Warburton’s RWC is over
16 Oct 2011
Sam Warburton has been slapped with a three-week ban after admitting to a ‘dangerous tip tackle’ in Saturday’s semi-final at Eden Park.
The Wales captain learned his fate after attending a red card hearing in Auckland on Sunday. Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all broadcast angles and additional evidence from the player, Warren Gatland and submissions from his legal representative Aaron Lloyd, the independent Judicial Officer, Christopher Quinlan QC (ENG) determined the red card to be appropriate in Law and the action in line with IRB directives to unions, teams and match officials.
The Judicial Officer concluded that the offence was mid-range on the scale of seriousness, which has an entry point of six weeks. However, he found that there were no aggravating features and there were compelling on-field and/or off-field mitigating features including the player’s admission, outstanding character and disciplinary record and remorse. Therefore, the suspension was reduced to a period of three weeks.
The suspension takes effect immediately and will run up to and include 6 November, 2011. He is free to resume playing on 7 November.
Warburton will no miss next Friday’s third-place play-off at Eden Park.
63 Comments
16 Oct 2011, 01:25 am
Shame but the right call was made.
But i think a red card in the RWC QF and to lose is punishment enough
16 Oct 2011, 01:29 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-1: don’t you think maybe it would be better to have a yellow card maximum for tip tackles and just increase the length of the ban as a deterrent? this sorta kills the game
16 Oct 2011, 01:31 am
Slumtown – Beale ruled out of tonight’s game and not the RWC entirely
Do you believe everything you read on this site fool?
16 Oct 2011, 01:33 am
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-2:
yeah good call, but to get sent off for the whole game in front of thousands of fans
should really be deterrent enough.
It does ruin the game, but if the French player never recovered and actually had some serious injury then do you think the welsh player should be allowed back on?
16 Oct 2011, 01:37 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-4: thats true actually, this was probably a pretty potent deterrent, hmm. i suppose the probably again is consistency. it they red carded and banned consistently for this then there wouldn’t be a problem…but then again, what do you do with the marginal calls? tough one
16 Oct 2011, 01:41 am
Gregor Paul of the NZ Herald lists his 10 worst disgraces at all RWCs…
Yarpies feature prominently.
Expand Referee Nigel Owens, right, shows the red card to Samoa’s Paul Williams after he struck South Africa’s Heinrich Brussow. Photo / APIf you thought Samoa was hard done by in their clash against South Africa a couple of weeks ago and New Zealand with that forward pass in 2007, have a look at these World Cup injustices, collected from his scrapbook by Gregor Paul.
1 – ABDEL BENAZZI, 1995
It looked at the time as if Abdel Benazzi had grounded the ball over the tryline. It still looked like he had grounded the ball over the tryline on the slow motion action replay. But back in 1995, there was no Television Match Official. Semifinal referee Derek Bevan said the French No 8 was short and that was it – he blew for fulltime and South Africa were in the final.
The Springboks had gone through 19-15 and Benazzi’s last minute lunge would have made all the difference, had it counted. It had the feel of a slightly harsh call in the hours after the game but took on a more sinister hue after the tournament. At the post-tournament dinner, South African Rugby Union president Louis Luyt thanked Bevan in his appalling speech for “outstanding refereeing”. He then invited the Welshman on stage to accept an expensive gold watch.
Bevan joined the mass walkout, later saying: “It was something I could have done without. It came out of the blue: I have no idea why he singled me out.
It could be misconstrued and if that is the case, it leaves a bitter taste.”
2 – FIJI v FRANCE, 1999
Fiji had France in real trouble during their pool clash at the 1999 World Cup. A disorganised French team were all over the place and Fiji reigned supreme in the chaos. It was their kind of rugby – no structure, high risks and plenty of mistakes to feed off. They were looking good to pull off the unthinkable and beat the pool favourites and turn the World Cup on its head.
That was until referee Paddy O’Brien intervened by having the worst game of his career and a performance so bad even he said it was a “car crash”. First he denied Fiji a legitimate try. They had caught the French fullback in a pincer tackle, the ball jolted loose and they hacked on and scored.
O’Brien, though, saw a knock-on no one else in the world did. Then he missed three blatant forward passes in the build-up to a French try and, amazingly, with Fiji under pressure on their own line during a series of scrummages, he awarded a penalty try after French hooker Marc Del Maso popped up.
France won the game 28-19 – a result they could never have achieved without O’Brien’s help. “I lost the plot,” was the Kiwi official’s honest assessment.
