Controversial decision in game played by gentlemen

Unlike football, Rugby Union is a sport which has its myriads of rules constantly updated to reflect the sporting spirit of a discipline which has been at the avant-garde in terms of exemplary behaviour both on and off the pitch.

I must state at the outset that I am not fully conversant with the rules of this fascinating sport which are based not only on linear concepts but also on the mechanics of the tackle, the knock-on when the ball is played forward unintentionally, offsides, episodes resulting from the scrum and many other incidents.

Being generally regarded as a close relative of Rugby League, Rugby Union has undoubtedly taken many leaves out of the former discipline, not least in a bid to reduce the frequency of wrong or dubious decisions taken in the heat of the moment. The video referee is the prime example, and something that cannot be easily fitted into football where decisions on infringements are based on numerous variables.

Still fresh in our minds is the episode when the Wales captain Sam Warburton was red-carded in the 18th minute of the World Cup semi-final against France last Saturday.

The decision by Irish referee Alain Rolland was met with disapproval not only by the Welsh clan but also by neutral experts of the game in that it was an instant reaction by the official. They contended that the referee could have gone for a more sensible exit route such as yellow carding the offender, known in rugby as sin bin, at which point the citing officer would report his conclusions within the stipulated 24-hour period.

On the other hand, the International Rugby Board handed the Wales captain a three-week ban, a decision which endorsed the referee’s accurate judgement of the incident. But then the powers that be rarely fail to be on the side of the match arbiter even allowing for possible grey areas in incidents of this sort such as plucking an opponent in the air and not bringing him down to safety by holding his body.

After all, clear instructions as to the punishment contemplated for such dangerous play were handed to the referees before the World Cup, even if similar tackling on a couple of occasions in this same global competition did not result in red cards.

The controversy may still be raging but the remarkable positives one can take from such episodes are ingrained in the beauty of rugby, which is universally regarded as a “thugs’ game played by gentlemen” in contrast with football which many contend to be “a gentlemen’s game played by thugs”.

The bone of contention is the dividing line between the letter of the law and sensible decisions.