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'Disgraceful' - Phil Kearns' latest on screen spray

Michael Hooper and Romain Poite

Outspoken Australian pundit Phil Kearns has launched a remarkable broadside against referee Romain Poite and his fellow officials following the Wallabies loss to Wales in Tokyo tonight.

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The Wallabies fell 25-29 to Warren Gatland’s men amid muggy weather conditions in the Japanese capital.

The men in red survived a late quarter Australian fightback in a game that was again marked by several controversial refereeing decisions.

Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi was penalized for allegedly leading with the forearm in a collision with replacement flyhalf Rhys Patchell.

Kearns was furious at the call, and put Poite on blast on Australian television.

“The whole referring display has been disgraceful, not only by Romain Poite but by Ben Skeen as well,” Kearns said on Fox Sports.

“Wales have played some smart rugby. Wallabies have made some dumb mistakes, but it was just embarrassing that the referee hasn’t gone back to look how far, he’s even two-meters in front of his own defensive line that are moving up, that’s an embarrassment.”

Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles backed up his Fox Sports’ colleague.

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“If you’re going to spend five minutes of the game to check a ball carry, you’ve got to go back and check for offside,” Hoiles said on Fox Sports.

“Michael Hooper made a very good point, what is the ball carrier meant to do? All of this came on the back of that terrible decision against Samu’s ball carry. It’s been a huge momentum swing back to Wales.

“This is what happens when World Rugby come out and make a weak statement after week one and say they’re not happy with the referring.

“You make referees paranoid, the (Television Match Officials) become paranoid, they talk to each other all game.”

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Speaking directly after the game, Hooper remarked: “Of course, it’s a World Cup. There were some big calls, some went our way, some didn’t. We’ve got to pick ourselves back up.”

Press conference with Scotland coach Gregor Townsend after announcing his team for Monday’s World Cup match against Samoa.

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M
MA 3 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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