Sexton verdict has big impact on Ireland's World Cup campaign

Cheika prior to the 2015 RWC stormed into the referee’s room during his side’s 23-11 victory – banned in SANZAR’s code of conduct. He was very very lucky to avoid a ban which would have seen him miss RWC matches. So no you comment about nationalities doesnt stack up. Cheika also had a suspended sentence at the time for abusing a camera man.

He did get 6 weeks, it was reduced to 3 for mitigating factors.

No 11 weeks is 11 weeks, back when Hartley was banned world rugby gave bans in weeks.

He would have only got a 3-4 match ban regardless of his nationality.

Lads, when you add in remorse and clear record it was never going to be more than a 3-4 match ban, it was wishful thinking on you're part to think it would be anymore than that. Perfectly in line with how bans are nowadays.

I hate this decision, I'm not Sexton's biggest fan, he's as smug as any player I've ever seen in this sport and that grin walking out of the panel said it all. This is rugby, we're supposed to be better than he was on that day. If Sexton was South African, Kiwi, English or Aussie the world wide press would have been baying for his career to be over, but he's a lovable Irish rogue so he misses three games he wouldn't have started anyway

I agree it is crazy behavior, Sexton engaged full Conor McGregor mode and deserved a ban. I do think though 6 reduced to 3 is fair enough, given he apologised very soon after, has no history of bans and he accepted culpability. I also think this is a much bigger story than it necessarily needed to be given who he is and given there is a world cup around the corner. Dont get your point on the world player of the year thing, bit of a weird unrelated point in itself.

Henry – thanks for fighting Sexton’s corner having sourced the facts. There is always room for maneuver on these things but it’s refreshing to see subconscious bias off the table. (Even if I disagreed with your conclusion my sentiment would be the same!)

But in a 20 year career he has never been banned before. That, rightly, counts for a lot.

This is no bad thing for Ireland. The 2nd choice will get some great game time and Sexton is good enough to slide straight back in. Hats off to him for no prior ban in a 15-20 year career.

Making your way onto the pitch after full time to have a go at the ref, when not playing, is crazy behaviour. Sexton has had several displays of petulant behaviour. Its not unusual to see him yelling at the ref during a game(a sad indictment of some in modern rugby). When he won World Player of the Year in 2018 he said in the event’s interview that he was surprised fellow nominee & incumbent Beauden Barrett had congratulated him on the win. Also very odd.

Even with Farrel having an illegal tackle named after him (v SAF 2018), that he repeated the next week after being let off the first time.

Farrell got a six match suspension for a high tackle reduced to three prior to the six nations. The only talking point was that Farrell didnt miss any six nations games even though the three club games he was suspended for were not matches that he would have normally been involved in. The length of the ban wasnt really an issue. The debate was more around the way the system works rather than specific outrage directed at Farrell.

You dont need to be on the pitch to be emotional, he is club captain and part of the squad. This doesn’t set any precedent, the ban is in line with similar bans. The ban was 6 weeks reduced to three. It was reduced for a few reasons, firstly in his 20 year career he has never been banned before, secondly he admitted he was wrong and thirdly he apologised the day after via phone call to head referee Tony Spreadbury. 6 weeks reduced to 3 under the circumstances is fairly reasonable, completely in line with precedent particularly for something in the heat of the battle in the context of a high stakes final.

Thats not the point, the confrontation occurred right after the game which of course is the heat of the battle as opposed to writing a tweet in the days after the game ala Rassie. Obviously it wasnt calculated, it was a reaction to what happened in the game unless you are claiming that Sexton attended the game with the intention of giving abuse to the refereeing team?

There are other punishments available JN

Gee pretty light punishment. It's not like he was on the field and emotional in the heat of the moment. He has made a concious decision to seek out the refs and give them a foul mouthed spray, this goes against the fabric of our game. 3 games is just a discrace ! Surely a hefty fine should have been included and the club fined and docked points for next season. WR look very weak here and have set precedent for the future .

He wasn't playing so it's not the heat of battle. It was a calculated foul mouth attack on the refs integrity

hardly. Generally NH fans dont get upset with other teams players. When Farrell got his last suspension it was mentioned and then moved on. Its not like people talk about how suspended players didn't even deserve a penalty to be given against them.

For something non-rugby related that he wasn’t charged for…