Officials accused of bias after brutal hit on Junior Bok
VIDEO: Fans on social media have been up in arms over a tackle in South Africa’s match against New Zealand in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
The tackle has been deemed a red, or at least a yellow card, by many fans on Twitter, but was only judged to be a penalty by the referee, as the black jersey obscured the view in the contact area.
This was the tackle:
The sad reality @WorldRugby is that if this was a @JuniorBoks takle against @AllBlacks, this Would have been a Yellow Card against @Springboks All Day! NO HANDS, SHOULDER CHARGE, DANGEROUS PLAY!! When Will It End? Poor Form by Ref & TMO. #WorldRugbyU20s pic.twitter.com/FWEn7EV3tq
— Thabiso Sithole (@ThabisoSithole) June 12, 2019
This decision has irked many fans on Twitter, who believe New Zealand are given preferential treatment. Some fans have also cited similar incidents but with a reversal of roles, such as Bismarck du Plessis’ tackle on Dan Carter in 2013, in which he received a red card, to support their view.
While this may not necessarily indicate favouritism, it is understandable that the fans are aggrieved, particularly in the current climate in how dangerous tackles are adjudicated. Very few people would have complained if that tackle were a yellow or a red card.
What is worse is that fans are saying that the tackled player should have feigned an injury in order to evoke a different reaction from the referee. While this is something that many do not want to creep into the game, the fact that the tackled player remained on his feet perhaps made the tackle look less dangerous.
This is how the fans have reacted:
Now. Watch this hit by NZ on the #babyboks . It was a penalty only. Babyboks got 3 yellow cards in the game. Tell me again how some teams are not favored? #U20WorldCup #U20WC2019 https://t.co/cpZfj02rCh
— James Styan (@jamesstyan) June 12, 2019
Bismarck du Plessis got a RED for a similar late hit at waist height on Daniel Carter https://t.co/z7WHhmC1bO
— KAMIKAZE✈️ (@ashnefdt) June 13, 2019
“The black jerseys make it really hard to see the contact point..?” My arse. https://t.co/cpZfj02rCh
— James Styan (@jamesstyan) June 12, 2019
Look at what team they’re playing for. And there ya go 💁🏻♀️ https://t.co/c7vGsmDKou
— abi 🍓 (@AbigailLucy_) June 13, 2019
Like it needs to be said. The All Blacks are officiated under a different set of rules
— Colin Watson 🏉🇨🇦🏳️🌈 (@luckyjackaubrey) June 13, 2019
But its NZ isn’t it.
— Phil Elkins (@PhilFarmVet) June 13, 2019
Nothing unusual with NZ getting the rub of the green at all levels…
— Morris (@MorrisJFuller) June 12, 2019
Err, it’s NZ. Why the surprise?
— Andy Matheson (@AndyMatheson3) June 13, 2019
As sad as it is to admit, if he had went to ground rather than staying on his feet, it probably would’ve been more than just a penalty
— CrouchBindSet (@set_bind) June 12, 2019
Probably one of the rare times a player should go down and stay down until TMO gets involved… https://t.co/KkCPhNMA0P
— Michael Pulman 🇳🇿🏉♿️ (@realmikepulman) June 13, 2019
World Rugby are continually seeking to make the tackle area safer, and have subsequently made the laws much stricter in recent years. While the initial contact in this tackle was shoulder to shoulder, the tackler does seem to ride up to the neck, which is why many feel a card was warranted.
This is not the first and will certainly not be the last time that fans disagree with a refereeing decision and how the game is officiated.
