Jones urges rugby bosses to give sinbin red card

AUSTRALIA coach Eddie Jones has called for the sinbin to be scrapped from international rugby because he believes referees are too scared to use it.

Jones claimed referees are not willing to hand out yellow cards which means 10 minutes in the sinbin for the offending player because of the criticism they receive and he urged rugby authorities to come up with a new system.

"I am of the view we certainly shouldn't have a sinbin," said Jones yesterday.

"The administrators of the game don't want a sinbin and we should do away with it and be honest about the game, say we want 15 on 15 and come up with the appropriate fouling system.

"The referees don't want to use it. I think they are encouraged not to use it. If a referee uses the sinbin he gets criticised from pillar to post, so there is no incentive for the referee to use it."

Jones insisted his outburst was not prompted by any specific incidents in Australia's victory over England yesterday, but he did concede the way the game was handled by referee Paddy O'Brien simply reinforced his opinion.

"I just don't think the sinbin has done the job that it was put in to do and that was to eradicate cynical fouls," said Jones. "It hasn't done that so let's not beat around the bush. Let's get something in place that is appropriate to what rugby wants and rugby wants 15 against 15 on the field. I think last night just went to reinforce it. I am not talking about any particular incident and I am not apportioning blame to Paddy he is refereeing it how he is told to referee."

Jones suggested rugby union could employ the system used in rugby league or Aussie Rules, where players are put on report to be dealt with after the game, or even employ the basketball method of replacing players after they have committed a certain number of fouls.

Australia full-back Joe Roff yesterday rejected pleas from Wallabies coach Eddie Jones to shelve his plans of a move overseas at the end of the year and remains determined to follow another rugby dream to play in the Varsity match.

Roff had a hand in four of Australia's six tries against England and was voted man of the match as the Wallabies regained the Cook Cup for the first time since 1999 in ruthless fashion.

It was a performance which forced Jones to admit he wanted to persuade Roff against retiring from Australian rugby after the autumn Test tour of Europe.

But the 28-year-old, who took a sabbatical to Biarritz in 2001, is determined the time is right to move on for good, even if his immediate plans are not clear.

Roff may continue as a professional with a stint back in French club rugby, perhaps Japan or even England. They are options he will weigh up as the year goes on.

What is certain, though, is that at some point Roff wants to run out at Twickenham in either the light blue of Cambridge or the dark blue of Oxford.

"I always called the Varsity match one of the last great, meaningful amateur matches that is still played and it holds a lot of appeal for me and I would love to play in it," said Roff.