Err... you might want to read to rules on what a backward pass is! (In Rugby) the direction of a pass has nothing to do with the it's path over the ground. It's relative to the players, not the ground.

couldn't agree more.

Without refs we'd have no game. I've refereed schoolboys for 35 years so I'm not getting at the refs but merely disagreeing about the 5 points I've mentioned.
One perspn still thinks bad decisions even themselves out. My grumble is not at the bad decisions (but one can never be happy about them), it's thinking that they even themselves out.
It's like saying that over the years Saints victories over Blackpool will end up pretty even. If people's ability is involved, chances are not even.
On one of the other points, if someone is running sideways across the field from left to right, even if his hands are pointing backwards, the pass will be forward so refs should not just look at the hands.

and there was me thinking the ball can be passed in any manner and in any direction as long as it isn't in a direction that takes it closer to the oppositions goal line

You'd be completely wrong, then. It is forward only if it moves forward (ie towards the oppositions goal line) in an inertial frame of reference to the passer, as it leaves the passer's hands.

can you tell us another way it could possibly move towards the oppositions goal line then

Benefit of the doubt should always go to the defending team. To score a try, a referee must be 100% certain that it is one. Benefit of the doubt implies he's not 100% certain, therefore the attacking team didn't warrant enough merit for the try to be awarded.

If the ball goes forward relative to the moving player, that is forward.
If the ball goes forward relative to the pitch, it doesn't matter.

Think - if you're running forward at 15 mph, and you pass it completely flat, the ball will still be travelling forward at 15 mph, yet won't be forward.

If forward passes were decided how the ball starts/finishes relative to the pitch, then if you were running forward at 15 mph, you would physically have the throw the ball backwards at 15mph just so that it remains stationary (and isn't forward) relative to the pitch.

Equally the referee could ask the question "is there any physical reason why I can't give the try?".

You are Mike "momentum rule" Stephenson and I claim my £5