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What Johann van Graan has been saying about the Beno Obano red card
By Liam Heagney
Bath boss Johann van Graan has insisted he won’t criticise referee Christophe Ridley – even though he believed that the Gallagher Premiership final red card given to Beno Obano wasn’t foul play.
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The final against Northampton was just 22 minutes old and tied at three points each when the England loosehead was sent off after his shoulder collided with the head of the ball-carrying Juarno Augustus.
Ridley, who was in charge of his first English league final, reviewed the footage with his assistants and the TMO before deciding to permanently sideline Obano.
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That resulted in van Graan immediately having to sacrifice No8 Alfie Barbeary to have a replacement prop on the field for the remainder of the match.
Things quickly unravelled for Bath as they conceded two tries in the next six minutes but they heroically fought their way back, pulling level at 18-all after 51 minutes courtesy of tries from Thomas du Toit and Will Muir and then going 21-18 ahead via a Finn Russell penalty on 67 minutes.
However, they were sucker-punched by the converted 73rd-minute Alex Mitchell try that stemmed from a mesmerising break from replacement George Hendy and although they kicked a penalty to touch to set up the last play of the final with the clock turning red, they had the ball ripped by Hendy when the play moved to the other side of the pitch.
It left Bath beaten 25-21 and still looking to be crowned champions of England for the first time since 1996. “We came here to win. We fell four points short. We were alive in this game until the very last play. We didn’t just hang in. We fired shots for the very first minute when we had an opportunity.
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“Can’t be prouder of this group but from a belief point of view, we stuck at it until the last play of the game. We as a group have got zero regrets,” exclaimed van Grann before getting into the meat and drink that was the Obano expulsion.
“Look, I’m not going to comment on any laws,” he said when asked if the 20-minute red card, which will soon be trialled in the WXV, Pacific Nations Cup and Junior World Championship, should be a consideration for the Premiership. “That’s way above my pay grade.
“All that I can do is adapt to what decisions are made on the pitch. Obviously, everybody wants the Premiership final with 15 vs 15 on the pitch but I thought Christophe went through the process with the TMO and his assistant referees – and I thought he has been the best ref in the Premiership – and all credit to him and well done on his first final.
“Shook his hand afterwards and we’ll have no issue with the red card decision that was made. Nothing more to say on that really.”
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But he soon did. “Yes, I don’t believe that is foul play,” he went on to suggest about the Obano/Augustus coming together. “I believe that is a collision between two extremely powerful rugby players, a ball carrier and a tackler.
“I’m not going to get into the whole red card debate. It’s unfortunate. We had a World Cup final with a captain being red carded and a captain being yellow carded, and a Premiership final with a red card.
? Red card for Beno Obano after 21 minutes pic.twitter.com/RNOmzdLdGc
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) June 8, 2024
“With the decision itself, I have got no issues. I’d love to keep 15 vs 15 on the pitch but, as I said, there is absolutely no reaction from Ben (Spencer) or me or anybody in the group about the red card. That was the referee’s call and we will stick by that. All we focus on is our performance, which was heroic.”
How did Obano react to being the first player sent off in a Premiership final since retired England and Northampton skipper Dylan Hartley was red-carded for something he said to referee Wayne Barne in 2013 versus Leicester?
“Beno is disappointed but we are a circle of men and women at this club, we win together and we lose together and, as I said, incredibly proud of the group that we fought and not only hung in – we believed we could win with the last play of the game.”
On the tactical change that van Graan has to quickly implement following the early red card, the Bath coach explained: “We had to make a change straight away with a prop which leaves a coach with a virtually impossible decision, who do you take off?
“All credit to Alfie. He is one of our best players and we decided to take him off. The way he is aligned with the group was exceptional, exemplary really. At half-time we took our time, we needed to change some plays and some of our defensive systems.
“We have trained for red and yellow cards but this is a Premiership final and again Ben, Finn, Charlie (Ewels), how they led the group and how we adapted real-time, and to the coaches how we adapted half-time, we gave ourselves not only a chance but a game-winning opportunity until the last play of the game. Technically and tactically we grew a lot and we stuck to our plan.
“It makes it very difficult to play with 14 men. What I would say is we, as a group, stuck with our process and we adapted accordingly through the game with an aligned group, an exceptional leadership group on the pitch. We made some tactical decisions at half-time and the end result was just short.
“Special group of players and staff and supporters. We gave it our best shot and, as I said, we didn’t just hang on, we were in the game up until the last play and that is something I am incredibly proud of.
“We spoke about becoming tough to beat and we were certainly tough to beat. Congratulations to Northampton. We have got to mention them. Two very good teams out there today and it was a ding-dong game, the lead changed a few times. Congratulations to them.”
"I don’t believe that is foul play; I believe that's a collision between two extremely powerful rugby players.."
– The post-game media briefing reaction by Johann van Grann on the Beno Obano Prem final red card, from Liam Heagney ?? at Twickenham. #GallagherPrem #NORvBAT #rugby pic.twitter.com/uSqlSLsWox
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 8, 2024
Referees are now determining results by being forensic with their analysis of head contact. This is down to World Rugby. In this one, both players had bent their knees with the Bath prop’s target being the chest of the ball carrier. The Northampton carrier was lowering himself into contact in order to try and break the tackle or if not make as many metres after contact as possible. There was head contact but ultimately it was a rugby collision and should not even have been a penalty. Far too often the first thought is red card and not understanding the mechanics of a carry into contact and a dominant tackle.
I take it the English Premiership is using the mouthguards or is that just a SR trial? He was not required to go off was he, even on the field you could tell it wasn’t much of a knock. He was pleading for a penalty while falling.
I expect WR soon will see the overwhelming data regarding a large portion of cards and make some much needed changes to the head contact protocols.
Must be frustrating to Johann when he can see the game improving in other parts of the world.
What a joke the English are making of rugby ruined the RWC when there was obvious mitigation as well.
Rugby should be more concerned about player safety in this day and age. That players are rewarded for dipping their head into a tackle is pathetic. Penalise the carrier, win win for fans and players.