England is breathing, but part of the rugby world is breathing with rage. On Tuesday August 15, a decision – almost as expected across the Channel as the coronation of Charles III – was rendered by an independent disciplinary commission. In his sights: star Owen Farrell, captain and opening half of the XV de la Rose. During the selection’s victory over Wales (19-17), in a test match on Saturday August 12, the one who is also Saracens’ number 10 in the English championship was guilty of a shoulder tackle on Taine Basham, and was sent off immediately.
This gesture is not a first for Farrell, having already on his “hash board” a delayed charge (unsanctioned) on the South African André Esterhuizen in 2018, and an exclusion for a tackle on the shoulder (already ) on the English Charlie Atkinson, two years later. A repeat offender, the head slapper of the English oval therefore risked a lot as the World Cup approached (September 8 to October 28) and risked a suspension of up to six weeks.
Finally… the opener received no sanction. The commission decided to overturn the red card, finding that England hooker Jamie George pushed Taine Basham, causing his trajectory to change and possibly acting as a mitigating circumstance for Farrell’s tackle. The Englishman will thus be able to participate in the World Cup, and even in the next test matches of his selection, against Ireland on Saturday August 19, then Fiji, the following weekend.
“One of the biggest scandals”
If the player can consider himself lucky, the decision is surprising when heavy penalties are regularly distributed after this kind of action. On X (formerly Twitter), former All Black Steven Luatua (15 caps) and ex-Argentina international Agustin Pichot (71 caps) both described this lack of sanction as ” joke “while Toulouse’s Pita Ahki was much more virulent.
“This guy has I don’t know how many red cards and walks away with nothing? How ? Damn, that pisses me off”fumed the 30-year-old Tongan center on the same social network, before responding “100%” to a message describing the commission’s verdict as “one of the biggest scandals in the world of rugby”.
If Akhi protests, it is because at the same time his compatriot George Moala will probably be deprived of the World Cup for having struck a cathedral tackle (returned) during his team’s victory over Canada, on August 10, in test -match (28-3). He was suspended for five games on Monday and will therefore be absent for the entire group stage of his team at the World Cup. Placed in pool B with notably Ireland, Scotland and South Africa, Tonga should not, except surprise, not go beyond this stage of the competition.
“George Moala has a clean record and he is given ten weeks [finalement ramenées à cinq en raison de “facteurs atténuants”] for a returned tackle? », abounded Pita Akhi, widely followed by other players. Former All Black Vaea Fifita, who now plays for Tonga, for example asked World Rugby, the international federation, “to explain” the difference in treatment between Moala and Farrell, while many Australian or Tongan internationals have “liked” posts on Instagram pointing out what they consider to be inequality.
“Moala’s suspension, in light of the lack of sanction against Farrell, shows that we [les nations du Pacifique] we still have a long way to go”, said former Samoan international Daniel Leo. In July, Irish captain Jonathan Sexton was suspended for three games – allowing him to play in the World Cup – when he risked a ten-game penalty for ” misbehavior “ during the final of the Champions Cup (the “great” European Cup) lost by his Leinster club against La Rochelle.
Possible calls
Also a member of Tonga’s squad for the World Cup in France, former Toulon center Malakai Fekitoa asked to “free George Moala, to let this man play”. The Clermontois has until Thursday at the end of the day, end of the regulatory period of forty-eight hours, to challenge the decision of the commission. For his part, Owen Farrell could see his dreams of playing a third World Cup fly away if World Rugby or the Six Nations Tournament, company which organizes the summer test matches, are appealing.
A decision that would not be to the liking of the English coach in charge of the defense of the XV of France, Shaun Edwards. In a column for the DailyMailhe took a position in favor of his compatriot. “We live in a world of slow-motion replays. These images, frame by frame, are so different from what the players see on the field. Things happen in a split second. If the ball carrier changes direction late – as we saw with Taine Basham – it is almost impossible for the tackler to react. »
For the time being, unlike Owen Farrell, George Moala is therefore added to the list of players who will miss the planetary event because of gambling facts. On the one hand there are the injured – like Romain Ntamack − but also the others, suspended for expulsions.