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Officials in firing line after England's win over Ireland
It is not uncommon for the match officials to be on the receiving end of tirades from unhappy coaches, players and fans after a match, usually a loss.
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However, in the wake of England’s 24-12 win over Ireland at Twickenham on Sunday, those from both sides of the Irish Sea have objected to the officiating of the Test.
In a game where the ruck seemed to descend to anarchy at times, with players playing fast and loose with the offside law, former England international Andy Goode has suggested Jaco Peyper favoured the home side.
Jim Hamilton concurred, citing Jonny May’s break in the second half that came from slapping the ball from scrumhalf Conor Murray’s hands. That actually preceded a tackle off the ball from Robbie Henshaw that has proved to be equally contentious, and was also missed.
https://twitter.com/AndyGoode10/status/1231617985128927233?s=20
He had an absolute shocker. At what point can you slap the ball out of 9s hand? I tried it 15 times and never got away with it.
— Jim Hamilton (Vice Captain) (@jimhamilton4) February 23, 2020
English and Irish fans have both accused the South African referee of being biased, which perhaps suggests that he was more neutral than many would like to think. But there were undoubtedly some decisions that went unnoticed.
Very few, if any, would argue that the referee swayed the result of the game, as England were significantly strong, particularly in the first half, but that should not excuse the standard of the officiating.
https://twitter.com/GormleyDanny/status/1231622632111575040?s=20
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https://twitter.com/rejemy777/status/1231622835422011400?s=20
In a contest that was full of scuffles and niggly events, the apparent silence of the television match official Marius Jonker has also been questioned. The TMO is at liberty to intervene if foul play is suspected, but Jonker largely abstained on Sunday.
https://twitter.com/Nick88Will/status/1231612533762555904?s=20
An altercation between Owen Farrell and CJ Stander in the second half was one instance which has been widely discussed post-match, as have a couple of shots from James Ryan on Tom Curry and Maro Itoje, which by current standards could potentially have been red cards.
Marius Jonker once again demonstrating that he's more interested in doing England over than he is in his actual job. Sad clown that he is. #sixnations2020 #ENGvIRE ?
— JojoPearce (@MediumBij) February 23, 2020
I'd like to be able to blame Jaco Peyper as he is usually shocking (and obviously he wasn't great today) but Ireland were terrible. The first two English tries were defensive errors and should never have happened.
— Seán O'Donoghue (@seanpod2309) February 23, 2020
The majority of criticism that has been directed at referees and TMOs over the past year is that they are draconian to the point where some feel it has killed games off. This is understandable as World Rugby seeks to make the game safer. However, it was bedlam at times at Twickenham, both in terms of foul play and the laws of the game, which has proven to be equally controversial.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Firstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
99 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
99 Go to commentsHo hum.
99 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
99 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
99 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
99 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
99 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
99 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
99 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
99 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
99 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
12 Go to commentsMore bloody click bait. Dan Carter has said absolutely nothing. As he should do. Poor journalism again from a site that should know better
9 Go to commentsOh god please help these loosers get over it!!!! You lost. Doesn't matter how many times you dummies are gonna analyse the game, you still lost and we are still Rygby World Champions….get over it, you lost.
99 Go to commentsThe next Willie le Roux. SA are made not to use him.
3 Go to commentsDan has always been as controversial as tea with milk so we were never going to get any definitive answer. So DMac for the win.
9 Go to commentsGoodness. When are the All Blacks and New Zealand commentators going to stop complaining about how they could have won and just try to win next time 😂. In South Africa if you lose you get up and try again. Get over it.
99 Go to comments