He went on to become the IRB’s referee performance manager – Fiji were dumped out in the curious and never repeated quarter-final playoff round.
3 – ENGLAND v FRANCE, 1991
The last time England met France in a quarter-final, things finished up decidedly ugly both on and off the field.
The game itself was ill-tempered and full of unsavoury incidents that went unpunished. The French, as they are prone to do when they play England, smelled a conspiracy.
They felt the English-speaking New Zealand referee David Bishop was against them so after the final whistle blew to condemn France to an early exit – they had lost 19-10 – captain Daniel Dubroca manhandled the referee in the tunnel. He had him by the throat, pushed him around a bit and screamed in his face that he was a cheat.
Apparently this wasn’t reason for the IRB to take any action and they did their level best to play it down and pretend it never happened.
There was no sanction against the normally sane hooker but he did at least have the decency to resign his post shortly after the World Cup.
4 – SOUTH AFRICA v SAMOA, 1995
It would have spoiled the story, a good book and fairly awful movie. But the South Africans needed to be taken to task for their actions in the 1995 quarter-final against Samoa.
It was only after the Boks had posted a 42-14 win that the extent of their work off the ball became apparent. Some of the Samoans were sporting bite marks on various parts of their bodies and there may have been all kinds of physical abuse inflicted upon them.
But the Samoans were reluctant to snitch – to go public with the accusations, even though there was ample video evidence to confirm that they had been subjected to things no team should ever have to put up with.
Perhaps because of the momentum the Boks had built in unifying the country or perhaps because they had already been in trouble for a nasty brawl that erupted earlier in the tournament against the Canadians, South Africa were never probed about their antics in the quarter-final. They were let off without a stain on their record.
5 – TONGA v THE IRB, 2007
Pretty much on the bones of their arse at the last World Cup, Tonga defied the odds to become the darlings of the tournament.
They so nearly beat South Africa in their opening game, then edged past the US and Samoa to leave themselves in a showdown with England for a quarter-final place. By this point, they had captured the imagination and probably because they were playing England, a number of people wanted to help them with their finances.
One such party was Irish-based bookmaker Paddy Power who tipped in a five-figure donation to help the Pacific Island side. The Tongans in return decided they would all dye their hair green to say thanks.
The IRB got wind of it and threatened them if they did. It didn’t seem to matter that the French had grown beards and dyed their hair blond en masse at the 1995 World Cup or that the French had deliberately darkened their playing kit to enforce a colour clash with the All Blacks in 2007.
The Tongans could be bullied so therefore they were.
6 – ENGLAND WITH 16 MEN, 2003
It is normally a straightforward business putting a replacement on to the rugby field. One player comes off, another takes his place. Simple. Except somehow when England played Samoa in 2003, Dan Luger came on but no one came off.
For nearly one minute, England played with 16 men. Mike Tindall hadn’t made it off the field and Samoa, trailing 35-22, had to endure 34 seconds against an extra man.
It was cheating in anyone’s book and a serious breach at that but England were fined only £10,000 – a slap on the wrist, if that.
It was a much more serious infringement than was ever acknowledged and we can only ask what the outcome would have been had Samoa been the ones to transgress. And what if they had won the game? Would they have been hit with such a wet sanction?
7 – ENGLAND v ANDRE WATSON 2003
England just about had the 2003 World Cup final in the bag. They were leading 17-14 and there were only a couple of minutes left.
Australia were desperate but they were struggling to get the ball or break England’s defence. They certainly didn’t look like they were going to score a try and England were proving supremely disciplined – giving no penalties away to provide the Wallabies with the three points they needed.
The game should have wound down to a natural conclusion and England crowned champions after 80 minutes. But referee Andre Watson had a different view – he saw a technical infringement in a scrum and despite the fact England were clearly dominant in that area and under no pressure, Watson awarded the Wallabies a penalty which Elton Flatley kicked to force the game into extra time.
England eventually won but they had to endure 20 extra minutes of agony to get there, thanks to Watson.
8 – ALL BLACKS v SUZIE
To this day, no one knows whether there was sabotage involved, or whether it was just seriously unlucky that so many All Blacks were struck down with food poisoning on the eve of the 1995 World Cup final.
The fact the players were sick is not debated. The likes of Craig Dowd and Jeff Wilson were seen vomiting on the side of the field during the game and other All Blacks were clearly not on their game. But was it all down to the mystery tea lady ‘Suzie’?
