Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Andrew Brace brandishes red card just seven minutes into his latest Anglo-French fixture

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Andrew Brace, the Irish-based referee who came in for heavy criticism following his handling of the recent England versus France Nations Cup final, found himself at the centre of attention just seven minutes into another feisty Anglo-French clash on Friday night.

ADVERTISEMENT

The official wasn’t initially supposed to be refereeing the Wasps versus Montpellier Champions Cup game at the Ricoh Arena as he was originally pencilled in to take charge of this Sunday’s now-cancelled Toulouse versus Exeter game in France.

Brace was taken off that appointment on December 10 following a deluge of vicious personal abuse online which included the leaving of abusive messages on his late father’s obituary which he had posted recently on Twitter.

Video Spacer

Ryan Wilson tells an epic Christmas story about Glasgow teammate Niko Matawalu

Video Spacer

Ryan Wilson tells an epic Christmas story about Glasgow teammate Niko Matawalu

Rather than a round two trip to France, he was instead given a round two game in England but it didn’t take long for him to be thrust into the spotlight again, red-carding Montpellier full-back Henry Immelman following a video review with the clock stopped on 6:19.

Immelman collided with Will Porter with a thunderous collision after the Wasps scrum-half gathered a garryowen and after Porter commendably got straight back up to his feet, the TMO review highlighted how it was a shoulder-to-head impact.

TMO Ian Tempest had encouraged Brace to review the footage on the Ricoh Arena screen and the inquest resulted in the referee brandishing the red card to the French club’s full-back. Here is how the conversation unfolded:

IT: Bracey, are you seeing that on the screen?

AB: Yeah, play that through.

IT: Mate, I think we need to look at it.

ADVERTISEMENT

AB: So what I have got there, the tackle is always high. From that angle, the shoulder is direct to the head. I have got no mitigation because that player hasn’t dropped suddenly. I’m on a red card here unless you have got anything else to add.

IT: Let’s just make sure there is no significant drop by the Wasps player and then we can stick with that sanction. So I’ll just get the angle one more time just to make sure there is no significant drop.

AB: He didn’t drop suddenly there for me.

IT: I agree with you, Bracey.

AB: He’s always high… there is no option.

Brace then approached Immelman, explaining: “The problem I have is the tackle is always high. He [Porter] doesn’t drop suddenly so it is always high, direct to the head. There is no other option. Red card.”

The decision by Brace was backed at half-time by former England skipper Lawrence Dallaglio. Doing punditry on BT Sport, he said: “It’s a definite red. You can’t hit someone on the head.”

  • Watch European Rugby on BT Sport. Click here to buy now

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 2 hours ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

307 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame' 'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'
Search