Australia will fight to have Marika Koroibete’s red card overturned at the judiciary on Monday night with Rugby Australia director of rugby Scott Johnson saying they “owe it to the sport” to win the case.
Koroibete was marched four minutes into the Wallabies’ stirring 33-30 series deciding win over France in Brisbane on Saturday night for making contact with the head of French No.8 Anthony Jelonch in a tackle.
The decision by TMO and referee Brett O’Okeeffe was called an “absolute travesty” by All Blacks legend Andrew Mehrtens and drew widespread condemnation from fans and players around the world.
Koroibete will attend a hearing via video conference before an independent Judicial Committee chaired by Helen Morgan (New Zealand) along with former players Mike Mika (New Zealand) and Chris Smith (New Zealand).
Rugby Australia director of rugby Scott Johnson told the Sydney Morning Herald that RA would provide the judiciary with camera angles that showed there was “significant mitigation as Jelonch dropped his body height and ducked his head in the moments prior to the hit” while several angles also showed clear separation between Koroibete’s shoulder and Jelonch’s head at the first point of contact.
“We feel we have a really good case to take the judiciary to be heard because we feel there was mitigation involved in this and we don’t believe there was direct contact to the head,” Johnson said.
“We’re going to do this properly. We owe it to Marika. We want to have a good look at this and ensure he gets the right hearing. He has a right to that and a right to be heard.
“First and foremost, I want to say that we are really supportive of safety and player welfare at all levels. We’re really supportive of that.
“The frustration from our perspective is that it appears we are looking for ways to give cards. We want the game to be safe and we understand that there is mitigation but it’s a contact sport. If you slow everything down to minute details, you’re always going to be looking for issues.
“The one thing we’re also concerned about as a sport – and is a really big concern of mine – is the amount of players that are staying down. That’s not what our sport should be about.
“If it’s genuine, no issue. But we shouldn’t be playing for penalties or cards. That’s for another code. That’s not us.
“We owe it to the sport and we owe it to the next generation not to do that. If you’re genuinely hurt, no one has an issue. We don’t want that in sport. And I’m not having a specific go at (Jelonch). But that’s what we’re getting in the game.”
The decision reignited calls for World Rugby to consider a 20-minute red card. It was feared the send off would ruin the third Test, but it did anything but – Australia responded magnificently to seal the series.
Marika Koroibete tackles Anthony Jelonch. Getty Images.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie was livid with Jelonch’s role in the send off, saying he milked the decision.
“There is head contact but we reckon the initial contact was on the body,” he told Nine’s Sport Sunday.
“If you see the head, it tilts forward first before it goes back and that’s a bit of a telltale sign that the first part of contact is on the body.
“We are disappointed that the French laid down on a couple of those situations to try and bring the ref into the game.
“There were certainly two clear times where Couilloud scored his try, forearm straight to the throat of Tate McDermott but Tate doesn’t lie down and bring the ref’s attention to it because we don’t want to do that sort of thing. It’s not in the spirit of the game.
“Likewise, Hunter Paisami copped one in the jaw. Frustrating we had to play with 14 but really proud of the character the boys showed.”
Meanwhile, Filipo Daugunu will play no part in The Rugby Championship after suffering a broken arm in the first minute on Saturday night. He will be out for eight weeks.
Lachie Swinton suffered an ankle injury but is considered a chance of playing the first Bledisloe on August 7.
The Herald reported that RA were thrilled with the television ratings for the decider.
The peak national audience was 952,000 and the average national audience was 691,000 – making the match the highest watched non-news program of the night. Stan Sport estimated more than 200,000 watched on the streaming platform.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Penalty only.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Pleasantly surprised
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
We aren't in this position because of a situation where the referee had no choice but to issue a card based on what happened though. The issues are that Koroibete was punished for something that didn't occur - direct contact with the head. It's even questionable whether there is indirect contact, other than the player folding over Koro and his head making contact with Koroibete's back, while Koro's shoulder was legally in his mid section. It would be an easy call to say there appeared to be indirect contact and it's a yellow. Might be a bit harsh but so be it. Instead Koroibete was punished for something that didnt actually happen - direct contact to the head.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Ken, that was my point about leaving the player on the field, or a replacement. If it is definite foul play send him, immediately with a replacement. If not, but tempers flare, send him to "cooling down" chair for 5 - 10 with a replacement. The other thing is that you could give the ref some discretion with time. No send off for yellow, but adopt the Football custom of 2 yellows = a red and it's an automatic suspension next week. Seems to me that there are lots of solutions, but the end result needs to be 15 on 15. Individuals commit offences, usually in the heat of the moment, so why should a whole team be penalised? If a bloke turns out to be serial offender, the coaches will send them back to their clubs, anyway. Leave it to the coaches and the judiciaries to work out, not the refs. As an aside, and a story I've told before ... the reason that we have referees and not umpires is tied up in the early history of the game. When Rugby was first played, between gentlemen, there was no umpire. The captains were meant to sort matters out and if they were deadlocked they "referred" the dispute to someone on the sideline, such as the vicar, or the local magistrate or the headmaster - hence "referee". Probably why the game also allowed a bit of biffo for so long.
