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'Correct decision': Freddie Burns quickly goes from hero to villain

(Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)

Just 19 minutes of the new Gallagher Premiership season were needed for the title-clinching Freddie Burns to go from hero to villain for Leicester at Exeter on Saturday. The affable 32-year-old had stepped off the Twickenham bench 84 days earlier for the injured George Ford, going on to dramatically land the game-winning drop goal with seconds remaining in the final versus Saracens.

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Burns revelled in the limelight since then, quite rightly celebrating to the hilt the most joyous rugby moment of his lifetime. However, he was reminded just twelve weeks later how fickle the sport of rugby can be when the 2022/23 season got underway, shipping a yellow card, conceding a penalty try and then failing an interval HIA that ruled him out of playing the second half.

The scores were level at 3-all when Leicester got themselves into an early muddle when a Jimmy Gopperth kick from inside his own half was brilliantly charged down and subsequently kicked ahead.

This resulted in a frantic footrace between Burns and his opposite No10, Exeter’s Harvey Skinner, and it ended with the Leicester player being first to get to the ball as it tumbled behind the Sandy Park goal line.

However, rather than being the Leicester savour, it eventually turned out that the tidying-up intervention by Burns was illegal as he deliberately slapped the ball beyond the dead ball line and referee Christophe Ridley, following consultation with TMO David Rose, decided that it was a yellow card against the Tigers player and a penalty try for Exeter, putting the hosts 10-3 ahead. Here is how the decision was reached live on BT Sport:

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Ugo Monye: I think that needs checking. It’s a brilliant charge down and then the reaction of Exeter to turn that ball, the composure to send it backwards. Freddie Burns does really well to get it but he just knocks that out. That is a penalty try and yellow card in my opinion. You cannot hit the ball out.

Lawrence Dallaglio: No doubt about that. Let’s have a listen to the referees talk us through that, but Freddie Burns quite clearly is not looking to ground it.

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Ridley: Ten has deliberately batted that dead. Ten is going to the bin for that action. The question now is the ball is bouncing and the dynamics are so tight, let’s look at the position of the Exeter player and whether we think he probably would have scored… Just from that angle, the Exeter player is going to be the next player to get to that ball if not for the ten’s actions.

Dallaglio: Absolutely the correct decision, the first try of the game and it’s a lovely bit of skill and vision. The Exeter dead ball area, look at the size of it, it’s enormous and Freddie Burns was always going to have to make up ground. Correct decision and we will see whether the Chiefs can capitalise even further.

Exeter initially didn’t as the match remained scoreless while Burns was in the sin bin, and he was to return after his enforced period of rest to kick a Leicester penalty and cut the margin to 10-6.

However, the Chiefs went on to fare better nearing the end of the first half, scoring their second try before the interval through Solomone Kata to lead 17-6 at the break. Burns took a knock to the head in the build-up to that second score and a failed HIA meant he didn’t take part in the second half.

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Leicester hit back to lead going down the finishing straight but they were undone 24-20 by a clock-in-the-red converted try from replacement Patrick Schickerling.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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