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Rugby keeps shooting itself in the foot

28th June, 2018
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Israel Folau is posing problems for Rugby AU, and they aren't going away. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
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28th June, 2018
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Champion Wallaby fullback Israel Folau last night lost his appeal against a one-match suspension from the third Test against Ireland last Saturday.

The suspension means he will miss the crucial Super Rugby top of the table clash tonight for the Waratahs in Melbourne against the Rebels,

Waratahs skipper Michael Hooper will also miss out with a hamstring injury.

This will be Folau’s first suspension since he joined the rugby ranks in 2013, with the decision a blight on the code.

He should never have been cited in the first place.

Rugby is supposed to be the game they play in heaven, but World Rugby makes it a hell with far too many rules, and not enough common sense.

Folau was charged with “clawing” Irish skipper Peter O’Mahony’s chest in a kick-off collision contesting possession n the ninth minute.

Really?

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French referee Pascal Gauzere saw nothing wrong with the way O’Mahony fell awkwardly, thanks to CJ Stander’s failure lifting his skipper to lose control.

Stander did exactly the same in the 31st minute, resulting in Gauzere binning Folau for 10 minutes, with O’Mahony stretchered off and taking no further part in the game.

Yet Folau was cited for the first incident and Singapore’s Shao Wang, as the judicial officer, handed down a one-match suspension.

How a judicial officer represented World Rugby from a third Tier rugby nation to officiate on a first Tier matter beggars belief.

Horses for courses.

At least last night the three hearing Folau’s appeal via video link were from first Tier countries – Antony Davies (England), Beth Dickens (Scotland), and Olly Kohn from Wales.

Folau was represented by Wallaby skills coach Mick Byrne, and lawyer Steve Cottrell.

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They had plenty of ammunition supporting Folau’s innocence, but it fell on deaf ears.

Something about the decision last night fails the smell test.

Australian referee Angus Gardner red-carded French fullback Benjamin Fall in the 11th minute for upending Beauden Barrett in the All Blacks’ 26-13 win.

World Rugby’s judicial committee reversed the decision, adding Gardner was wrong to send Fall off.

Hold the phone.

How can Gauzere fail to see anything wrong with the Folau-O’Mahony clash, yet the Citing Commissioner could, and a third Tier judicial official saw a one-match suspension necessary?

Yet another World Rugby panel saw fit to make Gardner look like a goose, and reversed his red-card decision.

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Three totally different results from roughly the same incidents.

Little wonder rugby fans, and even the players and coaches, have had enough of the governing body’s inconsistency.

There’s a simple answer – ban lifting at kick-offs, and let the contestants go for possession one-on-one.

Stander was the culprit in both incidents last Saturday night, but he’s got off scot free, while O’Mahony is carted off, and Folau cops a holiday.

Where’s the justice in that?

One thing for sure, if World Rugby rules a one-on-one contest at the kick-off, Israel Folau will win every time as the undisputed world’s best aerial footballer.

Is Folau paying for that status now?

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We’ll never know because World Rugby, or the original IRB, have been incapable of making sane decisions since I first started covering rugby 53 years ago.

In all that time the governing body has consistently shot itself in the foot.

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