Law 9 (7) (b) of the Laws of the Game requires that a player must not do anything that may lead the match officials to consider that an opponent has committed an infringement.
The sanction for that is a penalty. On Saturday night, the French captain infringed that law.
After he and Marika Koroibete came into contact, Anthony Jelonch took three steps back and looked to see that he had knocked on.
While still upright, he clasped his nose with his left hand, dropped to his knees and then the ground. While there, he brought his right hand up to cover his left and commenced to writhe around.
He lay there for a good seven seconds, motionless, until just after the whistle was blown to stop play. Only then, did he look up to see what the ref was doing. All play-acting.
How do we know?
The part of his head he clutched, in such obvious distress, was not that part which came into contact with Koroibete. No blood, no fractured nose, no swollen cheekbone.
Nothing to show that there had been a collision at all. As soon as the whistle blew, he took his hands from his face. None of that happens when a man is truly injured.
One would be forgiven for thinking he will get a jersey at the next Oscars. Possibly not though. Only good actors get an invitation.
In this day and age of TMOs, that sort of action by Jelonch may alert the match officials to consider an opponent has committed an infringement, namely a dangerous tackle.
That is a penalty for which he can be cautioned, yellow carded or sent off.
In fairness, the officials might have looked at the tackle, anyway. But that is not the point.
The Foreword to the Laws provides:
“The object of the game is that two teams of 15, ten or seven players each, observing fair play, according to the laws and sporting spirit, should by carrying, passing, kicking and grounding the ball, score as many points as possible, the team scoring the greater number of points being the winner of the match.”
Observing fair play and sporting spirit are the operative words here.
Regardless of your thoughts about whether Koroibete should have been sent off, the French player should have been yellow carded. His conduct was despicable.
Other codes let that snivelling dissembling go unpunished. Rugby should not.
It must be stamped out and hard.
If not, it will become rife.
In brief
Guest
One of the reasons helmets don’t protect against concussion is that while the skull is protected the brain still jolts. In the case of Jelanche I think there is every chance he suffered a whiplash type effect given the hit was hard enough to dislodge the ball. My immediate reaction was he really felt the hit and reacted quite naturally- it doesn’t mean his face was directly hit, just that he was shaken. The response and discussion on his motivations are purely conjecture.
Morsie
Roar Rookie
Aaron Smith wouldn't play again.
scrum
Roar Rookie
And the ABs- a few years back they had perfected the art of taking out players approaching the break down. Refs were then instructed to become more aware of this illegal play
The Yabbie
Roar Rookie
If refs dont take action they are encouraging bad behavior so yes yellow card that stuff all day and half the night.
The Yabbie
Roar Rookie
Wally I've been living here in France for the last 14 years and there is an ongoing joke among some English speaking expats as to a certain "sneaky gene" that exists but hasn't yet been isolated by science. There was very little during "that" series to contradict the notion lol.
Gordon
Guest
Aussies and Poms would never be able to field a team if observing fair play and sportsmanship were ever really applied!
Kane
Roar Guru
Agree with the 5m bit, often you would struggle to see 1/2 a meter between the thrower and the player.
Guess
Roar Rookie
Just because there's some cheating let's accept everything
Guess
Roar Rookie
Afraid to get Kearns reputation
Guess
Roar Rookie
The part of his head he clutched, in such obvious distress, was not that part which came into contact with Koroibete. No blood, no fractured nose, no swollen cheekbone Yep it's ridiculous that in sport where they have real bruises and carry on, someone is acting like snowflake trying to get attention without actual visual signs. I understand not every injury can be seen but those who have real problems don't pass hia or have to be replaced like daugunu.
Adsa
Roar Rookie
Well I thought Jelanoch was the travelling Gaul jester that every French touring team has, usually trained at the Marcel Marceau school of mime and he was miming 'shot in head by sniper'.
LBJ
Roar Rookie
They have learned the hard way that a kiwi can say anything, but An aussie holding a poor view of a referees decision...?! Well that would only be read one way.
LBJ
Roar Rookie
I have to admit I'm really enjoying all the Cheika-haters excusing Rennie's comments on the matter. I think he's correct, but it reveals something fundamental about the narrative of the game in this country...
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G’day Noodles. I noted that after Hooper mentioned it , rather forcefully so that it could be heard by the French, that the French took the player off for an “HIA”. I guess they thought they could afford to when 15 against 14. I also noted that the ref was happy to leave the decision to “their medical people”.
Ash
Roar Rookie
Delicious.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Big dinner?
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Where does he agree that?
Ash
Roar Rookie
Pfffft
JPRJ
Roar Rookie
As well as being a disgrace to both the spirit & laws of the game, it was dissappointing that the only Stan commentator with the guts to properly call it out was Kiwi Andrew Mehrtens. Good on Mehrts but our Aussie legends & not so were mostly silent on the whole affair. Seems Stan has told everyone "no negativity whatsoever, regardless of the issue". Well I say poor form! :thumbdown:
Double Agent
Guest
The defensive 9 who gives the offensive 9 an almighty shove just as he's put the ball in the scrum. Nothing ever said by refs. I'd like to see someone try that trick on Tommy Raudonikus!