waikatoguy

How France won that game, I'll never know. Their sole tactic seemed to be to kick the ball and hope. Well ... I do know actually. The ref had a brain explosion when he send Warburton off. It ruined the game. Wales should have won. If France play like that in the final, they'll be slaughtered.

UKNZAUS

Hubby went to it and said it was not very entertaining at all. He said the atmosphere was tripe, as everyone seemed to be either pi$$ed or carrying a massive chip on their shoulder, lots of rudeness and shoving going on in the stands.

I watched at home and knew as soon as he was sent off that the game was over. Wales played their hearts out and were the better team imho but what do you do...??

My cousin sent me this on Facebook and it made me laugh!

Buzzy--Bee

Agree that Wales played better. But the decision to red card that tackle was the correct one. You can't lift a player off his feet and then let him fall head first to the ground.

BB

chippy64

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOBP_...eature=related

UKNZAUS

chocolate cake

Yep, I'm no rugby expert, but spot on the ref was right with the red card. The fact it was a semi final and in first 20 mins shouldn't come in to it. No doubt Wales were the better team and so unlucky not to win, unfortunately missed their kicks and in rugby it often comes down to that in the close games.

Stormer999

Yes it happens but the intent decides the card colour not the tackle itself and in this case the intent to harm was not there as the spear tackle was not carried into the ground! it was unintentional....

lardyl

I'm sure you'll be taking that up with the IRB then?

The ref has to make the call, it's at least a yellow and the recent IRB edict on the subject puts pressure on the ref to err on the side of the dismissal. Never mind the 3 match ban on Fabrice Estabanez following his yellow for a tip/spear tackle.

Nice racial slur on the ref though in the earlier post, what if he is half French....? Although he's made the odd dodgy call this time around he's always been a safe pair of hands.

Personally I was willing the Welsh to win well before the game but if you pick someone up you've got to ensure a soft landing or run the risk of being sent off. It ruined the game as a rugby spectacle in one way but made it a real Rowke's Drift in another way and TBH the Welsh could have won with the boot before the end.

So there goes my pre-tournament bet of All Blacks and Wales in the final. Got one half right though

Stormer999

One things for sure lardyl the AB's will be happier facing France....

lardyl

indeed, but France still have one half of magic left in them - if the first half against England counts as one......

if not then it will not be pretty at Eden Park

chippy64

I've said it a couple of times on here and I will say it again -


Go AB's!!!!

hazeandsteve

But he dropped him with no concern for safety, and that's where the rules make it a red card offence.

Stormer999

After watching AB's input into the RWC and comparing the passage of France I am more inclined to think less of Cockerel and more of Chicken in the Basket....

Stormer999

We disagree there the red is for completing the spear and driving into the ground.........RL style where it came from....
All similar tackles to this red carried out in this RWC have been handled with Yellow cards, some a lot more violent than this tackle. The same tackle today did not even warrant a penalty.....

lardyl

did the tackled player fall to the ground in the way the french guy did, he was lifted aimed and then let go, warburton should have held on if he didn't want a card.....

how many players have been cited and banned for that tip/spear tackle after games where they (wrongly according to the IRB rules) got those yellows? four in this world cup..... warburton has got how long a ban?

face up to it according to the rules he got what he deserved, Rolland managed to have the balls to do it then and there without having to refer to everything he could refer to and so it looked bad as every other ref spends most of their time going upstairs or asking poorly sighted (or not) touch judges (cough cough, Paul Williams cough, cough Wayne Barnes)

didn't want to say it but this whole issue suits many Wales fans down to the ground, they are usually very happy to be downtrodden, heroic victims. Doubt Rolland will ref the final but he will be around for quite a while.......

maybe there should be some thought over whether the red card means a 20 minute break followed by a replacement......?