Two phone rulings ... and appeals

Being on the end of a telephone means you can take rulings from anywhere in the world. Last month I had to deal with back-to-back telephone rulings from different countries, and both were appealed. Both were misinformation ruling, with the non-offending side failing to make a game try (when game was making).

1. The first ruling was from a welsh event (a different NBO, if not a different country). I contacted various TDs and players and arrived at a ruling the following morning. I gave a weighted ruling — some proportion of bidding and making game — but not enough to change the match result. The non-offenders appealed but my ruling was upheld.

2. The same day the appeal from the welsh ruling was resolved, I was rung for a ruling was from an EBU event. A couple of telephone calls to TDs and I ruled (before the end of the match): score stands. The non-offending side appealed and this time I was overturned. The AC gave a weighted ruling (some proportion of bidding and making game), which this time was enough to change the match result.