The Rugby Thread

[jd1981]

Plus England were denied an almost certain Coles try.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Scotland beat France so England take the 6 Nations without having to worry about the next game

(will still want to win for a Grand Slam though, but not as much pressure on it now)

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Plus England were denied an almost certain Coles try.

I watched that quite closely as obviously it went to the TMO. If Joubert asked the correct question ("any reason why I can't award the try") England get seven more points. No idea why he went for "try, yes or no". The key is actually Marler's face. He is laughing at the Welsh defender he has landed on, as he KNOWS the ball has been grounded. He can see it. Unfortunately, the cameras couldn't.

 

[jd1981]

Had feeling night doing something, had a real point to prove after the horrors of the World Cup.
Have to say the quality in this years 6 nations hasn't been the greatest at times which is a worry when competing with the Southern Hemisphere.

 

[Dinowolf]

The citing officer has been busy.

Wales player Francis has been cited for contact with the eye area of Dan Coles.

Haskell has received a citing commissioner warning for a neck-roll tackle in the 16th minute.

Marler has been cited for an alleged forearm on Wales prop Rob Evans face when helping Dan Cole to try and ground the ball over the Wales line in the 15th minute.

Plus the incident of alleged verbal abuse involving Marler, for which he apologised to Welsh forward Samson Lee, is still being investigated.

If Marler is found guilty of the striking then he will miss the match against France.

 

[WarwickWolf]

Had feeling night doing something, had a real point to prove after the horrors of the World Cup.
Have to say the quality in this years 6 nations hasn't been the greatest at times which is a worry when competing with the Southern Hemisphere.

Six nations tournaments following a World Cup don't tend to be the best.

 

[Dinowolf]

Francis has received an 8 week ban for his offence of contact with the face. Amazing the game refs didn't have the judgement to give him a card on the pitch.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Can only assume he didn't see enough to be absolutely sure.

 

[Paul]

The refs argument at the time was there was only one camera angle on the replay so couldn't be sure ??

 

[Dinowolf]

The Six Nations disciplinary committee found that Francis had "recklessly made contact with the eye or eye area of an opponent, which had been worthy of a red card".

I think almost everyone who saw replays of the incident on the day thought it was worthy of a card, except the referee and TMO who thought that 'one view' was 'inconclusive'. The words 'bottleless' and 'teflon-coated shoulders' come to mind.

 

[Dinowolf]

Can only assume he didn't see enough to be absolutely sure.

The ref didn't see anything until the TMO pointed it out to him and showed him what had happened on the big screen, along with all the Twickenham crowd and everyone watching the match live on TV.

But as a referee he knew what the foul play was and decided to reverse the penalty because of it. He then decided, along with the TMO to be 'sensible' and not take any further action.

In fact Joubert says to the Wales players that he was reversing the penalty for "fingers in the eye".

I have no axe to grind with the player, although there is no place in the game for that, but if the officials see foul play then it is only fair they deal with it immediately not say they'll probably get to it later.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He hasn't been done for gouging. He has been done for recklessness. IE it wasn't deliberate.

 

[Dinowolf]

He hasn't been done for gouging. He has been done for recklessness. IE it wasn't deliberate.

No-one mentioned gouging.

There was no proof it was deliberate, only he will know that, but as soon as he felt Cole's nose he made his hand into a claw shape and scraped his face. Maybe he thought it was the ball. Still a red card offence, according to the Citing Commission.

However, as I said previously, it was the way in which the officials dealt with it that annoys me.

I'd also like to know how the match officials missed Marler sticking his forearm into Evans face when he was on the floor. It was replayed twice while they were trying to see if Cole had grounded the ball for a try in the 15th minute.

I said at the time to my fellow watchers that they won't give Cole's try and Marler will be sent off for his challenge, but nothing came of it during the match.

 

[Dinowolf]

Marler's got away with his strike on Evans because it wasn't a red card offence.

No news yet on Marler calling Lee a "gypsy boy".

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Seemed fair enough that he got away with the strike. There really wasn't that much in it. Gypsy Boy is going to land both him and Gatland in hot water by the sound of it.

 

[Dinowolf]

No action to be taken over Marlers comments to Lee, so he is available for Saturday.

 

[Tredman]

He's still dropped though:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35830915

Looks to me that are going to try and run France ragged like last year

 

[Dinowolf]

Youngs and Marler dropped to the bench for Care and Mako.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

You should put at least forty on them. They were abject against us.

 

[Dinowolf]

I hope we do well, but they are a different kettle of fish at home.