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Billy Vunipola's World Cup under threat after latest England red

Billy Vunipola of England looks on during the Summer International match between England and Wales at Twickenham Stadium on August 12, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

England No.8 Billy Vunipola is staring the down the barrel of a match ban after he was red-carded for a head-high hit on Ireland’s Andrew Porter.

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The 130kg loose forward crashed into Porter with an apparent shoulder to the prop’s head. The Saracens’ forward was given an onfield yellow card and it was duly sent for a bunker review, only to return just minutes later as an upgraded red card.

A disconsolate Vunipola, sitting on the sidelines, left the field and headed down the tunnel. A three-match ban would see him miss the first two matches of the Rugby World Cup.

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Ireland swiftly capitalised on their numerical advantage as Byrne’s pass gave James Lowe a simple finish to increase their lead to 17-3.

The red card is the latest disciplinary challenge faced by England, who are currently dealing with a disputed red card for captain Owen Farrell.

Following a World Rugby appeal, Farrell faces a review of the disciplinary panel decision to throw out the red card due to mitigating factors.

additional reporting PA

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Comments

5 Comments
P
Poorfour 706 days ago

I think we will see a lot more of the “yellow + review” approach, even if it looks like a clear-cut red. As long as the criteria for yellow have clearly been met, referring the case to the bunker allows the ref to get on with the game while allowing the FPRO to deliberate about the card.


I think I’m in favour, as long as the FPROs are consistent. While it takes a bit away from the authority of the ref on the pitch, it also takes away the endless, pressurised deliberation over which card to award.

A
Andy 705 days ago

A great idea & yes the elephant in the room is consistency

J
JD 706 days ago

Not a week has passed since one of the biggest outcries in rugby for many a year, yet this brainless moron does exactly the same thing. Stupid, stupid, stupid.


He should give up the game and go do something else.

A
Andy 705 days ago

Well he has the credentials to sit on a disciplinary panel hasn't he?

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Flankly 16 minutes ago
Maro Itoje: What was said as Lions fell 'far behind' on scoreboard

This is what dreams are made of

Umm. Credit to a winning team, but to be clear … the team you beat is ranked 6th in the world, did not make it out of the pool stage of the last RWC, and came last in the 2024 Rugby Championship. Not sure any bookie has them as favorites for the 2025 RC either.


Australia have made progress for sure, and of course that matters. But for a team made up of 4 leading rugby nations, including two that are ranked much higher than this opposition, a win is expected and a loss would be humiliating. Furthermore, with weeks of playing together, planning together and living together it is hard to argue that the Lions have had less opportunity for cohesion than Australia.


A win is a win, and no-one should question that. But a last-minute one-score win that depended on a 50/50 penalty call is one to humbly accept, rather than to crow about. It was neither a beating, nor even a compelling win. I thought win was not undeserved, but it’s a close call on which was the better team on the day.


And let’s get off this nonsense about it being like a world cup final. The local pub teams may feel that their big game is like a world cup final, but it’s stupid to pretend it is the reality. The RWC final is played by two of the top teams in the world, and there is no evidence that either of these teams fits that description. There is a game in Eden Park later this year between the #1 and #2 ranked teams that would be a lot closer to it, of course.


Well done to the Lions, and congrats to the Wallabies. Let’s enjoy a good game for what it was, without pretending it was something bigger than it was.

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