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The Rugby Pod verdict on the 'horrendous' Freddie Steward red card
By Liam Heagney
The Rugby Pod has given its verdict on the red card given to England full-back Freddie Steward in Dublin last Saturday. Steward will attend a video conference disciplinary hearing on Tuesday evening and he will head into that judiciary with the backing of Pod co-hosts Jim Hamilton and Andy Goode, who branded the decision taken by referee Jaco Peyper as a horrendous call.
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Kicking off their review of the first-half incident in the England fixture that Ireland won to clinch the Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam, ex-Scotland lock Jim Hamilton took issue with Brian O’Driscoll’s support for the Steward sending-off.
“I was very surprised that Brian O’Driscoll said those comments that it is a red,” began Hamilton on the latest Rugby Pod episode. “I understand the safety element, we are all pushing in that direction. But having played the game and been in similar positions, that is a rugby incident. That is what it is.
“You have a play that has unfolded like that off the cuff… and Freddie Steward is braced for contact. The fact that was given a red card, I am just absolutely baffled. I would have been surprised by a yellow.
“To send him off, I looked at that and thought you have wrecked the game. I imagine a lot of people turned off when they saw that. That there was a rugby incident. What could Freddie Steward have done at that moment at high speed? Nothing.”
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Fellow co-host Goode, the ex-England international, agreed. “He had 0.6 seconds from when the ball bounced to actually the contact that happened. Ireland win that game whether Freddie Steward is sent off or not. You feel for Freddie Steward. He is not a dirty player. I dived deep into my refereeing phonebook and many of them said it was not a red card.
“This is the problem with the head contact process, you go from one box to the next and the next. There needs to be empathy for certain things. This was an incident where he accelerated to try and get the ball and it went into Hugo Keenan’s hands, he tries to pull out, twists and it is an unfortunate accident.
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“You could have found mitigation by the height of Hugo Keenan when he makes the contact with Freddie Steward. Horrendous call.”
Be in no doubt absurd ref and Tmo decisions like this will kill the game, it’s a contact sport and that’s why we watch, let’s enjoy what’s left of it without idiotic interpretations of the ever changing laws
You cannot be complaining about the decision, we have to learn to accept it. Jaco Peyper is a good referee, he went through the protocol as laid out by World Rugby. There was no dissent or alternate scenario put forward by the AR's or TMO. By stating it is not a red card, whether you intend it or not, you are attacking the referee and his team. Your website has correctly being vocal supporting our referees through previous attacks (Wayne Barnes et al) throughout the Autumn Series and before. However right now, you are being no different than those you have previously called out for attacking referees. We have a brilliant bunch of referees currently. If we keep attacking them, they will leave the sport...imagine the scenario with poor referees, it wont be pretty. We are all passionate about our beloved sport, especially in a WC year. Lets support them, their intentions are only honorable
There has to be some understanding of the game when applying the rules. Reds like this are in no way at all aiding the war against head injuries.
Have to agree. I thought he was extremely unlucky on Saturday but when I watched it back today, I couldn't help but notice him eyeballing Keenan the whole way. The more I looked at it, the more I thought it actually was a red!!
English are complaining to much they lost and thats it..
even if steward was there they would have still lost...Why the cry????? By the way Steward did have enough time too pull out from that incident if he could have twist too his side then he could've also went lower and make that tackle....Red was the right decision...It is Saturday again and they are still talking about that they are sour losers.
I mean pretty much everyone has said Ireland still win hands down, the issue is it makes the game less interesting when viewership is an issue.
I feel it would have actually been worse if he had lowered to tackle since there is no way 6'5 Freddie is getting lower than a crouched 6' Keenan
Jesus... Spellchecker, please