Unlikely and the injustice of all this was that it has taken some of the shine off the Springbok victory. The All Blacks either needed to declare their illness before the game and ask for a delay or at least let it be known in advance so there was no chance of them looking like sour losers. Or they needed to stay quiet forever.
9 – UNCONSCIOUS WELSHMAN SENT OFF, 1987
Everyone giggles when they remember the incident in the 1987 semifinal that saw Welsh lock Huw Richards sent off.
The All Blacks were giving the Welsh a bit of an old-fashioned doing and there was a fair bit of frustration among the men in red. Some of that boiled over when Richards and Gary Whetton got involved in a scuffle.
It was a real handbag session and perhaps out of embarrassment or perhaps because he wanted to show how things should really be done, All Black No 8 Wayne Shelford entered the fray.
Not one for half measures, ‘Buck’ smacked Richards properly – knocked him out and really should have been sent off and therefore unavailable for the final the All Blacks were clearly going to make. But referee Kerry Fitzgerald had other ideas. He waited for Richards to regain consciousness, then he showed the Welshman the red card. Buck was off Scot free.
10 – SAMOA v SOUTH AFRICA, 2011
With a quarter-final place on the line, there was plenty of tension in the Samoa versus South Africa clash at North Harbour.
The Samoans were desperate and played superbly to dominate possession and open the Springboks up more than most teams have managed in several attempts combined.
They were trailing 13-5 with 12 minutes to go and looking capable of scoring a try to bring them within striking distance of a famous win.
The crowd could sense it and the Boks were increasingly edgy. At one breakdown, Samoa’s fullback Paul Williams held on to Heinrich Brussow’s jersey.
It was a bit silly and pointless, so Brussow repeatedly punched Williams’ arm in the hope he would release.
There was nothing in it and still not much in it when Williams finally stood up and pushed his open hand into Brussow’s face.
The Springbok flanker dropped theatrically and rolled around – leading referee Nigel Owens to reach for a ludicrous red card. It was the softest red card ever and as a sign that Owens knew he had stuffed up, he immediately yellow carded John Smit for a deliberate knock-on that was clearly not deliberate.
16 Oct 2011, 01:47 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-6: i thought for a second that this list was a bit one-eyed because it didn’t include any disgraces committed by NZ, but then i noticed he did include the Suzie incident.
16 Oct 2011, 01:49 am
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-5:
yep spot on mate.
Consistency has been a problem, not only in this RWC but for many years.
Even to the point NH and SH refs can call a different game.
This does need to be fixed.
16 Oct 2011, 02:57 am
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-7: And Buck whacking a Welshman and then seeing the victim sent off…
16 Oct 2011, 03:15 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-6: “The fact the players were sick is not debated.”
Show me one Saffa here who will acknowledge they were sick.
16 Oct 2011, 03:41 am
well all i know is won the world cup in 95 wasnt our best team . and if the abs get knocked out today which you wont then we still have one more world cup than you
16 Oct 2011, 03:44 am
heres a good one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWxjy36Flfc
16 Oct 2011, 04:14 am
All Blacks & Suzie – always excuses & always chokers……
16 Oct 2011, 04:15 am
@klippies101(klippies101)-12:
Anything from Cullen is a good one really
16 Oct 2011, 04:16 am
@Labok(Labok)-13:
lol
And RWC 2011, Bok losing against a better team = corruption and game fixing excuses.
Face it cry baby, your team was beaten.
16 Oct 2011, 04:25 am
@Labok(Labok)-13: have you enjoyed watching the WC while your team has been home for a week already?
I know I have
16 Oct 2011, 04:49 am
@Nils(Nils)-10: Spewing and hurling orange chunks, captured in technicolor on camera in full view of millions of viewers across the globe, is just not something any healthy person does. They were sick. Very sick.
16 Oct 2011, 05:27 am
Red Card penalty enough…
At the end of the day if was missing 4 out of 5 penalty-kicks that lost Wales that game… not playing with 14 men…
16 Oct 2011, 06:29 am
Well I hope NZ acknowledge Paddy o’ Brien’s part in getting them this far in a RWC by inducting him into the sheep botherer’s droll of fame or whatever they do down there.
After Barnesies lark in ’07, when wee Paddy misjudged things completely, he’s pulled out all the stops this year.
Paddy, yo cheating li’l runt; we salute you, here take a drink of piss.
16 Oct 2011, 06:34 am
@Nils(Nils)-10: @TheTackler(TheTackler)-17: We all know Kiwi’s can’t stand pressure. The first signs of a choke taking hold of an AB WC team maybe? In any case, we here a lot of stories and accusations of food poisoning. Even heard it said that the players could be seen throwing up on the sideline. How about posting it on youtube so we all can have a look?
