KEO News Wire

Rassie puts the boot into Gatland on Farrell foul play

Published

5 years ago

19th July 2021

Keo

South African Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus doesn’t miss a trick. The World Cup winning coach wants to know why Owen Farrell wasn’t carded for a shoulder to the head tackle on Jasper Wiese in SA ‘A’s 17-13 win against the British & Irish Lions, writes Mark Keohane.

Erasmus took to his personal social media account to showcase the clip.

Faf de Klerk was yellow carded for what referee Jaco Peyper interpreted a reckless tackle on Lions flanker Josh Navidi. However, Gatland believed it should have been a red card.

The Irish Examiner quoted Lions coach Warren Gatland as saying:

“I can’t understand where the comments were that there was no contact to the head. Someone was watching a different picture to me. I thought it looked reckless to me.

“No arms and he’s hit the arm first and then the shoulder, but there’s definitely head-on-head contact. We’ve got a meeting with the referees tomorrow just to get a bit of clarity on that. What we want is clarity so we get complete consistency.

“The citing commissioner looks at those things. It’ll be interesting to see what the referees come back with and what other people who have looked at come back with in terms of what the recommendations were for that incident.”

Erasmus, on his social media account, hit back: ‘While you at it please get clarity on this also!! Red, yellow, penalty or play on? We have to 100% sure and aligned! Can’t agree more.’

Then Erasmus posted a clip of Owen Farrell’s shoulder connecting with Wiese’s head in a tackle collision.

While you at it please get clarity on this also !! 🔴🟡 penalty or play on ? We have to 100% sure and aligned ! Cant agree more pic.twitter.com/OxBReYlMXq

— Johan Erasmus (@RassieRugby) July 16, 2021

Here's some help with the video for footage quality @ExaminerSport @RassieRugby pic.twitter.com/mqik6KBaZ0

— Jaco Johan (@thenosyone987) July 16, 2021

And thanks to a Twitter user, as above, a clearer video of the contact to Wiese’s head, Farrell on De Klerk and more on De Klerk getting and elbow to the neck.

Erasmus wasn’t done. He posted another clip of Faf de Klerk being hammered, although after the whistle.

If there is time maybe also get absolute clarity and alignment on this one please, I know its way after the whistle, but lets just align and get clarity to be sure pic.twitter.com/6MKvHY4662

— Johan Erasmus (@RassieRugby) July 16, 2021

A week ago, I wrote that Fiji captain Levani Botia should have been sent off for nearly decapitating All Blacks fullback Damian McKenzie. The match officials didn’t even think it warranted a penalty.