Yellow turns red with menace
The player was Silvère Tian, the Oyonnax fullback, a player born in Abidjan on the Ivory Coast, who has been playing in France since 1998. He is now 35.
The referee was 40-year-old Romain Poite, France's most experienced referee, having refereed over 40 Tests, including the 2013 decider between Australia and the B&I Lions. He has officiated at three World Cups and has refereed a European Champions Cup Final. He is no stranger to controversy but is a referee of strong mind.
In their match the scores was 20-all with nine minutes to play and Grenoble attacking. A Grenoble player burst into the Oyonnax 22 where three of the home side tackled him. Two tackled from the side, Tian head-on. All four players went to ground. The referee penalised Tian and because of a succession of penalties incurred by Oyonnax, he showed Tian a yellow card. The player immediately showed his anger at the decision and flung words at the referee. The referee immediately changed to a red card. Tian left the field in a rage. Ground security and his own club officials were unable to calm him.
Two who tried were Stéphane Glas who played for France many times at centre and hooker Jérémie Maurouard, who had been substituted. Tian pushed his way past their attempts.
Tian is alleged to have said to the referee: "Putain, tu fais chier." [Whore, you are doing a shit job.] and then "Je vais te chopper, fis de pute." [I'll get you, you son of a whore.]
In his absence, just before the final whistle, Grenoble's Mahamadou Diaby scored a try and Grenoble won 27-20.
Poite left the field with an escort for himself and his two assistants, Maxime Chalon and Bruno Gabaldon.
There is sure to be a disciplinary hearing to deal with this case.
