Lavanini red card was a fair call but fans question Nigel Owens' consistency with England infringements
The decision to red-card Tomas Lavanini was a fair and just decision under the letter of the law but it is the non-calls against England that have left fans questioning Nigel Owens in the wake of England’s runaway 39-10 win that all but ends Argentina’s World Cup.
Referee Nigel Owens misjudged the initial high tackle on Owen Farrell, explaining to players ‘Play on, no foul play for me’ before it was reviewed by the TMO two minutes later at the next stoppage.
https://twitter.com/burdon_mike/status/1180435585598726144
Following a second look, Owens judged that a red card was necessary with no mitigating factors for the high shot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3OuIM3AiBw/
Speaking on ITV former England coach Clive Woodward was puzzled by Owens decision to let play on following the Lavanini tackle
“Nigel Owens saw it live and said ‘it’s fine, it’s fine’. So if you haven’t got the TMO everyone would have just carried on,” he said.
“I don’t think any Argentinian can complain about that. It was a red card and a very simple decision but why didn’t Owens see it in the first place?”
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The decision to send Lavanini off in the 17th minute was always going to swing the match hugely in England’s favour with Argentina fighting on with 14-men for the majority of the match.
However, the leniency shown by Owens towards England’s own infringements brings into question whether they were given preferential treatment.
As England piled on infringements early in the match, Owens explained to captain Owen Farrell each penalty including a ‘no-arms tackle by Kyle Sinckler’ on an Argentinian player. This warranted nothing more than a warning and a penalty without a review of the tackle.
Uncharacteristically bad day at office for Nigel Owens
Missed potential leg breaker by Sinkler
Missed red card initially. Thankfully TMO awake
Clearly deliberate tackle in the air waved off as just a penalty#ENGvARG— Micheál O Flaherty (@miguelgarcia65) October 5, 2019
England should have two yellow cards in this opening 24mins #ENGvARG
— Gordon D'Arcy (@Gordonwdarcy) October 5, 2019
Pity to see it but Nigel continues the ref issues at #RWC2019 Side expected to win getting all the decisions! 🙄 England should have 2 yellows!! Result probably the same but #SadToSee 😔 #ENGvARG #RefIssues pic.twitter.com/vnlzMlAN0Q
— Shane Byrne (@shanebyrneoffic) October 5, 2019
The second non-call came moments after Lavanini’s red with Manu Tuilagi taking out Argentinan fullback Emiliano Boffelli in the air. England were penalised but many feel this warranted a yellow card with the tackler not attempting a ‘fair challenge’ for the ball.
Disappointing from Nigel Owens. Too late and high gets a red, too early and in the air gets nothing. Ruined the game. Inconsistent tournament! @RWC2019Heineken @WorldRugby @RugbyRefereeNet @eirSport
— Daniel Hatton (@Baravore) October 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/KeepRealOk/status/1180472304867909632
On a different note 🤪
England Twitter on Nigel Owens : ❤️
Rest of the World on Nigel Owens : 🙄#Sport #RWC2019 #Argentina— tony whelan (@Tony_Whelan) October 5, 2019
Nope. They got that wrong. It wasn't a fair challenge.
— Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) October 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/N1482/status/1180436898503958528
Nigel Owens – ruining rugby as a spectacle since 2001. He should never be in charge of a test match ever again #rugbyworldcup2019 #ARGvENG
— Jonny Dickie (@KleenSnappa) October 5, 2019
Pity about possibly the worst performance I’ve seen from Nigel Owens. Couldn’t spot an offside if it slapped him in the face. Poor.
— Wogsy E (@WogsyEllis) October 5, 2019
Duality of criteria from Nigel Owens.
Correct red card to Tomas Lavanini but missed two yellow cards for English players. One of them to Mario Tuilagi for tackle an Argentinien that was still in the air.#rugbyworldcup2019japan #RugbyWorldCup #englandargentina #nigelowens— Luis Sarmento (@lgs09) October 5, 2019
England coach Clive Woodward was also critical of the non-yellow on Manu Tuilagi for his tackle in the air.
“It’s a definite yellow card. No-one from England can be complaining if he’s got one. If the Argentina player comes down on his head, you’re looking at real problems,” he said on ITV.
“It doesn’t matter how far off the ground you are, if you hit him in the air it’s a card. I think we got away with that one big time.
“In the spirit of the game, if there’s already been a red card, then Manu has to go for a yellow card.”
Mario Ledesma following Argentina’s loss to England:
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick 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.
15 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?
4 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.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments