England & Argentina to escape citings?
Both England and Argentina were left hoping their gruelling World Cup opener would avoid the unwelcome postcript of players being cited after a bruising Pool B encounter.
England eventually prevailed 13-9 in a physical clash at Dunedin’s Otago Stadium but with the conduct of Courtney Lawes in the spotlight.
Lawes was facing questions over tackles on Pumas centre Gonzalo Tieisi, ruled out of the World Cup on Sunday with a knee injury having being hit late after kicking the ball by the lock, and veteran hooker Mario Ledesma.
Citing commissioner Murray Whyte of Ireland has 36 hours from Saturday’s final whistle to decide whether to press charges, with Northampton second row Lawes’ knee appearing to have made contact with Ledesma’s head on Saturday.
Teams can also refer incidents to the citing commissioner within the first 12 hours following the end of a match.
But England forwards coach John Wells said they had not made any official complaints, despite flank James Haskell appearing to accuse an Argentina player of eye-gouging during the match.
“We have made no complaints about whatever happened then,” Wells told reporters at England’s temporary training base here on Sunday.
“There is a citing commission in place, and if they choose to do something as a result of what happened then so be it.”
Immediately after the match, Haskell played down an incident that had seen him swear at an unidentified Argentina opponent as he clambered off the bottom of the game’s final ruck.
“At the last breakdown I got a bit het up… In the heat of the moment you react as you do. It is nothing really.
England next play Georgia a week on Sunday, with Argentina facing Romania 24 hours earlier.
AFP
