Former Test referee Nigel Owens has thrown the book at Ireland's James Ryan, stating he deserved a straight red card for a dangerous play during a recent match against the Springboks. In the 20th minute, Ryan was initially given a yellow for a reckless cleanout on hooker Malcolm Marx, which was later upgraded to a 20-minute red after further review. Despite this, Ryan only received a three-match ban, potentially reduced to two if he participates in a coaching intervention program.
Owens didn’t mince his words on Whistle Watch, stating,
"That’s a straight red card. It's reckless with a clear line of sight. He pretty much takes off, leading with a shoulder."
His sentiment was echoed by former Wales centre Jamie Roberts, who also criticized the decision, highlighting the high danger and clear line of sight of Ryan’s charge into Marx’s chin.
However, Owens shed some light on the referee's process, explaining that after sending the decision for a bunker review, the officials there couldn't issue more than a 20-minute red card. "Even when watching live, that’s red. A couple of replays later, still red. It should have been a red card," Owens added, clearly frustrated with the outcome.
The controversy didn’t stop there. Early in the game, Bok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu committed a no-arms tackle, setting a contentious tone for the match. Owens felt this too was mishandled, suggesting it should have been a yellow card. "He certainly goes in with no attempt to wrap," Owens noted, indicating a pattern of oversight in the game's officiating.
On the flip side, Roberts offered some constructive advice to the young Bok, hinting at the complexities of dominant shoulder tackling and the need to adapt. "It’s always tricky if you are a dominant right shoulder tackler... work on left shoulder tackling Sacha," advised Roberts, pointing towards improvement and adaptation in tackling techniques.
The discourse around the refereeing in this heated match highlights ongoing debates in rugby about player safety, refereeing standards, and the adequate punishment for infractions on the field.
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Former Test referee Nigel Owens has thrown the book at Ireland's James Ryan, stating he deserved a straight red card for a dangerous play during a recent match against the Springboks. In the 20th minute, Ryan was initially given a yellow for a reckless cleanout on hooker Malcolm Marx, which was later upgraded to a 20-minute red after further review. Despite this, Ryan only received a three-match ban, potentially reduced to two if he participates in a coaching intervention program.
Owens didn’t mince his words on Whistle Watch, stating,
"That’s a straight red card. It's reckless with a clear line of sight. He pretty much takes off, leading with a shoulder."
His sentiment was echoed by former Wales centre Jamie Roberts, who also criticized the decision, highlighting the high danger and clear line of sight of Ryan’s charge into Marx’s chin.However, Owens shed some light on the referee's process, explaining that after sending the decision for a bunker review, the officials there couldn't issue more than a 20-minute red card. "Even when watching live, that’s red. A couple of replays later, still red. It should have been a red card," Owens added, clearly frustrated with the outcome.
The controversy didn’t stop there. Early in the game, Bok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu committed a no-arms tackle, setting a contentious tone for the match. Owens felt this too was mishandled, suggesting it should have been a yellow card. "He certainly goes in with no attempt to wrap," Owens noted, indicating a pattern of oversight in the game's officiating.
On the flip side, Roberts offered some constructive advice to the young Bok, hinting at the complexities of dominant shoulder tackling and the need to adapt. "It’s always tricky if you are a dominant right shoulder tackler... work on left shoulder tackling Sacha," advised Roberts, pointing towards improvement and adaptation in tackling techniques.
The discourse around the refereeing in this heated match highlights ongoing debates in rugby about player safety, refereeing standards, and the adequate punishment for infractions on the field.