Keith Earles

[Bowden Tiger]

Have just watched the tackle several times, and I think Sir has got it right. There are fine margins in these situations, but I believe Barnes was right when he said it was a dangerous tackle, and the outcome was not so relevant in this case.

[fleabane]

Totally in agreement. It was dangerous, regardless of whether the shoulder hit the ground a split second before the back of the head. The shoulder certainly didn't break the fall.

Earles' behaviour afterwards was hardly edifying either!

[Bowden Tiger]

Have to agree about his behaviour, as Glasgow had done nothing wrong. Maybe he was too pumped up, with the emotion of the week.

[Big Dai]

Just the same as Toomua's. IMHO. No even treatment from refs.

[WhitecapTiger]

Just the same as Toomua's. IMHO. No even treatment from refs.

Toomua's was (looked) a more aggressive tackle but Russell landed (clearly IMO) on his back.

Earles' was (looked) less aggressive (IMO) but the Glasgow Hooker landed on his head/neck, I thought for awhile it was his shoulders but neck seemed more likely.

Treatment from Ref was appropriate IMO. It would have been easy for the Ref to have given benefit of doubt and a yellow card due to the emotionally charged atmosphere. Ultimately, I think it just fired Munster on even more - if that was possible.

Earles' 'behaviour' was not great but, given the emotion of that particular occasion, should be forgiven, if not forgotten - I'm sure the red mist got him and he's repentant about it afterwards. Everyone makes mistakes.

[biffer]

Just the same as Toomua's. IMHO. No even treatment from refs.

Toomua's was (looked) a more aggressive tackle but Russell landed (clearly IMO) on his back.

Earles' was (looked) less aggressive (IMO) but the Glasgow Hooker landed on his head/neck, I thought for awhile it was his shoulders but neck seemed more likely.

Treatment from Ref was appropriate IMO. It would have been easy for the Ref to have given benefit of doubt and a yellow card due to the emotionally charged atmosphere. Ultimately, I think it just fired Munster on even more - if that was possible.

Earles' 'behaviour' was not great but, given the emotion of that particular occasion, should be forgiven, if not forgotten - I'm sure the red mist got him and he's repentant about it afterwards. Everyone makes mistakes.

I disagree about Earls behaviour. Whilst the emotion of the day probably got to him, it's still unacceptable. Particularly as (unlike Toomua) he hasn't apologised for either the tackle or reaction to the card since the game. He should have a week or two added on to whatever the ban is for the tackle.

[JohnB]

The circumstances aren't a mitigating factor for Earls's behaviour post penalty imo. For starters the Ref was right to award a red card although I don't attribute malice to Earls - he simply got his tacking technique wrong. However, lip reading him as he left the pitch he appeared to tell Stuart Hogg to F'off as well as mouthing off to other weegees. Then he almost took the head off a colleague when he kicked the bottle and that could have been worse if the bottle had cleared the player area and gone into the crowd. His petulance was unprofessional and disappointing.