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'So stupid': Filipo Daugunu and Jordie Barrett blasted on social media for early yellow cards in Bledisloe Cup III

(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The message from the Wallabies camp was clear earlier in the week: shut down new powerhouse All Blacks wing Caleb Clarke.

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At least that was the memo given out by Australian wing Filipo Daugunu, who was tasked with marking the 21-year-old dynamo in the third Bledisloe Cup clash in Sydney.

“Our aim is to kick to him,” Daugunu told media in the days leading up to the potentially decisive trans-Tasman test.

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Michael Hooper speaks to media ahead of Bledisloe Cup III

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Michael Hooper speaks to media ahead of Bledisloe Cup III

“For him to catch so we can smash him. Our target this week was him.”

Unfortunately for Daugunu, a case of overeagerness has cost his side dearly in the opening stages of the test, with the two-cap wing sent from the field via a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Clarke.

True to their word, the Australians targeted the two-test Kiwi through an aerial bombardment in the first few minutes of the contest, and made a conscious effort make sure he wasn’t afforded the room that made him so dangerous in Auckland a fortnight ago.

However, Daugunu took his commitment to the cause too far, flying in on Clarke while he was airborne in just the fourth minute of the match, leaving referee Ben O’Keefe no decision but to send the Fijian-born Australian to the sin bin.

Fortunate to avoid a red card thanks to the fact Clarke didn’t land on his head, Daugunu didn’t escape an onslaught of criticism on social media, with numerous pundits taking to Twitter to voice their discontent over his ill-discipline.

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https://twitter.com/Allsortssports1/status/1322462142746914819

Daugunu’s absence allowed the All Blacks to enjoy a one-man numerical advantage, of which they fully capitalised on by sending loosehead prop Karl Tu’inukuafe in for his first test try in the seventh minute.

However, another moment of controversy just moments later cancelled out any buffer the All Blacks had, with wing Jordie Barrett handed a yellow card for an elbow to the face of Marika Koroibete in the ninth minute.

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Perhaps a bit more innocuous than Daugunu’s infringement, the ongoing replays on the big screen of what might have been intended to be a fend worked in Australia’s favour, and Twitter users were quick to voice their opinions.

https://twitter.com/iamchrisforreal/status/1322463808963620864

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Tom 7 hours ago
Will Bristol's daredevil 'Bears-ball' deliver the trophy they crave?

Also a Bristol fan and echo your sentiments.


I love watching Bristol but their approach will only get them so far I think. Exeter played like this when they first got promoted to the prem and had intermittent success, it wasn't until they wised up and played a more balanced game that they became a consistently top side.


I really want Bristol to continue playing this brand of rugby and I don't mind them running it from under their posts but I don't think they need to do it every single time. They need to be just a little bit more selective about when and where on the pitch they play. Every game they put themselves under so much needless pressure by turning the ball over under their posts trying to do kamikaze moves when it's not required. By all means run it from your goal line if there is a chance for a counter attack, we all want to see Bristol running in 100m tries from under their posts but I think until they learn when to do it and when to be pragmatic, they are unlikely to win the premiership.


Defense has been a real positive from Bristol, they've shown a lot of improvement there... And I will say that I think this kamikaze strategy they employ is a very good one for a struggling side and could be employed by Newcastle. It's seems to have turned around Gloucester's fortunes. The big advantage is even if you don't have the biggest and best players, what you have is cohesion. This is why Scotland keep battering England. England have better individuals but they look muddled as a team, trying to play a mixed strategy under coaches who lack charisma, the team has no identity. Scotland come out and give it full throttle from 1-15 even if they struggle against the top sides, sides like England and Wales who lack that identity drown under the relentless will and synergy of the Scots. If Newcastle did the same they could really surprise some people, I know the weather is bad up there but it hasn't bothered the Scots. Bristol can learn from Scotland too, Pat is on to something when he says the following but Scotland don't play test matches like headless chickens. They still play with the same level of clarity and ambition Bristol do but they are much better at picking their moments. They needed to go back to this mad game to get their cohesion back after a couple of seasons struggling but I hope they get a bit wiser from matches like Leinster and La Rochelle.


“If there’s clarity on what you’re trying to do as a team you can win anything.”

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