Gudday Cobbers
Well haven’t the 6-Nations judiciary, the English and – by extension – World Rugby got themselves in a wee pickle now?
For those living on another planet and who don’t know what I’m talking about, 10 days ago, whilst England and Wales played out one of the worst Test matches I think I have ever seen, Owen Farrell put a shoulder fair into the noggin’ of Welshman Taine Basham. And let’s not beat about the bush because it was exactly that: a clear shoulder into the noggin’.
Following World Rugby protocols, referee Nika Amashukeli initially (and correctly) showed Farrell Jnr the cheese (yellow card) and then the ‘X-Men salute’ in sending Ol’Mate Faz to the naughty chair whilst calling on TMO Brian MacNeice to consider if the cheese should move up to a vino (red card – send off), which it duly and unsurprisingly did.
Accordingly, once vino’d, Owen did gird his loins to face his charge in a 6-Nations judicial hearing of contravening Law 9.13: “A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes but is not limited to tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.” But to be fair, to near everyone even vaguely aware of the situation, the only point of argument, even amongst the most ardent English supporters across the rugby world, was the extent of the ban Monsieur Farrell would face. Odds were on a six week ban given his record, which would see him miss up to four World Cup games given the remaining two warm-up games (Ireland, Fiji then World Cup) as it stood at the time.
But the Rugby Gods are nowt if not fickle, nor funny buggers…
In the subsequent 6-Nations judiciary hearing into the incident early last week, a review that involved Australian Rugby Good-Servants John Langford and David Croft, English Owen’s legal counsel Richard Smith KC argued the impossible and the red card as-issued was subsequently overturned. Why? As per their verdict: “The player [Farrell] argued that there was a late change in the dynamics of the tackle resulting from contact between W20 [Basham] and Jamie George (E2), which in turn resulted in a sudden and significant movement, a sudden and significant drop in W20’s head height, and a change in direction from W20.” Be clear on this: the outcome of the 6-Nations judicial hearing was that the TMO was wrong and English Owen should not have been given a red card. Fair dinkum.
With the vino thus rescinded, this highly surprising (and dubious) decision thereby meant English Owen was free to play again, not just on the following weekend against Ireland (19th August), but unencumbered with any suspension regards the rapidly approaching Rugby World Cup commencing on 9th September in France.
And then three things happened:
Firstly, the rugby world at large went mad at the decision of the judiciary to rescind the red card. The decision was pilloried around the globe on the three fronts of not just being wrong (which it was), but as typical English favouritism (particularly when compared to the treatment of other cards and players from the same weekend) and further as making a mockery of the much-vaunted ‘player welfare’ agenda.
Secondly, no doubt spurred on by the vitriol unleashed by the aforementioned clearance, World Rugby then stepped in to appeal the rescinding of Farrell’s red card by the 6-Nations judiciary. This is unusual, but not unprecedented. World Rugby have done this successfully before (eg Joe Marler for abuse in 2012 and Adam Thompson for stamping in 2013). But to succeed here, WR must demonstrate to the 6-Nations appeals tribunal that the 6-Nations judicial committee was wrong in finding there were either no mitigating factors, or not enough mitigation, to warrant Owen’s actions being discounted. But this WR intervention was at least enough to put English Owen on the sidelines for the following weeks match against the Irish.
Thirdly, in the following weeks match wherein the English versed the Irish in Dublin, with English Owen sitting in the stands, the English No8, one big Aussie-Bill Vunipola, in an event of poetic proportions, then got himself sent off for an almost-replication of Owen’s effort by delivering a shoulder to the noggin’ of Irish Prop Andrew Porter.
So, by Happy-Billy’s action (he is always smiling that bloke), in Ireland’s otherwise five-try 29-10 demolition of the English, the whole scene has now been complicated and tossed into a vortex maelstrom of conspiracy-theory laden vitriol of allegations of English favouritism, ‘good old boy’ networks at play, media interests versus player welfare, etc etc flying all around the rugby-playing universe.
Will Billy be suspended by 6N? Where does that leave Owen? Will Owen be suspended by WR intercession (Dad won’t like that)? Will WR appeal Billy if he gets off? Will the 6N judiciary tell WR to sod-off? Does anyone have Suzie’s the Waitress’ phone number? Will both Owen and Billy get off (they are English after all)? Was there a 3rd shooter on the grassy knoll? What if Billy gets off but Owen gets suspended (bloody Backs)? Was it all Eddie Jones fault? How will Billy and/or Owen getting off play out with regards player welfare versus other commercial interests in a World Cup period? What happens if an All Black gets sent off this weekend when they play South Africa? Who shot JR Ewing?
Look, there is only one outcome that will bear out from this with any shred of credibility being maintained: they both need to get rubbed out for around the six weeks mark. Why? Because anything else will eviscerate any residual remaining crumbs of credibility World Rugby has in the eyes of fair-minded spectators and stakeholders, particularly as it regards player-welfare and head injury. Does that mean I just suggested the over-riding of an otherwise ‘fair and impartial’ judicial process to ensure a preordained outcome? Yep. Is that contradictory? Bloody oath. Will that happen? Hmmm…
Word around the campfires:
Congratulations to Young Yabbies who defeated a gallant Blayney Rams by 17-15 in their GF over the weekend in Young. And it was pretty special for the Yabbies as, in doing so, Young became back-to-back Premiers. Nip Nip!
Likewise congratulations to the Jindabyne Bushpigs who knocked off the Crookwell Dogs by 50-33 to claim the most rare of things – an undefeated Premiership.
And again, another ‘Big Ups’ to the Parkes Boars who downed the Minor Premiers Mudgee Wombats to secure their (get this) 4th successive Premiership title with a thrilling 26-24 win under lights at the Burrow in Mudgee.
And it wouldn’t be rugby without an upset as was duly provided this time by the Wellington Redbacks who not just stole the Big Show, but in doing so handed Minor Premiers Coonabarabran their first defeat of the year, when they pulled off a stunning come-from-behind, 27-18 victory.
In all of that, a massive ‘Thumbs Up’ goes to the Bathurst Bulldogs Under 6’ers on getting to the end of their gutsy season (short on numbers but big on heart these lads)…
And whilst I am unsure if it was rugby.com.au alone that whipped up the emotion, or if those surrounding the Wallaroos saw a chance to strike while the subject of women’s place in sport in this country was hot (well done Tilly’s), either way it certainly looks like Rugby Australia well and truly have some ‘stakeholder management challenges’ to deal with…
I reckon that’s about enough to chew for this week Cobbers. So wrap your laughing gear around that and give me your thoughts below…
