'Disgraceful' - Phil Kearns launches tirade against referee over Tupou decision
Outspoken Australian pundit Phil Kearns has branded the decision to yellow card Wallaby prop Taniela Tupou following a ruck clearout as ‘disgraceful’.
The Wallabies fell to South Africa 35-17 in the opening clash of the 2019 Mitsubishi Estate Rugby Championship at Emirates Airlines Park in Johannesburg, but the 54th-minute decision to send off ‘Tongan Thor’ was what enraged Kearns.
It was a night where the Wallabies were left to rue missed opportunities, however, Tupou’s controversial yellow card proved a major turning point in the clash.
Trailing only by four after going into the dressing rooms 14-10 down after a tense opening half, the Wallabies were reduced to 14 men in the 54th minute after the giant prop was pulled up for a late cleanout at a ruck.
The Springboks capitalised by scoring twice in the ensuing 10 minutes, which set them on course for a convincing victory.
The yellow elicited a remarkable tirade from Kearns, who branded the match official as ‘out of his depth’.
“I just think it was a disgraceful decision,” Kearns said on Fox Sports. “So many times we put referees that are out of their depth into these games.
“We’ve all talked privately about the World Cup referees and there’s a whole bunch of guys there that are totally out of their depth.
“And big games like that — that is a game-changing moment…And some of these guys are out of their depth.”
The home side crossed first in the opening five minutes of the contest and never surrendered their lead for the rest of the night to extend their historic unbeaten record against the Wallabies at the venue.
Debutant Springboks half Herschel Janjties made the most of his opportunity in the number 9 jersey, scoring a try in each half, and while the Wallabies produced several opportunities in attack they were only able to take full advantage twice. Their first try came through Dane Haylett-Petty 11 minutes before the break, but they were unable to find the tryline again until the 72nd minute through Bernard Foley.
After looking like the better side for much of the first half despite some blown chances, in the end the Wallabies were outclassed by the hosts in what was an enthralling contest for most of the night.
Just minutes before Tupou exited with the card, the Wallabies had also lost prop James Slipper to a head knock leaving rookie Harry Johnson-Holmes facing a stern initiation on debut.
Haylett-Petty’s 29th-minute try came off some slick hands off the back of a rolling maul, and the winger almost made it a double but for spilling the ball after chasing down a Nic White kick moments later.
It was Jantjies’ second try, sniping from the base of a ruck that proved the dagger blow for the Wallabies and extended South Africa’s lead to 18 points with as many minutes left to play. His replacement Cobus Reinach put the icing on the cake with a try right on the fulltime whistle.
The Wallabies will look to regroup ahead of their second match in the abbreviated 2019 series against Argentina at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.
SCORERS
Qantas Wallabies 17 (Dane Haylett-Petty, Bernard Foley tries; Bernard Foley 2 cons; Bernard Foley pen) South Africa 35 (Herschel Jantjies 2, Lood De Jager, Sbu Nkosi, Cobus Reinach tries; Elton Jantjies 5 cons)
YELLOW CARDS
Andre Esterhuizen (South Africa) – 21 mins
Taniela Tupou (Qantas Wallabies) – 54 mins
TEAMS
Qantas Wallabies
1.James Slipper 2.Folau Fainga’a 3.Sekope Kepu 4.Izack Rodda 5.Rory Arnold 6.Lukhan Salakaia-Loto 7.Michael Hooper (c) 8.Isi Naisarani 9.Nic White 10.Bernard Foley 11.Reece Hodge 12.Samu Kerevi 13.Tevita Kuridrani 14.Dane Haylett-Petty 15.Tom Banks
Reserves: 16.Jordan Uelese 17.Harry Johnson-Holmes 18.Taniela Tupou 19.Rob Simmons 20.Jack Dempsey 21.Matt To’omua 22.Kurtley Beale
South Africa
1.Tendai Mtawarira 2.Bongi Mbonambi 3.Trevor Nyakane 4.Eben Etzebeth (c) 5.Lood De Jager 6.Rynhardt Elstadt 7.Pieter-Steph Du Toit 8.Francois Louw 9.Herschel Jantjies 10.Elton Jantjies 11.Makazole Mapimpi 12.Andre Esterhuizen 13.Jesse Kriel 14.Sbu Nkosi 15.Warrick Gelant
Reserves: 16.Schalk Brits 17.Lizo Gqoboka 18.Vincent Koch 19.Marvin Orie 20.Marcell Coetzee 21.Cobus Reinach 22.Francois Steyn 23.Dillyn Leyds
WALLABIES SUBSTITUTIONS
47 mins – Tupou for Kepu, 49 mins – Johnson-Holmes for Slipper, 55 mins – Kepu for Naisarani, 58 mins – To’omua for Kuridrani, 58 mins – Beale for Banks, 58 mins – Simmons for Rodda, 65 mins – Uelese for Fainga’a, 65 mins – Genia for White, 65 mins – Dempsey for Kepu, 68 mins – Fainga’a for Uelese
WALLABIES MATCH NOTES
Isi Naisarani Test debut – Wallaby #926
Harry Johnson-Holmes Test debut – Wallaby #927
Comments on RugbyPass
I’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
139 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
139 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
139 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
139 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
139 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
139 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
139 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
139 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
139 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
139 Go to commentsHo hum.
139 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
139 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
139 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
139 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
139 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
139 Go to comments