16 Oct 2011, 06:43 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-6: Wasn’t there a similar mix up with a substitution between Cowan and Ellis albeit in a 3N’s. They didn’t play with 16 man but Hansen later claimed one or the other was a blood replacement? No cheating there right? Also liked the comical spin he put on the blatant violence and thuggish behaviour by his beloved AB’s.
16 Oct 2011, 06:46 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-6:
Gregor Paul is a well known anti SA so-called “sports writer”………….similar to Stephen Jones and NZ………….. no suprises with that article then…
16 Oct 2011, 06:47 am
Think Sam W has had more than enough punishment. Should have got a yellow in any event……….
16 Oct 2011, 06:50 am
@husky(husky)-19:
So you as well think there is corruption and match fixing in rugby??
Every thing you have said has no one bit of evidence. HOw about shut you gob, no one like sore losers
16 Oct 2011, 06:51 am
@husky(husky)-19: Paddy is already in NZ folklore, and his gold watch just needs to be engraved and he is sorted…
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-20: yep, I just hope when we choke we dont have 70% possession stats, itd be a shame not to bring out that one weapon in our arsenal (drop kicks) to win it… oooppppss
16 Oct 2011, 06:54 am
Nelson Mandela’s own security boss — a white South African man by the name of Rory Steyn — with 18 years of police security experience, much of it in the VIP protection squad — emphatically confirmed the Suzie poisoning story as authentic. And it was seen on TV worldwide.
16 Oct 2011, 06:54 am
@whatever(whatever)-23:
Nope, dangerous play has the right to be red. For dangerous play you are lucky to get yellow.
If Brussow was pushed in the face and he did the backward flip and all you were happy with the red but wanted more, i think if a tackle is close to breaking someones neck, that warrants a red dont you think?
16 Oct 2011, 06:56 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-20:
OK but first you show us the famous e-mail that only South Africans have heard of.
Or is it like the story of Maui and the sun?
16 Oct 2011, 06:56 am
@whatever(whatever)-22: Quite a balanced article — even takes a pop or two at the ABs.
16 Oct 2011, 06:58 am
Wow the kiwis are a bit touchy…
16 Oct 2011, 06:59 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-26: Post it on youtube mate. Had to be only NZ TV then cause I can recall any of it. Remind us all. Post it. I dare ya…surely some evidence exists somewhere
16 Oct 2011, 07:00 am
As for “anti NZ” Stephen Jones, he’s backing the ABs to beat Oz by 12 (on stuff.co.nz/rugbyheaven)
16 Oct 2011, 07:01 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-28: Mate glad you asked but Transie is the best guy to ask tho. He had it on here some while back. According to reports, the NZRU even apologised to SARU. I’ll see if I can find it. Wait…
16 Oct 2011, 07:02 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-32:
So why did your mom not allow you to go and watch any of the games at the stadium?
16 Oct 2011, 07:04 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-33:
Wow you mean it really existed and we apologised.
Lets see if all this match fixing and corruption from SA is followed by an apology.
16 Oct 2011, 07:05 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-35:
I hope you are wearing a pink shirt today so that everyone can see you are on the rag.
16 Oct 2011, 07:09 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-35: Here you go mate. From your own NZ Herald archives. Keith Lawrence is the guy. Wonder what’s the connection…Is it his father?
An embarrassed New Zealand Rugby Football Union yesterday smoothed over a potentially harmful row with South Africa, saying the incident had been dealt with internally.
NZRFU chief executive David Moffett would not say if the perpetrator, New Zealand manager of referee development Keith Lawrence, had been reprimanded.
Lawrence was forced to apologise to his South African counterpart Freek Burger following the sending of an e-mail which contained derogatory remarks about Burger. The e-mail had been sent to arrange a conference call between the three Super 12 referee managers but is understood to have contained earlier dialogue – not intended for South Africa – which had taken place between Lawrence and his
Australian counterpart.
Keith has spoken to Freek Burger and has apologised to him and Freek Burger has graciously accepted that apology and they between them have decided to move on and put it behind them,” Moffett said.
“It’s something we would have preferred not to have happened, it was a mistake and it has been apologised for.”
Both the NZRFU and South African Rugby Union have said there was no conspiracy involved in the e-mail in which the Anzac partners agreed to “teach the Japies (South Africans ) a lesson.”
