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Nigel Owens gives his verdict on Tom Curry red, Jesse Kriel play-on
Nigel Owens has shared his views on the two of the biggest talking points of Rugby World Cup opening weekend – the red card sanction for England back-rower Tom Curry and the play-on decision regarding Springboks centre Jesse Kriel.
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Curry was yellow-carded by referee Mathieu Raynal just three minutes into his team’s 27-10 Pool D win over Argentina in Marseille last Saturday night, a decision that was upgraded to a red card by the foul play review officer.
It meant that Curry missed 77 minutes of the game and he then learned on Tuesday that he has been banned for three matches – reducible to two if he successfully completes tackle school – for his incident with Pumas’ Juan Cruz Mallia.
In contrast, while the TMO Ben Whitehouse reviewed the Kriel collision with Scotland’s Jack Dempsey in Marseille the next day as the first-half play continued, he didn’t find any footage that he reckoned the referee Angus Gardner should stop the play and take a look at on the Stade Velodrome big screen.
The match citing officer would also have had access to this footage and he decided there was no need for a post-game citing, leaving Kriel free to continue with his tournament in France without any sanction.
Owens, the retired Test centurion referee, reviewed both the Curry and Kriel incidents on the latest edition of Whistle Watch, his weekly World Rugby review series, and he started with his assessment of the England red card.
“There was one big talking point that you all have been talking about so let’s have a look at the Tom Curry yellow card to the bunker and then upgraded to a red,” he began.
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“Now do we have foul play? Yes, we do. Do we have direct contact to the head? Yes, we do. Do we have a high degree of danger? Yes, we do. So, we are already now on all that on a red card. Are you all with me? Yes, I believe that you are.
“So what happens is this: The Argentinian player jumps in the air. He then comes down and as he comes down pretty much simultaneously there is contact of Tom Curry into the Argentinian player and we have contact with the head.
“Now it all comes down to something as simple as this: If you felt that Tom Curry was reckless and he could have done something to avoid what had happened, then we don’t have any mitigation, we have a red card.”
It was less than 24 hours later back at Stade Velodrome when the second major talking point materialised in the early stages of South Africa’s 18-3 Pool B win over Scotland.
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Owens said: “Another talking point from the weekend was the game between South Africa and Scotland, Jesse Kriel’s head contact in that game with a Scottish player.
“So the TMO has looked at this, so when the game is going ahead the TMO will be looking at everything in the background. Just remember the Hawkeye system he has, all the different angles, all the different views to look at his disposal to look at the game.
“The game can carry on, the TMO is looking at this and then the TMO will decide if he needs to bring something to the referee’s decision to then put it up on the screen and officially look at it or he feels I can’t see anything wrong here so we won’t show the referee because there is nothing to show and then we carry on with the game.
“It is important to note as well that it wasn’t cited as well because the citing commissioner also has all the angles so there is alignment between on and off the field. So TMOs are always working in the background, The TMO in his view does not have clear evidence to show that there was actually head contact.
“So again it comes down to simply your view. If you are looking at this and you feel there was head contact, we would then enter the head contact protocol and guidelines and then we would probably end up with a red card or if you are looking at this and you were going, ‘Well, I can’t really see if there is actually is head contact’ and you don’t have evidence to say there was, then we don’t have foul play and the game carries on.
“So in the TMO’s view here he feels there is no clear evidence of head-on-head contact, that is why we played on.”
Owens’ programme also took a look at the Will Jordan yellow card in New Zealand’s Pool A loss to France in Paris and assessed a disallowed Fiji try in their dramatic Pool C defeat to Wales in Bordeaux.
- Click here to watch the latest episode of Nigel Owens Whistle Watch
Comments on RugbyPass
A Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
2 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
10 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
2 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to comments