All Blacks five eighth Dan Carter lines up a kick at the goal during the Rugby Union Bledisloe Cup Australia v New Zealand rugby test match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, August 2, 2008. AAP Image/Photosport, Andrew Cornaga
About ten minutes before the end of the enthralling Wales Vs New Zealand Test match at the Millennium Stadium, the Welsh half-back Martin Roberts was making a dash for the All Blacks try line when Dan Carter came from his blind side and hammered him in a tremendous tackle.
Carter’s right arm went across Roberts’ jaw, before slipping down around his chest.
The tackle was in the open and neither the assistant referees nor the referee Craig Joubert believed there was anything untoward in it.
Carter was not penalised.
Roberts was uninjured and interviewed after the match told journalists: “Things like that happen in games, and you just take it on the chin. It looked bad, but I was fine.”
The officials running the ground video at the Millennium Stadium immediately started showing slow-motion replays of the incident. What was the point of this? We know that slow-motion exaggerates things like impact, and this is what the slow-motion shots did.
Clearly, the officials wanted to arouse the worst instincts of the crowd, which had become sullen as another inevitable victory for the All Blacks appeared all too likely. And there was the obvious intent to shame the referee into being more punitive with penalties towards the All Blacks.
Both these things happened.
The crowd booed Carter as if he were some stage villain in a Victorian era melodrama. Joubert gave Wales a series of penalties, two of which were kicked, and Wales went into the last minutes of the Test in the unlikely situation of needing a converted try to draw, a result which would have been claimed as a moral and actual victory.
In my opinion, the behaviour of the officials who controlled the pictures going out on the big screen amounted to nothing more than cheating. They deliberately tried to influence the outcome of the Test in a way that they knew was unfair to Carter.
And unfair to the All Blacks.
If the argument is that foul play that goes undetected should be ruthlessly exposed several times on the big screen, then why wasn’t the incident when Brendon Leonard, the All Blacks halfback, was kicked in the head by the Welsh five-eights Stephen Jones in the 45th minute of play, similarly exposed several times on the big screen?
Unlike Roberts, Leonard was actually injured by the kick.
The incident was shown once and then not again. Jones lashed out at Leonard’s head with his boot and knocked him almost out. This was a far more serious incident than the Carter tackle.
If the referee or assistant referee had spotted it, Jones would surely have received a yellow card, or even a red card.
There is far less tolerance in the rugby game to kicks landing in the head of players than to tackles that start slightly high (because the tackled player is falling) and which end up around the chest.
The Australian match commissioner, Scott Newland, referred Carter to an IRB judicial hearing. Why wasn’t Jones similarly sent to the judiciary? The New Zealand commentator noted at the time that Colin Meads was sent from the field in a Test against Scotland for a similar incident.
The video foul play perpetrated at the Millennium Stadium is not a new thing in Britain.
In 2002, England snatched a 32 – 31 victory right on time against the Wallabies with a disputed try. The ARU complained later that video evidence of the England player (from memory Dan Luger) going into touch in goal was kept from the video referee.
An inquiry that was supposed to be held in the event was never, to my knowledge, published.
I don’t know whether there are rules governing what goes on the big screen during Test matches. If there are, then they surely don’t allow the officials to manipulate the pictures to help the home side.
If there aren’t any rules, then it’s time some sensible and fair rules are put in place to stop this cheating.
It is hard enough for teams like the Wallabies and the All Blacks to win matches in Europe with the media forever calling them “cheats” in a blatant, vicious attempt to put them off-side with the referees.
But to have local officials indulging in video foul play against them, as well, is just unacceptable.
MM
Guest
Mark - it is a bit of a pain always going back so your remark doesn't surprise me as I've blundered there before. No worries pal.
MarkR
Guest
MM - you've lost me, I didn't attribute the comments to anyone person as I couldn't be bothered going back & reading who wrote it. If you think I've maligned you my apologies but I can't see where you got that from
jus de couchon
Guest
Oh , just leave it..
MM
Guest
You're being "sensitive" MarkR. Who argued where Carter is from. ChCh poppy syndrome is old news certainly not remarked on by myself. Who said Carter had a huge ego based on his walk? This is enlightening stuff.... All threads die a natural death. More muddy than clear - soz about that - don't put words into mouths - right?
