1
Nigel Owens wades into Italy missed kick debate and Danty red card
Retired referee Nigel Owens has had his say on two of last weekend’s major Guinness Six Nations talking points – the drama of Italy’s Paolo Garbisi missing his last-gasp penalty kick to beat France and the red card that was showing earlier in that game in Lille to French midfielder Jonathan Danty.
ADVERTISEMENT
With the contest tied at 13-all, out-half Garbisi had the chance to make history by landing his penalty kick to secure the 16-13 victory that would have been the first away win in France for Italy.
Instead, despite the stadium being protected from the elements as the roof was closed, the ball somehow fell off the tee, there was a French charge and Garbisi rushed to place the ball again on the tee for fear of getting timed out on the shot clock.
He got his kick away before the minute allotted to take the kick elapsed but his effort collided with an upright and the game’s final whistle sounded soon after to confirm a draw.
The incident ignited a lively post-game debate surrounding the French charge and whether they should have been penalised.
A dramatic finish in Lille 😱#GuinnessM6N #FRAITA pic.twitter.com/0mZzLmr1mT
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 25, 2024
Test centurion referee Owens has now waded into the conversation with the latest episode of Whistle Watch, the midweek World Rugby series that reviews refereeing incidents from the previous weekend’s games.
He said: “The big talking point of course was the end of the game, 13-all, history in the making, ball comes off the post.
ADVERTISEMENT
“But what happens around that? Okay, we have the ball falling off the tee. That is pretty much irrelevant in a penalty what the opposition can do.
“Now the opposition can charge a conversion once a player indicates that he is going to start his run-up. A penalty you can’t. You cannot charge a penalty until the player has made contact with the ball.
“So we have a French player coming up because the ball has fallen off the tee. The French player comes up probably not to charge it, he comes up because he can see the ball falling off the tee and now thinks he can charge. He can’t.
“What should have happened here, what the game management and sensible decision should have been here was to say, ‘Look, the ball had fallen off the tee, stop the clock, replace the ball, send the French player back and let the player reset to take his kick again rather than him think he has to because the clock is running’.
ADVERTISEMENT
“But the key thing here, as a lot of you have been discussing, is if you felt that the French players were encroaching illegally and the kicker misses the kick, then in law it’s quite clear – the kick is to be retaken, another penalty awarded 10 metres further on.”
Owens was mindful not to be critical of Christophe Ridley, adding: “Remember here we have a young referee doing his first Six Nations game.
“Congratulations Christophe Ridley and Andrea Piardi (Ireland versus Wales) on doing their first Six Nations games. Italy a little bit unlucky. The French? Very lucky.”
Switching to the second major talking point from the draw in Lille, the red card that Danty has subsequently received a five-game ban for, Owens said: “We have the usual process.
“You have foul play, it reaches the yellow card threshold, it goes to the bunker and then the bunker reviews it which means the game can carry on in the meantime and they upgraded, quite rightly so, to a red card.
“So we have foul play, we have head contact, we have a high degree of danger and therefore we have a red card. It’s all about making the game as safe as we possibly can.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Karl 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 commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to comments