Stormer999

It's the same old problem in life.....we disagree not with the offence but with the massive disparity in the punishment.

lardyl

indeed - as you say these moments turn games and tournaments.

I'm a pedantic barstool and have been known to ref games that way, but other times I just let it flow.

But us rank amateurs don't have the IRB watching us in slow-mo and their man, Paddy, is backing the ref's decision to the hilt.

Heart says wrong but head says right.

Stormer999

Yes Paddy had no option, but I sit back and wonder if the red was a reaction to the tackle or a reaction to the French retaliation to the tackle?
Still in the second following the red it was already history......

Robbie2010

Red card was the right decision.

It was a dangerous tackle!

But not as bad as the one from this dirty side! .... www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsXJyDHFKn0

Or this one ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULLlAkSChK4

Bellasmum

Below is from the transcript of the hearing on the 16th Oct. Sam pleaded guilty to a "dangerous tip tackle" and the Judicial Officer found it was level (b). In evidence Sam said he dropped the French player as soon as he realised what he had done. Real shame.

Decision of the Independent Judicial Officer

19. On 8 June 2009 the IRB issued a Memorandum, entitled Dangerous Tackles to Referees, Citing Commissioners, Judicial Officers and Non-Legal Judicial Committee Members. It was circulated to Member Unions on 10 June 2009 (the “June 2009 Memorandum’). It was drafted by Paddy O’Brien, IRB Referee Manager and Tim Gresson, IRB Judicial Panel Chairman and, inter alia, summarises three “possible scenarios when a tackler horizontally lifts a player off the ground”. In descending order of gravity they are as follows:

a. The player is lifted and then forced or ‘speared” into the ground. A red card should be issued for this type of tackle

b. The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player’s safety. A red card should be issued for this type of tackle.

c. For all other types of dangerous lifting tackle it may be considered a penalty or yellow card of sufficient.”

20. This tackle fell into category (b) of the 2009 June Memorandum.

BEVS

That one happened blatantly right in front of our eyes.

lardyl

So the Aussies can kick and our Welsh friends can't.
Oh dear. Come on the boys in red!

Stormer999

We leave with PRIDE and heads held high........
Come on the All Black's.......

UKNZAUS

They do, what an awesome finish to the game! Well done Wales

BEVS

They do and rightly so.

jayandbill

as far as ticket sales go they seem to have reached the target after all. I think they've done a good job for a small country. Not happy England went out but they deserved it.

waikatoguy

Last week I heard on the radio that there were 200 spare tickets for the final due to some packages from overseas being returned. I jumped on the internet ... just hoping ... YES! I scored a solo ticket, which cost me a small fortune.

It was well worth it. What impressed me the most about the atmosphere at the ground was how all the people of different ethnic groups and origins came together in a common cause. Two rows in front of me was an English guy holding a flag with the English flag on one side, and the All Black silver fern flag on the other. He kept turning around, waving to the crowd and revving everyone up with All Black chants. Brilliant! Then there were many Asian people with their faces painted black and NZ flags wrapped around them. And it went on.

Then there was the old guy from Kaitaia who was sitting next to me. At the end, he was crying in so much obvious joy. I asked him if he was alright. He said ... 'I won't see another World Cup'. And then complete strangers hugged.

Triumph or flop? Well ... I know the answer.

jayandbill

Yes but Scotland is joined on to England and is subsidised by England and thousands of Scots live in England so it's a short hop for many of them to get to a game. There's no comparison.

chippy64

+1

Stormer999

I was listening to the UK media asking as to how the UK can make the 2015 RWC as successful as NZ has just done. That is 65 million people trying to emulate the achievement of 4 million........total Triumph.