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'Where's the game going?' - Beauden Barrett
By Online Editors
All Blacks and Hurricanes first-five Beauden Barrett has weighed in after another pair of red cards were dished out on Friday night.
Referee Ben O'Keeffe changed the complexion of last night's Reds-Sunwolves clash when he handed Ed Quirk a red card after ruling the Sunwolves flanker punched Reds first-five Hamish Stewart in the face at the bottom of a ruck.
"It was a joke in my opinion," Barrett told Newstalk ZB.
"They've [the referees] got to use common sense and there was certainly no force in that.
"Where's the game going when we award red cards for little things like that?"
O'Keeffe's ruling is justified by the lawbook, with World Rugby Law 10.4 stating that players must not strike an opponent.
Despite Quirk's strike described by Reds coach Brad Thorn as nothing more than a love tap, the contact made, by the letter of the law, was illegal.
The red card Chiefs midfielder Johnny Fa'auli received for a no-arms tackle against the Hurricanes last night left less to the imagination.
The 22-year-old's high, no-arms tackle on Hurricanes midfielder Wes Goosen rattled the Hurricanes' social meda account and head coach Chris Boyd, who called the act "deliberate".
"It was pretty reckless … it's a shame because Goose [Goosen] might be out for a few weeks, he was pretty sore after that," Barrett said.
The Chiefs and Hurricanes will meet against next weekend, where they will likely be without both Fa'auli and Goosen through suspension and injury.
Fa'auli and Quirk are set to have their judicial hearings Sunday night.
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Latest Comments
The difference between Fassi and Le Roux?
Almost 100 tests. Fassi is growing from test to test and is already world class. It’s going to be difficult for Damian Willemse to usurp Fassi at 15 and may find himself destined as the utility back on the bomb squad.
South Africans love hating on their fullback. A proud tradition since Percy Montgomery (before he won us a World Cup). So I don’t pay much mind to the noise that follows anyone who puts on the 15 jersey for SA.
15 is a high risk, low reward position. You don’t dare drop a high ball, certainly don’t shank a kick into the stands. In fact if you’re not kicking 60m torpedoes into the opposition corners - stay at home.
And miss tackles? After everyone else on the team has let a break through - best you not miss!
Only Andre Joubert strikes me as a fullback that has been better than Willie. Yet Willie has been widely panned on a regular basis. Irritating.
Fassi is great. And I’m sure he’s learning a lot from Willie.
Go to commentsNo, Penney's win rate as a Super Rugby coach BEFORE he was given a 2 year contract here, was 23%. He came in with a very poor success rate at SR level.
This loser vibe was borne out over the SR season where we won only 4 games while losing 10. Finishing 9th in a 12 team competition & missing a QF spot was next level DOWN.
There's zero evidence that suggests we will win 10 games (70%) as you predict. I understand there may be new assistant coaches coming on board. At this stage, we can only hope for the best.
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