - Granted, common sense is required but are teams taking advantage?
I do remember playing certain teams that literally spent the whole match killing the ball. Normally it would be the weaker teams. Sometimes we were the weaker team and that's what you have to do. The threat of a yellow card takes out that small element of professional fouling.
