In a recent rugby match involving Ireland, an occurrence of a controversial officiating verdict, or the absence of one, has become a topic of discussion. A specific incidence during the match took place when Ellis Genge advanced with incredible speed onto a ruck to push aside Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong, only 23 minutes into the game. The method of his entry alone could be called into question – did he come in from the side? Furthermore, Furlong was propelled back, clutching his head in pain.
Despite missing out on replays during live TV broadcast, social media platforms have been buzzing with queries, incited by suspicions of an unlawful head contact or an instance of unsporting behaviour. With too many players obstructing the view during the live broadcast, it’s hard to ascertain if Genge did make direct contact with Furlong’s head; our only clue being Furlong’s reaction, which doesn’t exactly present definitive proof.
A few moments later, Genge felt the impact of a dual tackle by Joe McCarthy and Caelan Doris. While floored, he vociferously complained to referee Nika Amashukeli of being struck on the head. The clarity of whether these specific collisions were caught by the scanning Television Match Official (TMO) in the backdrop is uncertain.
Subsequently, the TMO was engaged in reviewing and negating an Ollie Lawrence try on account of a fumble. Concurrently, an English voice, possibly originating from Jamie George, requested a review of the supposed high tackle on Genge; nevertheless, the referee’s response couldn’t be discerned.
Even if the broadcast feed was indeed shared with the TMO and it revealed no major transgressions, making this a difficult premise considering Ben Whitehouse was required to rule on a possible try and two allegations of foul play within 60 seconds, the home spectator continues to be uninformed.
Any of these events lead to potential penalties – a fact that underscores the doubt amongst supporters and players alike, regarding the adequate addressing of every potentially dangerous play.
A game that is increasingly imposing stricter rules on head contact can ill-afford to overlook two significant events due to the TMO being busy with scoring evaluation; such an information lapse diminishes the quality of the game.
In other news, Cormac Daly, a Kildare born player caused quite a stir on social media following his side, Queensland Reds, staging an upset victory over the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Pacific tournament.
Guided by the former Irish defence expert, Les Kiss, the Reds outperformed a widely-popular contender for this year’s Super Rugby title. They staged a 25-19 victory at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, which is slated as one of the tour locations for the Lions next year.
In his post-match interview, the elated Daly can’t wait to celebrate the rare feat with a pint or two alongside his teammates. He acknowledged the infrequency of such victories, with excitement clearly overtaking him. Daly’s joy encapsulated the whole ordeal given the unpredicted turn of events that his Australian journey had taken.
In his younger years, Daly represented Ireland in under-20 international matches. His move to Sydney to play club rugby for Coogee didn’t hint at a chance of stepping into professional ranks. Despite training with Connacht, he missed a contract offer due to financial restraints brought on by the Covid pandemic. Leinster saw him pour his energy into the 2022 preseason, and during the AIL, his performance for Clontarf in the finals against Terenure earned him the title “Player of the Match”. He also had the opportunity to play for Leinster when they faced Chile in 2022.
Ireland’s loss to England, provoked by unnecessary kicking has triggered serious criticism. Most critics point fingers at Conor Murray’s last-minute decision on Saturday to kick the ball, which enabled England to gain control and ultimately score the deciding drop goal. However, neglecting Ireland’s defence weaknesses following that kick and the fact that Murray was clearing from his own 22, one must consider how Ireland’s constant kicking accounted for their defeat.
Ireland kicked frequently (28 vs. 23 kicks) and over a more distance (948.2 metres vs. 605.9m) in comparison to England. Barely 20 per cent of the time, a team can cover a greater distance with kicks and still suffer a loss.
Despite controlling 60% of the field and 37% of the match taking place within Ireland’s 22, England still managed to hold onto their territory. Ireland made long kicks 61% of the time, instead of short and contestable ones. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Furbank, and Tommy Freeman – the back three of England, relished a subpar chase and contributed to almost 40% of England’s total distance carried.
The opening goals from Ollie Lawrence and the second-half contribution from Furbank came as a result of unfulfilled attempts from James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park to find touch, respectively. This reflected a broader pattern; a failed execution led to 12 points, all resulting from badly managed kicks. Despite the quantity of their approach, Ireland’s lacking quality was quite evident, an uncommon misstep from them.
In an on-camera, halftime interaction, Andy Farrell warmly caught up with Steve Borthwick. “It’s good to see you, Steve! It’s been a while since we last talked”, said Farrell, highlighting their friendly exchange.
An impressive 13-game winning streak in the women’s AIL has been held by UL Bohs, thanks to Aoife Corey’s last-minute try. This helped them skim a win over Blackrock College and continue their undefeated streak with a final score of 17-15.