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'Nothing more than a penalty': Former All Blacks balk at over-zealous refereeing
All Blacks greats Sir John Kirwan and Christian Cullen have called for rugby to ditch the red card system after both the All Blacks and Wallabies were reduced to 14 men in last night’s Bledisloe Cup clash in Brisbane.
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The Wallabies edged the All Blacks 24-22 in a thrilling finish. Both teams had players sent off in the first half with All Blacks prop Ofa Tuungafasi becoming the fifth New Zealanders sent from the field in a test.
The incident occurred in the 23rd minute when Tuungafasi hit Wallabies player Tom Wright in the jaw with his shoulder.
Referee Nic Berry said the tackle was enough for a red card.
“The initial point on contact from what I seeing here is on his chin. For me I don’t think there’s a significant drop to the body of the ball carrier,” Berry said to TMO Mike Fraser.
“Based on those factors it’s a direct contact to the chin and there’s no mitigating factors so it’s going to be a red card against black three.”
He was followed by Wallabies debutant Lachlan Swinton shortly after when the flanker hit All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock with a shoulder to the head.
Both teams were reduced to 13 men at points in the test after receiving yellow cards on top of the reds.
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In 2017, World Rugby introduced a zero-tolerance approach to reckless and accidental head contact in the sport.
Tu’ungafasi is the third All Black to be sent off since the zero-tolerance guidelines were introduced, following Sonny Bill Williams (against the Lions in 2017) and Scott Barrett (against Australia last year), for hitting an attacker above the shoulders.
Before Williams’ red card in 2017, the last All Black to be ordered from the field was Sir Colin Meads in 1967.
This doesn't necessarily bode well for the future. #AUSvNZL #BledisloeCup #AllBlackshttps://t.co/NBbASmfyhe
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 8, 2020
In Sky Sport’s halftime show, Kirwan said red cards shouldn’t be in the game.
“I don’t think we should have red cards in rugby. I think we should have a yellow card and on report and you suffer later because the game will suffer,” Kirwan said on Sky Sport after the first half.
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“The trouble with red cards is that it throws the game up in the air. This is the problem I’ve got with it,” Kirwan added after the game.
Fellow Sky Sport panellist and All Black great Christian Cullen agreed with Kirwan.
“I’m with JK. I don’t agree with red cards at all. Ten minutes off, put it on report, someone else can come in. It just ruins the game, seriously,” Cullen said.
“I’ve always thought that red cards are for absolute thuggery on the pitch,” Cullen added.
Sky commentator and former All Black Justin Marshall also disagreed with the call.
“I can’t agree with that. Having played the game and understanding the contact areas and how there is that tiny microsecond intent and contact,” he said.
“The intent was never to hit him there from what I saw. I certainly feel the player carrying the ball, Tom Wright, didn’t help the situation.”
“A slight error in judgement. Nothing more than a penalty.” Marshall said.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments