4 thoughts on “Ireland vs Wales Reaction 2: The Yellow Cards”
I think nothing more need be said about the ineptitude of Barnes and Pearson – but that won’t stop me ranting. Two cowards without the balls to make the proper decision on the Davies challenge. Having missed it as I was following the play in real time, I can understand how Barnes didn’t pick it up, but Pearson just lacked the neck to make the right decision post-Warburton. Moreover, Barnes following his description should surely have recognised what he was talking but as with most of the big calls in the game, he was happy to hand it over to someone else.
The second one, I would never classify as a tip or spear tackle. It stunk of one of the classic traits of shit refereeing – evening up.
That Wales only won by virtue of that penalty is almost as remarkable as Barnes’ cowardice – they were much the better side. Their ability to march Ireland down into drop goal territory at will showed that.
“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 player’s head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.”
The Welsh player’s foot was still on the ground until the instant before his elbow (does that count as upper body?) hit the turf.
Arguably you could say Ferris had no need to tackle like that and as such it was silly to do so – that players should be, as Phil Matthews commentary put it, paranoid about those kind of tackles.
From the above link: “- The player is lifted and then forced or ‘speared’ into the ground (red card offence)
– The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player’s safety (red card offence)
– For all other types of dangerous lifting tackles a yellow card or penalty may be considered sufficient”
Ferris’ offence must qualify under the vague rubrique of “other type of dangerous lifting tackle” that wasn’t a tip or spear.
The two tackles are on different ends of the scale. The fact that they were punished in the same way is crazy.
Barnes seems to have missed a key point – the Davies tackle was not made on a player with the ball meaning it was not part of the game at all and essentially an assault. He knows 1) it was off the ball 2) it was above the horizontal – straight red is the *only* option.
It was clear from his very first comment ‘mate, I’ve seen nothing’ that he wanted shut of the issue as quickly as possible.
Aside from the injustice, DR could have ended up in a very bad way which needs to be kept in mind. Aside form the safety concerns that I have for any of the lads out there the game that we all enjoy so much will be watered down if we start seeing some high profile injuries.
Digging Like a Demented Mole 
I think nothing more need be said about the ineptitude of Barnes and Pearson – but that won’t stop me ranting. Two cowards without the balls to make the proper decision on the Davies challenge. Having missed it as I was following the play in real time, I can understand how Barnes didn’t pick it up, but Pearson just lacked the neck to make the right decision post-Warburton. Moreover, Barnes following his description should surely have recognised what he was talking but as with most of the big calls in the game, he was happy to hand it over to someone else.
The second one, I would never classify as a tip or spear tackle. It stunk of one of the classic traits of shit refereeing – evening up.
That Wales only won by virtue of that penalty is almost as remarkable as Barnes’ cowardice – they were much the better side. Their ability to march Ireland down into drop goal territory at will showed that.
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/news/newsid=2059102.html
“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 player’s head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.”
The Welsh player’s foot was still on the ground until the instant before his elbow (does that count as upper body?) hit the turf.
Arguably you could say Ferris had no need to tackle like that and as such it was silly to do so – that players should be, as Phil Matthews commentary put it, paranoid about those kind of tackles.
From the above link:
“- The player is lifted and then forced or ‘speared’ into the ground (red card offence)
– The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player’s safety (red card offence)
– For all other types of dangerous lifting tackles a yellow card or penalty may be considered sufficient”
Ferris’ offence must qualify under the vague rubrique of “other type of dangerous lifting tackle” that wasn’t a tip or spear.
The two tackles are on different ends of the scale. The fact that they were punished in the same way is crazy.
Barnes seems to have missed a key point – the Davies tackle was not made on a player with the ball meaning it was not part of the game at all and essentially an assault. He knows 1) it was off the ball 2) it was above the horizontal – straight red is the *only* option.
It was clear from his very first comment ‘mate, I’ve seen nothing’ that he wanted shut of the issue as quickly as possible.
Aside from the injustice, DR could have ended up in a very bad way which needs to be kept in mind. Aside form the safety concerns that I have for any of the lads out there the game that we all enjoy so much will be watered down if we start seeing some high profile injuries.