MM
Guest
Apologies for a very late response Pothale due to the nature of my work. I'd kindly suggest you re-think remarking on the knowledge of others regarding T.V. production which I refer to as studio production. To the point - in professional studios it's clearly not difficult using the strobe to gauge very clearly what happened beyond doubt. In this case, there was no accident or an accidental arm in the air as read in various posts. It was a planned tackle - I will not say a planned high tackle, nonetheless, reviewing the speed etc., it is very difficult to term the high tackle itself as accidental. Question: Is it a high tackle or not? If so, can grey areas be contemplated - where is the line drawn and this line in the grey area so as to speak would then have to apply to all rules - what a circus that would be... Sheek, Knives and various others have a valid point which may sound paradoxical, in pointing out the harsher rulings from the northern hemisphere - yet it is not paradoxical when certain outcomes, rules and citings come into play impacting the outcome of the test. That's by far not difficult to see - it's a glaring fact. Yes - for clarity the replays were necessary - it's overtly irritating and unfair when the equipment is available and this is not carried out consistently. The onus is resident on all players and stakeholders to abide by the rules and accept what is accurately determined via the visual resources. It's an understatement to say that bringing Carter back would not result in targeting, rightly or wrongly. Big men demanding megabucks don't cry. Visuals and play-backs are essential in validating decisions. You do contribute in general with a lot of wisdom and insight and hopefully you don't see the entire content as being targeted at you as I replied firstly to what you said and then went general and it's every person's right to agree / disagree.
Lee
Guest
Chch is not my home town MarkR but I did attend most of High School there. And as you calim Tall Poppy syndrome is alive and well there, however it is also always trotted out when someone critises someone in the public eye, as in there is no way that can be true, it is just a case of tall poppy syndrome.
MarkR
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OJ you cheeky sod, I just spat coffee all over my keyboard, very funny.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
I'm pretty sure he would've missed the June Tests. The talk at the time was whether they'd rush him back into the Tri-Nations. As it was, it obviously had a deterimental effect on the All Blacks' early season results. But what's done is done and all that matters is where they go from here. First off, let's stop with the suspensions. As good as the All Blacks' defence has been this year and as much as people claim they get away with murder, there's been a high penalty count all season and now there's a bit of reckless tackling going on. My good buddy Frank is wrong as usual. Modern rugby is soft as buggery and nothing is left on the field anymore. The All Blacks will have to sort this out because come World Cup time a yellow card in a tight elimination match is not what the doctor ordered.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
If Carter deserves a suspension on the basis of being a dick, then I can think of a few lifetime bans that ought to be handed out.
Ziggy
Guest
Every now and then someone remarks that Spiro throws in comments to ensure het gets a debate going. You give him far too much credit. The remarks that elicit most response are his tried and true beliefs over many years of writing. He is entitled to his opinions - and so are we. Just don't sully ours as if we are morons to be manipulated.
MarkR
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Apologies MM, I didn't mean to be obtuse. 1) Carter is from ChCh - ChCh has extreme tall poppy syndrome, hence comments on Carter having a huge ego based on his walk or having been 2 yrs below him at CBHS are extremely dubious. 2) There's 2 games on this weekend that will distract 90% of the readers of this site so this thread will die a natural death. Clear as mud ?? Cheers - Mark
MM
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MM
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MarkR - if it is drivel in your opinion - it's at least consistent.... You're all over the show mate
MarkR
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Unfortunately if it happens again he's now got 'form' & can expect a harsher punishment. Still can't believe Joens got away with playing footy with leonards head, no justice I tell ya.......
MarkR
Guest
Dean, you're talking about my home town - Christchurch. There's isn't a Tall poppy syndrome there, it's a 'what poppy' . Take comments with a shaker of salt as I don't see Deans giving him an easy ride due to being an 'icon in the making' . What a load of drivel. We're now moving from conjecture regarding the reason for a citing to character assassination of the cited player based on being 2 yrs behind him at school. Thank god there's rugby game or two this weekend.
MM
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You've got a point there Jerry.
Dean Pantio
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"He’s been molly-coddled as an Icon – and at that, when it was not too long ago that he only tipped the scales against South Africa’s Percy Montgomery ~ just too interesting for words… How does Carter get those caps right playing for another country? Has that been investigated?" What the hell is that drivel?
Jerry
Guest
Carter wasn't actually going to miss any game time with the AB's. Had he not injured his achilles, he'd have been available for the first AB match of the year. Although, now I think about it, there was talk that he'd not have been able to play the first test against France had Perpignan made it to the Top14 Final.
MM
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You sure you want to say that? Not interested or available for replies - getting out to do investigations
MM
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you'd be surprised..... re: Spiro.... interesting comment.