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Furious Welsh fans accuse PRO14 of Irish bias following Peter O'Mahony decision
The Guinness PRO14 has faced a rollicking from fans this week after the starkly different punishments handed to Munster’s Peter O’Mahony and Cardiff Blues’ Josh Turnbull.
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Ireland flanker O’Mahony was shown two yellow cards last weekend in the Irish province’s opening round PRO14 win over the Scarlets. The second was for an elbow to the head of Jake Ball on the ground, something that was widely deemed unnecessary and violent.
However, the back row was not handed a ban after a judicial review. A PRO14 statement read: “Judicial officer Kathrine Mackie found after referring to the methodology in the disciplinary rules and the application of mitigating and aggravating features that the sending off was sufficient. The player is available for selection on Saturday.”
In contrast, Wales’ Turnbull was given a three-week ban following his high tackle on Zebre’s Maxime Mbanda, for which he saw red last Friday in Parma.
There were clearly differences in the two offences, most noticeably that one was a red card and the other a yellow. However, that hasn’t stopped exasperated fans from comparing the two offences.
Bittersweet moment for @Munsterrugby ?@Farrell_C93 powers over to keep them in the game but Peter O’Mahony follows through for a second yellow ???#GuinnessPRO14 #SCAvMUN
?? Watch Live Now on @PremierSportsTV
?? Watch Live Now on @eirSport & @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/TSLkKOLBjh— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) October 3, 2020
A game-changing moment ?@JoshTurn6ull sees red, will @cardiff_blues be able to hold their lead still or can @ZebreRugby capitalise??#GuinnessPRO14 #ZEBvCBL
?? Watch Live Now on @PremierSportsTV pic.twitter.com/xDLCsrHuvd— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) October 2, 2020
The problem of consistency in the judicial process has arisen again, with many feeling Irish players are given preferential treatment. Moreover, it has frequently been mentioned online that there was clearly no ill intent in Turnbull’s poorly timed tackle, while O’Mahony’s challenge was full of malice. This has led to calls for the PRO 14 to justify their verdicts.
Erroneous tackles are part of the game while the Irishman’s act was not, so it is understandable why there has been such an impassioned response.
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Given the standards of officiating these days, the decision to send Turnbull off was correct and his ban was also just. The trouble, however, is that it’s always dangerous territory to start comparing different offences, but when they happen over the same weekend it’s hard for fans not to.
https://twitter.com/555husker/status/1314224395003592707?s=21
It’s easy to work out the league is setup for the Irish and no one else.
— Mathew D (@maff_1980) October 8, 2020
https://twitter.com/adf0110/status/1314241013683302400?s=21
Turnbull incident – no intent, opposite player dipping downwards, but end of the day a shoulder to the head = 3 match ban……fair enough
O'Mahony incident – off the ball, clear intent, dives into opposition head leading with the elbow = no ban
This league is a shambles https://t.co/qpPIL5cQ3j
— Rhys Granville ??????? (@rhysgranv) October 8, 2020
That’s a truly embarrassing response. The fact that a violent player who physically assaulted a prone player gets nothing and an actual rugby tackle gets a 3game ban points at nothing but bias. Unfortunately pro 14 has history with this kind of bias, very poor decision
— @Leecaluan.bsky.social (@leecaluan) October 8, 2020
And the pathetic hit on Jake Ball for his second yellow was 100% gratuitous after the try not in https://t.co/5k9F4505Or may not have been with heavy speed/force but it was to the head with bent arm . Some ban was needed surely !?
— DR (@reesmachynys) October 8, 2020
This can’t be right. Seems like the POM & Turnbull decisions were mixed up? Needs statement from the Pro14 in order to explain, otherwise credibility severely compromised.
— Pipo Brycheiniog ??????????? (@pjmorgan75) October 8, 2020
Yet another example of a totally ineffective and biased disciplinary process in the professional game. The more high profile the player, the more lenient the punishment. Total disgrace on all accounts
— Richard Rees-Davies (@Llandudnoref) October 8, 2020
So for consistency if Turnbull's was a red then o'mahony is a red.
Shouldnt be a yellow doubled. It should be a straight red
— Rob Hill (@surelythiseason) October 3, 2020
Two decisions to be made, one on a Welsh player 3 weeks ban, one on an Irish player carry on as you were. What sort of example does that give.?
— Ann Mylott (@AnnMylott1) October 8, 2020
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Accidentally, slightly high tackle gets 3 weeks. Elbow drop to the face of a prone player gets a yellow and no ban. This is a joke of an organisation.
— Nye Jayne (@nyejayne) October 9, 2020
@MartinAnayi @PRO14Official
You guys don't help yourselves. This is truly dreadful, try and display a semblance of fairness ffs.The way it is, I'll be glad to see the back of this corrupt nonsense league.
— JDW (@daf1999) October 8, 2020
What a pathetic and disgraceful decision when Peter O Mahoney didn't even get a 1 week ban! Disgusting
— Josh Daniels (@JoshDaniels10) October 8, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments