Euro 2024 qualifiers: Wales boss Rob Page says rugby's TMO 'way ahead' of VAR

Wayne Hennessey's red card against Iran in the World Cup was originally a yellow card before a VAR check

Wales boss Rob Page says rugby union's television match officials are "way ahead" of football's video assistant referee system and called for change.

Wales are preparing for two crucial Euro 2024 qualification games against Armenia and Turkey where VAR will available to the match officials.

Back-to-back wins will seal a place in next year's competition and will make it four of the last five major tournaments which Wales have reached.

"Fans are in the dark," said Page.

"I don't know what the answers are but something needs to be done."

VAR has been under intense scrutiny after Liverpool forward Luis Diaz had a goal wrong disallowed for offside in a match against Tottenham Hotspur, a decision Page described as "shambolic and so amateurish".

Tottenham and Chelsea's London derby last week had nine separate VAR reviews, including five disallowed goals and three red card checks.

"It seems like the referees are assisting VAR at the minute, the game is stopping too many times," said Page.

"We want the ball in play a lot more. Supporters want to see the play on the pitch, not stood still or not knowing what VAR are looking at or seeing. It's just frustrating.

"For a definitive answer, VAR should get involved. If it's a push or not, we don't need VAR for that, let the referee make that call.

"Give the referee the power to do that again. It's there to assist the referee, not the other way round."

Page's Wales have not been on the end of many controversial VAR decisions.

Kieffer Moore and Joe Morrell have both been shown red cards during their qualification campaign but neither decision was criticised by Page.

The one VAR check which went against Wales this campaign was during their 2-0 win away in Latvia.

Midway through the second half Latvia midfielder Janis Ikaunieks made a knee-high tackle on Wales' Jordan James with no attempt to win the ball.

However after a lengthy VAR check the referee decided to brandish a yellow card, a decision former Wales striker Nathan Blake described as "disgraceful".

Despite World Rugby reportedly privately admitting an officiating error in the recent 2023 Rugby World Cup final which ruled out a try for New Zealand, Page says VAR could learn from TMO.

"TMO in rugby is way ahead of where football and VAR is," Page added.

"It's clear and every supporter in the stadium can listen and know the process. It is done in 30 seconds, not nine minutes.

"We are talking about a multi-billion pound industry. We can't have VAR incidents like that [Diaz disallowed goal]."

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