European semi finals

[mightymouse]

A Johnny Gray crocked knee means a likely Henderson World Cup!!

[TigerFeetSteve]

A Johnny Gray crocked knee means a likely Henderson World Cup!!

Definitely looks that way.

[JohnB]

What was that all about.
VDF whinges at the touch judge. Milks a penalty. Gets an opponent sent off.

This is soccer! Gamesmanship at its worst
.

VDF and Conan tackle the ST ball carrier and are then cleared out by Meafou who hurts himself in the process ending up sitting on the ground facing the ST ruck and holding his right leg up. VDF picks himself up behind Meafou, steps to his right to get around Meafou and takes one step forward with his left foot while tilting forward at the hips where upon Neti leading with his head shoots forward detaching himself momentarily from the ruck. Neti hits VDF’s right shoulder and armpit with his head and VDF’s lower jaw with his right shoulder and after impact also pushes VDF away with his right arm. That was the offence and the very least it deserves was a YC. VDF understandably annoyed charges at Neti (which he shouldn’t have done) and Neti again leads forward and up with his head into VDF. Now you might be able to argue in that instance that Neti was defending himself from an illegal tackle but you cannot argue that for his first head butt. The card was completely deserved and what Neti did was stupid.

[Tiglon]

What was that all about.
VDF whinges at the touch judge. Milks a penalty. Gets an opponent sent off.

This is soccer! Gamesmanship at its worst
.

That’s utter ! VDF and Conan tackle the ST ball carrier and are then cleared out by Meafou who hurts himself in the process ending up sitting on the ground facing the ST ruck and holding his right leg up. VDF picks himself up behind Meafou, steps to his right to get around Meafou and takes one step forward with his left foot while tilting forward at the hips where upon Neti leading with his head shoots forward detaching himself momentarily from the ruck. Neti hits VDF’s right shoulder and armpit with his head and VDF’s lower jaw with his right shoulder and after impact also pushes VDF away with his right arm. That was the offence and the very least it deserves was a YC. VDF understandably annoyed charges at Neti (which he shouldn’t have done) and Neti again leads forward and up with his head into VDF. Now you might be able to argue in that instance that Neti was defending himself from an illegal tackle but you cannot argue that for his first head butt. The card was completely deserved and what Neti did was stupid.

I've just rewatched it in case I imagined the whole thing but... no. Neti was bound into the ruck at all times. He's the one who actually lowers his height on both occasions and VdF is the one who initiates both contacts. Neti braces himself and pushes back.

VdF then holds his face on the way down (despite clearly having had no contact to the face), and lies motionless as if he is seriously injured. After a few seconds, probably realising that play has continued, he suddenly recovers from being apparently unconscious and jumps up and rushes back to defend.

It's just disappointing to be honest, from VdF and the officials, but I'm getting used to it - especially when Ireland are playing.

[Offside]

Is this getting to the level of Bloodgate in the way it is influencing games? Once there is some evidence of simulation being coached it will unravel and be seen to bring the game into disrepute. It needs stopping before there is a big investigatory journalist piece during the world cup.

[Rugbygramps]

Is this getting to the level of Bloodgate in the way it is influencing games? Once there is some evidence of simulation being coached it will unravel and be seen to bring the game into disrepute. It needs stopping before there is a big investigatory journalist piece during the world cup.

I’m not saying there isn’t any simulation because there has been and is, Stuart Hogg and Nic White 2 of the more infamous culprits. It is something the referees are being told to crack down, but Bloodgate was a one off in terms of them getting caught, and this is nothing like that scale.

I terms of this incident you ask 2 people you may get 2 different views. For me there was no simulation VDF pointed out to Luke Pearce that he had been butted. That sort of thing happens in every match with players asking officials to look at something they may have missed