Television Match Official (TMO) Operator

Angle selection

Camera angle selection is a key skill of an effective TMO Operator. In most circumstances, the TMO relies solely on camera angles.

 

Selection of the right camera angle is vital as it can determine acts of foul play, marks etc. and different camera angles may tell different stories e.g. one angle may indicate head contact and a second angle at the same frame time may show there is a clear gap between heads, absolving the player of a potentially higher sanction. 

It is important that the TMO receives the most accurate camera angles, in the most effective and relevant order. This will enable them to make accurate decisions, answer the Referee or interrupt play to show the Match Officials an incident. 

There are various aspects of ‘Camera Theory’ that you need to be familiar with: 

  • The pitch position of the incident
  • The camera itself - is it stationary or a handheld?
  • Frame rate of the camera
    • SSM (Super Slow Motion) and USM (Ultra Slow Motion) have a higher frame rate so are clearer in slow motion and when frame stepping.

There are camera angles that should be automatically thought of in different scenarios (there is no 100% guarantee that these are going to be useful but having these as automatic defaults may speed up the process): 

Tight 

  • Foul play  
  • Context 
  • All tries 

High behind 

  • Obstructions 
  • Deliberate knock-forwards 
  • Cover of back field 

Wide 

  • Offside 
  • Forward pass 
  • Context 
  • Kick chase 
  • Penalty tries - defence cover 

Corner cameras 

  • Groundings use of mutiple cameras, including the rear/back 
  • Point of contact 
  • Lineouts 

Cable camera  

  • Obstructions 
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