Marika Koroibete, the standout star of the second Test, was given a red card for an illegal challenge less than five minutes into the third and deciding showdown against France at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Koroibete flattened French No.8 Anthony Jelonch and after a TMO review that lasted several minutes and repeatedly looked at multiple angles, he was sent off. Jelonch who appeared to lower his height as Koroibete smashed into him, sunk to the ground theatrically, further angering the Brisbane crowd.
“It’s pretty frustrating,” said injured Wallaby James O’Connor on Stan Sport.
“If you’re playing in the spirit of rugby that’s not something I guess you do.”
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie also suggested the French player had play acted when he said: “There was a couple of situations where our guys got clocked in the head but they didn’t stay down. They just get up and get on with it.
So maybe that’s the difference.”
The Wallabies had already lost their other starting winger, Filipo Daugunu, to a wrist injury within the first minute. But Australia produced an incredible effort to edge France 33-30 and win the series 2-1.
Marika Koroibete of the Wallabies looks dejected as he leaves the field after being given a red card. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Australia captain Michael Hooper was angry with the decision and suggested his opponent had made the most of the contact while former Test star Tim Horan said: “I’m all for the welfare of players but that’s a real poor call by the officials and referee Ben O’Keeffe.
“I thought he got sucked into it by Jelonch. There was a mitigating factor – I thought he lowered his body height. I thought Marika Koroibete hits him around the chest and of course the head is going to come forward with force.
“I thought it was a great tackle, a great shot and the Wallabies are now going to have to play with 14 and adapt.”
Former All Black Andrew Mehrtens also disagreed with the call.
“That’s an absolute travesty and we need to hear more about this,” said Mehrtens on the Stan Sport coverage. “They painted themselves into a corner by saying it was foul play and saying there was no mitigation and I think they’re wrong on both counts.”
Former Australian skipper James Horwill had some sympathy for the Kiwi ref.
“It’s a very tough situation World Rugby has put Ben O’Keeffe in there because any contact with the head, they’re saying, is a red card. But there were mitigating factors – both players were ducking and that’s where they need to take a commensense approach and go look it was an accident and move on and hopefully don’t ruin the game.”
The Wallabies did well to stay in the game and went into the rooms level 20-20 at halftime, but fans and players alike, took to social media to make their anger known.
Flyman
Roar Rookie
Could be........ :silly:
AndyS
Guest
And apparently it doesnt matter how many times you watched the replay it if you don't understand what you are looking at. Because according to the really important people you saw wrong and "any contact to the chest and neck was incidental by Koroibete".
jeznez
Roar Guru
???? Pump up! Fa’amausili must be wondering why his similar indirect hit copped a suspension
ScottD
Roar Guru
I was there mate and he was really solid. He looked a lot more comfortable than he has before. Really going to be a reliable player. In fact all of the young guys did themselves proud once they settled their nerves.
Objective
Guest
Case dismissed !!! Marika’s red card wiped. The correct and only possible outcome. The majority got it right.
Aussieinexile
Roar Rookie
I understand perfectly the HIA Protocols, when I sawthe referee reactions it was like damn that’s a red as they have to follow World Rugby Directives. no way to escape them or they will be skewered. irrespective of the commentators and arm chair coaches. Maybe is time to consider the Orange Card idea that was thrown about last year? One final point why wasn’t the French Player taken off for HIA?
piru
Roar Rookie
haha it's fine I deserve it
DAVEC
Roar Rookie
sure it was a controversial call by the ref and should have been yellow with a warning for him hopefully someone takes the ref to get his hearing and eyes tested before he is involved in another game
LOL not over the ABs DA......Definately over England tho Hehe!
MO
Guest
Cheers Piru. Sorry for asking and making it hurt.
piru
Roar Rookie
I'm ashamed to admit I missed my first Force home game since we've been back! I think the live stream is available online somewhere though
Double Agent
Guest
"Hasnt made a scrap of difference to my life at this point except I now" - Support The Wallabies!!! :laughing:
MO
Guest
Hi Piru, off topic but I couldn't make the Force game against Bay of Plenty. How did Jonah Placid go? More importantly how did Zantana go? The enormous young backrower?
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
O’Keefe simply said I’ll let their medical staff attend to that matter. What a joke.
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
Respect your opinion but disagree. You’re not Ben himself are you? ;)
ScottD
Roar Guru
The guidelines are clear and they include proper consideration of mitigating factors. There was a clear mitigation IMO as the relative heights of the two players involved make it clear that the shorter players shoulder simply can't hit the taller players head unless the taller player drops into the tackle. The footage the referee was looking at clearly showed that he dropped into the tackle. The referee may decide that the mitigating factor was not mitigation enough but what he said was 'there was no mitigating factor" which is just wrong. It should have been called foul play with a mitigating consideration dropping it from red to yellow. And then the French Captain who dropped to his knees due to the force of the impact on his head should have been sent off for an HIA. The fact he wasn't required to be checked is in my opinion more farcical than the red card.
Flyman
Roar Rookie
I think you are totally wrong- O'Keefe is probably the best in Ozz/NZ, and no I'm not a Kiwi, I'm Australian!
vonManstein
Roar Rookie
Imagine if we all felt aggrieved enough to tune out after a contentious decision went against our team... there’d be no more sport televised for lack of viewers.. except maybe synchronised swimming.
Yeah it took me about 18 mths to go from start to finish. Yes if you leave for any reason other than a holiday and for any extended time frame it means its a lot harder to get it done. Hasnt made a scrap of difference to my life at this point except I now carry 2 passports because you have to leave and enter each country with the national passport.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Anthony Blancmange’s acting will receive far more criticism than the hit