3 League fixtures this season have resulted in the use by the referee of uncontested or passive scrums with Broadstreet being deducted points scored after the scrums have gone passive. With the last occurance also being due to the dismissal of the opposition front row and then a further injury.
The laws state
3.13 FRONT ROW FORWARD SENT OFF OR
TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED OR INJURED
(a) If after a front row player has been sent off or during the time a
front row player is temporarily suspended, and there are no further
front row players available from the nominated team, then
uncontested scrums will be ordered. It is not the responsibility of
the referee to determine the suitability of trained front row
replacements nor their availability, as this is a team responsibility.
(b) After a front row player is sent off or during the time a front row
player is temporarily suspended the referee, upon awarding the
next scrum, will ask that player’s captain whether or not the team
has another player on the field of play who is suitably trained to
play in the front row. If not, the captain chooses any player from
that team who then must leave the field of play and be replaced by
a suitably trained front row player from the team’s replacements.
The captain may do this immediately prior to the next scrum or
after another player has been tried in the front row.
(c) When a period of temporary suspension ends and a front row
player returns to the field of play, the replacement front row player
leaves the field of play and the nominated player who left the field
of play for the period of the suspension may resume playing in the
match.
(d) Furthermore, if, because of sending off or injury, a team cannot
provide enough suitably trained front row players, the match
continues with uncontested scrums.
(e) An uncontested scrum is the same as a normal scrum, except that
the teams do not compete for the ball, the team throwing in the
ball must win it, and neither team is allowed to push.
Did the opposition use this method as a tactic to minimise the points difference at the end of the game ?
Should the result still stand as scored due to one of the reasons being foul play for the passive scrums ?
Where is the disadvantage to loosing a front row forward for foul play if the following scrums were passive ?
Should the opposition have to put 8 players into the passive scrum following the forwards dismissal ?