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A yellow card for Connacht’s Paul Boyle for what has been described by one ex-pro as a ‘piledriver’ has been labelled lenient by many on social media.
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Connacht bagged an impressive 36-14 victory over the injury-hit Scarlets at the Sportsground and despite arguably not affecting the result, many weren’t impressed by referee Marius van der Westhuizen’s decision regarding the incident in the 48th minute.
Connacht No.8 Boyle upended Tom Price at a ruck and the incident went to Marius Jonker’s TMO van for review. Van der Westhuizen instructed Jonker as follows: “A player is clearly lifted above horizontal. He’s very close to the ground. He does end up on his head, but because he’s so close to the ground I’m only thinking yellow card. Have you got any other facts to add to that?”
Jonker replied that: “I’ve got no other facts to add to that.”
When challenged by Scarlets skipper Jonathan Davies he was told: “It’s not a debate. He’s very low to the ground, so it’s not a high level of danger. It’s a yellow card.”
"Not a high level of danger" pic.twitter.com/QmiaytFjhy
— SmallClone (@Smallclone_) October 21, 2022
Former Wales back row turned pundit Gareth Delve told Scrum V: “That’s a piledriver on Tom Price. This could be red-card territory in my view.
“You are talking about a high-level of danger, he’s dropped him straight on top of his head.”
Co-pundit James Hook was equally unimpressed: “I know he wasn’t that far from the ground but you just watch here. He’s lifted him upside down, he’s dropped him on his head like The Undertaker, and regardless how far away from the ground he is, I think that’s dangerous and that’s a red in my opinion.”
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Many Welsh rugby accounts on Twitter were fuming and directed their anger at overall standard of refereeing in the league, a stick critics have repeatedly used against the URC and its previous iterations.
Welsh rugby journalist Iestyn Rhys Thomas observed: “That’s a red card for me, are we ever going to get the correct decisions in this league?”
That’s a red card for me, are we ever going to get the correct decisions in this league? #URC #CONvSCA
— Iestyn Rhys Thomas (@Iestyn_thomas21) October 21, 2022
Cardiff Rugby Life wrote: “Connacht with a try that wasn’t grounded and a yellow card for a clear red card offence. URC Referees Manager thinks his referees are performing at an 8/10 remember.”
Connacht with a try that wasn’t grounded and a yellow card for a clear red card offence.
URC Referees Manager thinks his referees are performing at an 8/10 remember ? #CONvSCA
— Cardiff Rugby Life (@CardiffRugbyWeb) October 21, 2022
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Another account wrote: “I know the URC is a joke, but the fact that isn’t a red is the ultimate.”
I know the URC is a joke, but the fact that isn’t a red is the ultimate. #CONvSCA
— Wales Sport (@Sport_Wales) October 21, 2022
