I thought their player was unlucky to get a red......for me Farrell just ducked into it enough to give him the benefit of the doubt...certainly wouldn't have been more than a penalty before this current purge.
I'm not convinced with that tbf....he's clearly gone with the arms but to me Farrell ducks into the shoulder when he tries to cut inside....apparently there have been more players sent off than ever before....I might not have seen them all but so far I haven't seen one that deserved to be sent off....certainly when I played none of the incidents would have raised an eyebrow.
A bit like me you must have finished playing a few years ago. You are right about it not being a red in the olden days but you are a bit out of touch in what constitutes that sanction nowadays. Nigel Owen is a brilliant referee and could not have been more measured or coherent in his explanation of why it was a clear red.
Come on pal, times may have changed but that tackle on Farrell v the USA the other week was rank! Could have fractured his jaw or cheekbone very easily
Agreed coherent and clear...but it's all down to opinion and I think they are under so much pressure following the open criticism that they're not prepared to give a tackling player the benefit of the doubt...as I saw it Farrell ducks into it enough to give the Argentinian the benefit. On a wider point I think some of the recent rule changes are not for the better....I'm strongly opposed to lifting in the lineout...to allow a player to be thrown several feet in the air is courting trouble, it's only a matter of time before a second row breaks his neck...and the current view of wheeling the scrum seems ridiculous...you always wheeled a scrum to balls up the opponents possession....it appears now you hook the ball and then wheel the scrum yourselves to gain a penalty....seems ludicrous.
I can’t see where you are coming from with the Argie sending off. He came in high and lead with his shoulder. Farrell didn’t “duck” at all! He simply set himself against the tackle. Clear red. As for the rule changes. There have always been plenty of rule changes in rugby union. Quite a lot of them are a direct result of the massively increased fitness and bulk of the players. It’s always been a game fraught with potential injury so anything that helps protect players is good. Lineouts used to be a complete free for all. The lifting ( not thrown in the air!) is deliberately designed to help control under certain circumstances. As a matter of fact teams are choosing to do this less often in recent times. I do agree that some rule changes don’t work out well and often get changed again. Set scrums are almost immune to sensible rule changes!!
Tidy little bet having england to win by 20+ points so definitely a win win game today for me. Regarding the sending off, 100% correct decision. Farrell is clearly being targeted (has been for quite a while tbf). Doesn't appear he is well liked among the international rugby fraternity.
I would say that throwing is a more accurate term than lifting...a few examples here from the six nations...so far below the centre of gravity that I would consider it dangerous....only a serious accident which I reckon is just waiting to happen will cause a rethink....I agree the old lineout were a messy were a free for all but there wasn't the potential to fall ten or eleven feet and land on your head.