The message went on: “We won’t tell Freek what we have decided and make sure (SARU chief executive Rian) Oberholzer doesn’t get involved.”
Moffett said the issue stemmed from a frustration related to the assessment criteria and standards to be used in assessing referees.
“There was a degree of frustration in respect to this which boiled over into the e-mail,” he said.
“It should not have happened and Keith is aware of that and he’s apologised for it. That is the issue and it does not involve anything else.”
Moffett said the refereeing assessment procedures had now been resolved between the Super 12 participants.
Changes to the interpretations of some rules and the referees’ ability to carry them out have been at the root of a less appealing Super 12 competition this year, but Moffett said the laws would be in place until the World Cup in October/November and it was up to the players to adapt.
The laws will be then revisited by the International Rugby Board and Moffett said it was likely New Zealand would be keen for a closer look at some of the issues.
16 Oct 2011, 07:10 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-31:
I also remember it. He said that the evidence pointed towards an Indian bookie, although he could never prove it. Just circumstantial.
16 Oct 2011, 07:14 am
The fair ruling should of been a yellow card. Warbuton then visits the judiciary and we could have a balanced decision. If hes banned for six months so be it. Then the player and the team are penalised not the rugby world at large. Some who have spent a small fortune in attending. Justice for is required.
wales had chances like in the SA game to finish them off. They didnt take them. End of story. The better team lost on the night.
Whoevers wins Semi 1 will dismantle France. The ABs already have in this tournament. The French have had the luck of the 2007 SA team. In the final with no significant opposition at the knockout stages.
16 Oct 2011, 07:15 am
@David(David)-38: What are you talking about? Food poisoning in ’95 or match fixing 2011
16 Oct 2011, 07:18 am
@lapoftherugbygods(lapoftherugbygods)-39: You just said the better team lost on the night and Wales have been one of the form teams in NZ. You’re not the 1st one to say France will be smashed in the Final either. I’d reserve judgement if I were you. Especially if its you guys they’ll be playing. You know how fond they are of spoiling NZ’ers fun at this kind of thing
16 Oct 2011, 07:20 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-36:
What are you on about.
I thought you would be off trying to find out where this match fixing and corruption is.
Any proof yet?
16 Oct 2011, 07:22 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-42:
Got better things do with my life.
Rugby is not the be all end all for me.
16 Oct 2011, 07:24 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-43:
Good to hear, shame some of your colleagues dont have the same mentality as you.
16 Oct 2011, 07:24 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-40:
Food poisoning.
16 Oct 2011, 07:25 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-37:
Is this the e-mail that said for refs to cheat against the Boks?
16 Oct 2011, 07:28 am
Warburton’s sending off is by the book. No problem.
The problem is that of all the tip tackles in the tournament, this is the only one that was red carded. Surely that is a huge problem that needs to be adressed by the IRB.
Hope to see a better game today, and the winner should rip the French a new one.
16 Oct 2011, 07:28 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-42: Quick question. Would you be surprised if it became known that match fixing is rife in world rugby? Proof would have to come from the IRB however. Or they at least have to start the process. It’s not like I can just walk up to Bryce Lawrence’s bank manager and demand his bank statements for the last 3 mths now is it? Or his phone records for that matter.
16 Oct 2011, 07:30 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-46: I don’t know. You tell me. Pretty damning all the same.
16 Oct 2011, 07:37 am
@David(David)-45: How about posting it on youtube then and giving us all the link. If evidence exist, it would take a lot of shine off that ’95 victory imo. But I’ll want to see proof first. Untill then it’s just another excuse dreamt up by Kiwis to hide their WC failures.
16 Oct 2011, 07:46 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-46:
“the Anzac partners agreed to “teach the Japies (South Africans ) a lesson.” The message went on: “We won’t tell Freek what we have decided and make sure (SARU chief executive Rian) Oberholzer doesn’t get involved.”
conspire: make secret plans jointly to commit an unlawful or harmful act
verb:
1 plot, scheme, plan, intrigue, machinate, collude, connive, collaborate, work hand in glove; be in cahoots.
2 act together, work together, combine, unite, join forces; gang up.
you figure it out…
say what you like… keith lawrence did conspire with his aussie counterpart…
of course we don’t expect any honesty from our ANZAC posters to actually acknowledge this…
it’s more evidence than you guys can show for the existence of susie…
16 Oct 2011, 08:22 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-50:
I didn’t see the programme, but read the story of the investigation that Tackler refers to, in the Sunday Times a couple of years ago. There was nothing that could be proved, only some fairly strong evidence and links to a bookmaker.
