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Wallabies and Waratahs prop Angus Bell is free to play against the Crusaders on Saturday with the SANZAAR judiciary deeming his lifting tackle against the Chiefs didn’t meet the red card threshold.
Bell, wo was facing a ban of up to six weeks, was marched by Nic Berry less than three minutes into the defeat after Sam Cane was lifted and hit the turf head first.
Chiefs teammate Angus Ta’avao assisted Cane’s body going over the horizontal and SANZAAR noted “the significant involvement of other players contributed to the incident”.
“Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd, the Foul Play Review Committee found the foul play did not breach the red card threshold,” Foul Play Review Committee Chairman Michael Heron QC said in a statement.
“With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a Warning as it was close to, but did not breach the red card threshold.
“The Foul Play Review Committee deemed that the significant involvement of other players contributed to the incident which produced mitigating factors.
“The player is therefore free to resume playing.”
Not everyone could make sense of the SANZAAR ruling.
New Zealand Herald writer Gregor Paul described the tackle thus before the judiciary decision was handed down: “The spear tackle by Waratahs prop Angus Bell on Sam Cane in the second minute of the opening match would have been a red card at any time in the last two decades.
“It was a wild act, ill-disciplined and entirely avoidable, just as Scott Barrett’s shoulder charge the week before against the Blues was not something rugby would previously have tolerated.”
The Roar expert Brett McKay also engaged lively debate on Twitter.
The ruling will give some comfort to the Waratahs who had the wind taken from their sails by the early red. Jamie Roberts received a yellow soon after to leave the team down to 13 for a period while they were reduced to uncontested scrums when hookers Dave Porecki and Tom Horton were off with head knocks.
The news was less encouraging on the injury front with young gun Will Harrison out for the season and will require a knee reconstruction after rupturing his ACL and MCL in the game.
All Blacks legend Jeff Wilson says he was underwhelmed by the Super Round on and off the field after the concept got off to a shaky start over the weekend.
“I’m disappointed about that, the fact that this was supposed to be a Super Round, there was supposed to be big crowds,” Wilson told The Breakdown.
“The upper tier was empty. I’m assuming they tried to sell tickets for it. I went into this weekend excited, looking forward to the contest.
“I thought there was a lot of penalties, I thought there was a lot of scrums. Once again, we had ill-discipline. I’m hoping it’s going to improve between all of these sides going forward.”
Former All Black Steven Bates told The Breakdown that Super Rugby Pacific officials should have been giving away free tickets to boost the atmosphere.
“I think as a showpiece for a Super Round, even if you’ve got to give away tickets, this is a showpiece and the stands had to be full,” Bates said.
“They’re trying to make a mark, they’re trying to make an imprint, and you look at the cameras, I was at home and the wife goes, ‘There’s a good crowd’, and the cameras pan out and then you see the top tier.
“Even if they had to give away tickets, I think they had to, to say ‘We are here, this is a Super Round, look how many people want to watch a game’.”
Wilson said his highlight of the weekend was the performance of the Fijian Drua, who lost to the Blues.
“I did enjoy the Fijian Drua, the way that they played, the enterprise, they took the Blues head on,” Wilson said.
“They weren’t good enough to get a win, but they were the one, for me, highlight out of the weekend in terms of the fact that they were there to compete and they were there to do the best they could, and it wasn’t quite enough.
“Blues, though, showed the signs of a really, really good team.”
Montpellier and England No.8 Zach Mercer is the latest player to give an insight into Eddie Jones’ blunt approach to man management.
Mercer, who played twice for England under Jones four years ago, told The Offload podcast, he’s like another shot at the big time, but he might not have done himself any favours after lifting the lid on a call with Jones before he was first selected.
“I remember the first phone call I had with him. He actually rang me and goes ‘Mate, Eddie here’ and I’m like ‘Oh, hi.’
“And he was like: ‘mate. Do you want to play for England?’ and I’m like ‘yeah’.
“And Eddie goes: ‘Well you effing don’t look like you want to play for England. You’re fat, you’re lazy.’
“I was like oh my god and go ‘Yeah’ and the phone call’s done. That’s it. It’s over.”
Mercer said he respected Jones’s style.
“I kind of like it. I respect the guy. I like the way he communicates with different people.
“I think the way I communicate with him now is completely different compared to the way I used to.
“I think he respects me a lot more that I took this opportunity and have gone to France because I wanted to develop my game.
“I think he looks at me slightly differently than he did before.
“I really enjoy speaking to Eddie when I get the opportunity. He tells me how it is and he doesn’t beat around the bush.
“I would love to play under him again at some point.”
New Zealand Rugby have locked in home Test dates for the All Blacks and Black Ferns for this year inclusing at Bledisloe Cup/ Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies on September 24 at Eden Park.
The Black Ferns kick off their Rugby World Cup preparations against Australia, Canada and the US in the Pacific Four Series this June, while the All Blacks take on Ireland in an eagerly anticipated three-test series in July, before hosting Argentina and Australia during the Rugby Championship.
The All Blacks’ 2022 Steinlager Series campaign will kick off on Saturday July 2 against Ireland at Eden Park, Auckland, the first time the two sides have clashed since they played in Dublin last November. The second and third tests are in Dunedin on July 9 and in Wellington on July 16.
The All Blacks’ home fixtures in the Rugby Championship feature two tests against Argentina in Christchurch and Hamilton, and a Bledisloe Cup test against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on September 24. The Pumas return to New Zealand for first time since 2018, with Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch hosting the first test on August 27, and FMG Stadium Waikato hosting the second test on September 3.
2022 Pacific Four Series
Black Ferns v Australia: Monday, June 6, 2.45pm, Venue TBC
Black Ferns v Canada: Sunday, June 12, 2.45pm, Trusts Arena, Waitakere, Auckland
Blacks Ferns v US: Saturday, June 18, 4pm, Semenoff Stadium, Whangarei
2022 Steinlager Series
All Blacks v Ireland: Saturday, July 2, 7.05pm, Eden Park, Auckland
All Blacks v Ireland: Saturday, July 9, 7.05pm, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
All Blacks v Ireland: Saturday, 16 July, 7.05pm, Sky Stadium, Wellington
2022 Rugby Championship
All Blacks v Argentina: Saturday, August 27, Kick-off time TBC, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch
All Blacks v Argentina: Saturday, September 3, 7.05pm, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
2022 Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup
All Blacks vs Australia: Saturday, September 24, 7.05pm, Eden Park, Auckland
2022 Laurie O’Reilly Series
Black Ferns vs Australia: August 20, 7.05pm, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch (one of two test matches, the second to be played in Australia)