[Archived] RWC--NZ

[SouthAussieRover]

Wales have the measure of France early on.

[SouthAussieRover]

That's ###### ref.

[Rovermatt]

How are you supposed to compete when faced with such startlingly bad refereeing?

[SouthAussieRover]

Totally agree Matt.

Let's hope the Welsh get a fair go in the second half.

[Aberdeen Blue]

Rolland is utter merde.

C'mon Wales the Frogs will bottle it under pressure.

[Rovermatt]

You can say all you want about the embarrassing Rolland but the Welsh kicking was woeful.

Another glorious celtic failure.

[SouthAussieRover]

Well it's now up to the Wallabies or All Blacks to kick the French arses.

[Giant]

Nothing but respect and admiration for Wales after watching that. The game totally taken out of their hands by the referee. The French reaction said a lot....they know they didn't deserve to win that. The contrast between rugby and football players was highlighted today as well...

[Eddie]

Terrible decision.

Rolland has always been a bad ref and his decisions usually go against England, a shame to see him making an arse of himself on such a big stage.

Merited a yellow, but never a red.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Terrible decision.

Rolland has always been a bad ref and his decisions usually go against England, a shame to see him making an arse of himself on such a big stage.

Merited a yellow, but never a red.

He had to go, a spear tackle is a spear tackle. Could have broken the French guys neck. It's like in football, if you're a defender and you go to ground in the penalty area you're asking for trouble, same in rugby, you lift a guy like that and you're looking at an early bath. The Welsh guy only had himself to blame.

[Rovermatt]

It wasn't a spear tackle. Warburton was penalised because he didn't hold the guy all the way to the ground which is deemed as being reckless with regard to the opponent's safety. It can be argued strongly that he released him so as to avoid a spear tackle thus having every regard for the guy's safety. Indeed, given that Warburton had thrown himself into the challenge it is entirely possible that, had he held on, he may have really hurt the Frenchman as he was not fully in control of his own momentum.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

It wasn't a spear tackle. Warburton was penalised because he didn't hold the guy all the way to the ground which is deemed as being reckless with regard to the opponent's safety. It can be argued strongly that he released him so as to avoid a spear tackle thus having every regard for the guy's safety. Indeed, given that Warburton had thrown himself into the challenge it is entirely possible that, had he held on, he may have really hurt the Frenchman as he was not fully in control of his own momentum.

Wrap it up any way you like it was still a dangerous tackle that would have merited an early bath in any game of rugby, League or Yawnion.

[Rovermatt]

I'm not 'wrapping up' anything. The rule that the red card is based on is slightly contradictory to say the least, perhaps not best suited to the brutalities of union or even the more effeminate league.

[Alan75]

The offence so early in the game, did not merit a red card.

However no point crying over what could or should have been, what is certain that the display by the young dragons bares well for future Welsh rugby.

[Iceman]

Why?

[SouthAussieRover]

Thankfully you Saffers made way for this game.

Rugby at it's best.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Wrap it up any way you like it was still a dangerous tackle that would have merited an early bath in any game of rugby, League or Yawnion.

IRB rule 10.4 " Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player's feet are still off the ground such that the players head and/or upper body comes into contact with the ground is dangerous play ".

Pre-tournement World Cup refereeing directive. " Foul play-high tackles, grabbing and twisting of the head and tip tackles ( is ) to be emphasised with referees to start at red and work backwards ".

Seems pretty clear to me.

[Rovermatt]

Not that clear. Warburton's full weight was behind his tackle. If he had held onto his man, his lack of balance would have resulted in said man being driven into the turf. Done if you do, done if you don't.

[dave birch]

The AB's were awesome.

It's theirs for the taking.

[Eddie]

Certainly not a spear tackle and it is a very unclear rule that has never been strictly enforced. Early on in a world cup semi-final is not the time to start treating the rules like scripture. Rolland is an inconsistent and poor referee. No surprise to see him get tangled up in this and, to be honest, given his family history he should not be officiating a match involving France.

[Iceman]

Well glad Craig Joubert was the ref in the AB vs Aus game. Pocock rightfuly blown up, and deserves it. I didn't back SA for this world cup anyway, as I'm supporting New Zealand

[SouthAussieRover]

That was a ###### final

[Baz]

Tense nervous final, congrats to the Kiwis by far the best team in the tournament. However, got to say they got every single call from the referee today. I saw 3 high-tackles none of which resulted in even a penalty against them, and we saw replays of most things apart from the tackle where a french player got a knee in his face.

[adopted scouser]

8-7 ? Hardly the predicted landslide was it ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Sounds like the usual rah-rah excitement feast. At least they got two tries this time. Am I right in saying the last five finals have only had a try a piece ? I would have watched it but I needed to watch the grass growing on my lawn.