gatesy
Roar Guru
I'm not so sure, TWAS, because I think that WR has left them with very little room to move, and put them in a difficult position.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
It hurt CDog, wasn't the money so much as the crow I had to eat. He was not a wilting flower in hammering it into me!
Cattledog
Roar Guru
Bet you miss that $20 SMI :laughing:
HR
Roar Rookie
That's a fair analysis - I was watching it as the time and thev thought briefly occurred to me a well, because he didn't wrap with his right arm.
Banjo Kelly
Roar Rookie
PK as an Aussie that has lived in both countries and with a deep love of both, I am well placed to say that "taking the piss" is a national sport in Australia and it is often misunderstood in NZ. Penalty should have been reversed for the dive. If he didn't drop the ball and dive to lose face, we wouldn't have even seen a replay. Can't believe the red card was upheld today btw. These head contact issues are generally not foul play. If in doubt deal a yellow card and if the judiciary deems otherwise they us suspend them for the appropriate period. #FFSdon'twreckthetestorworsestilltheseriesorthepunterswilltuneout.
Paul
Roar Rookie
They didn't say. Text from the release: "The player Marika Koroibete admitted to technically committing an act of foul play worthy of a red card. Having reviewed all the evidence, the committee deemed that Marika Koroibete’s tackle on French loose-forward Anthony Jelonch initially made shoulder to shoulder contact at the fifth minute of the game. Subsequently, through the impact, any contact to the chest and neck was incidental by Koroibete. Therefore, World Rugby’s Head Contact Process was not met due to mitigating factors, and the act of the foul play was secondary. On that basis, the committee did not uphold the red card and the player is free to play again immediately."
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I rowed and played in the front row and have always believed tall people should suffer for their height. :laughing: I always felt they were looking down on me :angry:
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Correct Mug, taking their ankles assumes you are halfway there to start off with and have great technique and reactions. They are still the rarer tackles you see out there but they are very effective. As a tall old lock I was heading for the line and my ankles were tapped I fell about as hard as I have ever done. Hurt like buggery!
Muglair
Roar Rookie
With his right arm tucked in I eventually decided he may have been pinged for a shoulder charge instead.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
That is one position I can't believe. It is a technique problem too as I guess it must happen only (or should happen only?) when the defender gets too low too soon with all of his weight anchoring his feet. No chance of adjusting to a last microsecond change in direction by the ball carrier. This is why I don't think it is as easy for tacklers to just keep going lower as the ball carrier adjusts their height.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Great outcome Pete. Very happy for him although I thought he was out for 3, not because of lack of mitigating circumstances but politics from IRB. We have to thank our Kiwi cousins for a fair and reasonable decision. I suspect that is going to be our only favour until the Bled is dusted, polished and returned to the Cabinet?
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Mug, It's a tricky situation and there is no discussion about the most dangerous tackle of them all, putting your head in front of the runner. I read some time ago that more broken necks come about because of this than scrum collapses.
Dave
Guest
I don’t think it’s an unreasonable point to bring up, do you?
Lux Interior
Roar Rookie
So should've been yellow?
PeterK
Roar Guru
David - The origin of the officials was tongue in cheek having a bit of fun, stirring. However the red card was clearly wrong as exonerated by the judiciary. There were clearly mitigating factors and the refs and tmo were wrong and it was not the right decision on the field. World Rugby’s head Contact Process was not met due to mitigating factors and the act of foul play was secondary
aussikiwi
Guest
It's all a kiwi plot, obviously, cos how are we going to win the Bledisloe otherwise :laughing: