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'Disgraceful' - Phil Kearns' latest on screen spray

By Ian Cameron
Michael Hooper and Romain Poite

Outspoken Australian pundit Phil Kearns has launched a remarkable broadside against referee Romain Poite and his fellow officials following the Wallabies loss to Wales in Tokyo tonight.

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The Wallabies fell 25-29 to Warren Gatland’s men amid muggy weather conditions in the Japanese capital.

The men in red survived a late quarter Australian fightback in a game that was again marked by several controversial refereeing decisions.

Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi was penalized for allegedly leading with the forearm in a collision with replacement flyhalf Rhys Patchell.

Kearns was furious at the call, and put Poite on blast on Australian television.

“The whole referring display has been disgraceful, not only by Romain Poite but by Ben Skeen as well,” Kearns said on Fox Sports.

“Wales have played some smart rugby. Wallabies have made some dumb mistakes, but it was just embarrassing that the referee hasn’t gone back to look how far, he’s even two-meters in front of his own defensive line that are moving up, that’s an embarrassment.”

Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles backed up his Fox Sports’ colleague.

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“If you’re going to spend five minutes of the game to check a ball carry, you’ve got to go back and check for offside,” Hoiles said on Fox Sports.

“Michael Hooper made a very good point, what is the ball carrier meant to do? All of this came on the back of that terrible decision against Samu’s ball carry. It’s been a huge momentum swing back to Wales.

“This is what happens when World Rugby come out and make a weak statement after week one and say they’re not happy with the referring.

“You make referees paranoid, the (Television Match Officials) become paranoid, they talk to each other all game.”

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Speaking directly after the game, Hooper remarked: “Of course, it’s a World Cup. There were some big calls, some went our way, some didn’t. We’ve got to pick ourselves back up.”

Press conference with Scotland coach Gregor Townsend after announcing his team for Monday’s World Cup match against Samoa.

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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