World Rugby chief confident no confusion around disciplinary issues at World Cup
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has expressed confidence that there would be no confusion surrounding any disciplinary issues at the Rugby World Cup.
England captain Owen Farrell will miss his country’s opening games of the tournament against Argentina and Japan after receiving a four-match ban for a dangerous tackle against World Cup warm-up opponents Wales.
World Rugby had appealed against the decision of a disciplinary panel to downgrade Farrell’s red card for a high tackle to yellow.
But a furious outcry greeted the verdict that Farrell’s shoulder-led challenge to Taine Basham’s head, which caused the Wales flanker to fail a head injury assessment, was a sin-binning offence only.
The appeal committee found that the original hearing had not considered Farrell’s failure to wrap when attempting the tackle, which had formed a key part of the bunker review system’s analysis when upgrading from yellow to red – and on that basis, it was decided to hear the case afresh.
“We have introduced the foul play bunker through Super Rugby and then into the summer games,” Gilpin said during the opening World Cup press conference at Roland Garros.
“There are always learnings from introducing things and there have been.
“The key difference for us coming into the tournament is that we get to control the process much more – everything from the way television pictures are shared with the relevant officials through to disciplinary process, obviously all under one set of controls.
“And that gives us the confidence I think that we can make sure it is not confusing for players and fans.”
The World Cup will begin in the wake of international players Rhys Webb and Elton Jantjies recording positive drugs tests.
Former Wales and current Biarritz scrum-half Webb, who retired from Test rugby in May, tested positive for a growth hormone, while South African fly-half Jantjies, who missed out on World Cup selection, tested positive for banned substance Clenbuterol.
In a general response, Gilpin added: “Does rugby have a doping problem? I think the evidence suggests no.
“We are not complacent at all and we are confident with the programmes that we have in place. We are working with the ALFD (French Anti-Doping Agency).
“We’ve taken really significant steps to make sure that every team in this tournament are tested in and out of competition and we’ve taken the step of re-testing every test that was taken in the 2019 World Cup with the latest anti-doping procedures and technology.”
Gilpin, meanwhile, believes the women’s World Cup in New Zealand last year provided positive images for the sport that should be repeated.
“I think what we saw in New Zealand, which is so important for rugby in the future, is players’ personalities not just being projected but being embraced by fans, by media,” he said.
“I think there is a lot that the men can learn from that and hopefully we can bring the personalities of all the great players that we’ve got in the game alive.
“There was also a huge amount of joy around that tournament, fans really getting behind every team.
“I am sure we will see that across the next seven weeks here in France. If the team welcome ceremonies we’ve seen in recent days are anything to go by, the teams can expect a pretty special welcome wherever they are.
“I am a bit of a veteran of these things now and I don’t think there has ever been a Rugby World Cup, ever been an event in rugby that has been as eagerly anticipated, with the excitement that is building not just here in France but around the world for this tournament.
“If the quality of rugby in the last couple of months is anything to go by, we’re going to see some very entertaining matches.”
Looking ahead to the tournament – which kicks off on Friday with a heavyweight clash between France and New Zealand in Paris – World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We know that this nation will be a magnificent host.
“We have received incredible support from the highest office to the smallest villages. Never has a nation been so ready and so excited to host.
“We have a record number of international fans, some 600,000, and the stage is set. I think it is fair to say that the action will be compelling, spectacular and unpredictable.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Should have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 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 commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
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