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WATCH: The shocking French brawl that resulted in 7 red cards
By Online Editors
A weekend derby encounter in Federale 1, the semi-professional level of France’s league system beneath Top 14 and PRO D2, has been described as a boxing match interspersed with some rugby after seven red cards were shown.
Last Saturday’s red-blooded collision between Tarbes and Lannemezan was won by the home side 36-3, but the rugby action wasn’t what was remembered in the aftermath.
Instead, it was the rare level of violence that was on show which resulted in seven red cards being shown - five at the very start of a match that was reportedly more like a boxing gala.
Only three yellow cards were shown when the sides met earlier in the season in a feisty encounter won 28-16 by Lannemezan, but it apparently left Tarbes complaining about being on the receiving end of some cheap shots.
As a result, they were out for revenge in last Saturday’s rematch and an incident in the first action of the game resulted in a seven-minute stoppage after players and management got involved in a terrible fight.
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Both coaches from each team were red-carded along with five players before the match resumed with 13 versus 12 and it eventually finished 12 versus 11 after two more red cards were brandished.
Tarbes’ South African hooker Ulrich Pretorius admitted to ladepeche.fr: “It must be said it is dangerous for everyone, things can turn very quickly." Lannemezan’s Christophe Dulong added: “It is a fight which was much too far.”
The presidents of the two clubs will now hold a joint press conference on Tuesday night calling for appeasement after the president of the Ligue Occitanie de Rugby said their competition was now “the laughing stock of rugby”.
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Go to commentsYes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.
They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).
That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).
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