The point is though, that it had nothing to do with a conspiracy by South Africans to rig the game. Remember, the ABs were odds on favourites and playing the best rugby of the competition, so a loss would have saved the bookies millions.
16 Oct 2011, 08:25 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-48:
Why the questions now from SA?
What happened in 2007 when the badly reffed QF was not bothered with. In fact on here it was the best reffing display you had all seen.
I am sorry but after one loss in a RWC you guys call out for match fixing.
Nope dont buy into it sorry.
16 Oct 2011, 08:28 am
@ufo(ufo)-51:
Evidence of suzie seemed to have come from one of your own. I dont know but it did read it on here.
Anyway dont worry about suzie, just look at how many players had food poisoning.
Dont try and say that never happened as we all know it did.
16 Oct 2011, 08:35 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-54:
seemed to…?
okay…
i’ve never denied the ABs had a stomach bug… we all saw Jeff Wilson heaving… and was a great pity that it happened… but there is no evidence they were ‘poisoned’ by anyone… flu, stomach bugs etc often find traction and sweep through in groups like sports teams, school classes etc…
but…
despite their being clear evidence that keith lawrence did in fact conspire at the time… you don’t even acknowledge that part of my post… let alone that he conspired…
16 Oct 2011, 08:38 am
@ufo(ufo)-55:
UFO, i am not denying anything but i still dont know what was said.
16 Oct 2011, 08:41 am
@ufo(ufo)-55: didnt you see Invictus??? why even Morgan freeman as mandela said “we have to win at all costs”..
enough evidence for me
16 Oct 2011, 08:44 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-56:
it’s just been posted… for about the millionth time on keo… read it again and you will know what was said…
@poppa69(poppa69)-57:
damn clint eastwood for showing the evidence to the whole world…!!
16 Oct 2011, 09:25 am
Oi, will the Welsh be claiming match fixing for this incident?
16 Oct 2011, 09:32 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-53: You realy want to compare one single incident in that game, a fwd pass which, I might add NZ’ers in general have no problem with if it goes their way, to what Bryce did? Realy? For all SA’s possession, the Boks made Aus do well over a hundred of tackles for an entire…wait for it…a whole 6 penalties. And obviously that doesn’t include the blatant penalties on the Aussie line he missed. And also not the headhigh tackles either. But he could see a fwd pass when it didn’t exist (Habana). And of course he wasn’t blind to Danie Roussouw barely touching Samo’s leg. Sorry. I’ll take that back. He was blind to that too. The touchie had to tell him that Danie might’ve interfered with Samo.
Mate just have a look at what you all can bet on in a rugby game. 1st stoppage, 1st points, etc, etc…that’s apart from all the obvious ones. Now if I’m a referee and a less than honorable guy, why not place a large bet on what I ‘think’ the 1st stoppage of the game is going to be. Something I’m in complete control over. Manufacturing a result is a little bit more difficult but definitely not impossible. Thought Bryce showed that expertly over the weekend.
16 Oct 2011, 11:04 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-6:
Is this what passes for Journalism in New Zealand? Never mind that they where called Western Samoa back then,,
4 – SOUTH AFRICA v SAMOA, 1995
“It was only after the Boks had posted a 42-14 win that the extent of their work off the ball became apparent. Some of the Samoans were sporting bite marks on various parts of their bodies and there may have been all kinds of physical abuse inflicted upon them.”
No mention in the above article that there where numerous late and high hits and that one of the Samoans was banned for a dangerous tackle. Yet to see any proof of the so called biting that the Samoans trotted out..
Nothing like a bit of revisionism to support the “Samoa are so hard done by” rubbish.
16 Oct 2011, 19:43 pm
A real pity that Wales’ quest came to such an end. I thought that they were the best team at the World Cup, apart from the All Blacks. However, the All Blacks had fewer chances to show their grit against tougher teams, which Wales did. Even if it was to play it out for 3rd, would have been brilliant to see a full strength Welsh side taking on a full strength Aussie team. This red team has a bright future ahead of them, with youthful excitement and solid hardened veterans. If they can keep this form (or visit Poland more often!), they will take the 6 Nations. The pain from the loss against the terrible French will serve them well in 4 years time!!
17 Oct 2011, 09:06 am
Really sad for Wales , great performance from the Welsh , the French certainly dont look like a side going into a World cup final , they just won against 14 men , cant see them survivng 20 mins against 15 All blacks
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