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Mon 19 Aug 2019 | 10:31
Gabrillagues clearout deemed 'worse than Barrett’s red card'

9
Comments

France's Paul Gabrillagues finds himself in hot water after being cited for a clearout on Scotland flanker John Barclay at the weekend. The Stade Francais lock will face a hearing on Tuesday, with a number of fans on social media calling for a lengthy ban.

This comes just a week after All Blacks second-row Scott Barrett was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper. The majority of the rugby world felt referee Jérôme Garcès made the right call showing Barrett a straight red, although his subsequent three week ban was deemed lenient.

On the other hand, Gabrillagues’ challenge has been deemed far worse by fans on Twitter, as the lock ran in with some force straight into Barclay’s head. It is debatable whether any arm was involved in this clearout, and what is worse is that he dived straight off his feet. If Barrett’s punishment is anything to go by, many fans feel this should be a longer ban.

However, the main thing that separates these two incidents was the fact that Gabrillagues got away with it in the match. Consequently, the officials, particularly referee Nigel Owens, have been admonished by fans for missing this, even after Barclay had raised it.

While France ran out comfortable 32-3 winners in Nice, France head coach Jacques Brunel will now be concerned over the availability of Gabrillagues over the next month and even into the World Cup.

The lock will be available to play in Japan should his punishment be the same as Barrett’s, although he will miss the remaining warm-ups against Scotland and Italy. But if the punishment is any worse, which many feel it should be, his World Cup could be in jeopardy.

Catch up on match highlights below

Posted By: Grant Constable

9 Comments

  • Ferrari2018
    12:12 PM 24/08/2019

    This incident proof beyond all doubts how inconsistent referees are, something the Springboks has been complaining for years but was told " To move on" OK they moved on but suddenly teams who hardly EVE received any yellow or red cards. This indicates to me that the IRB must have received complaints from various International teams managements about this. Ok let give Owens the benefit of the doubt here - he did not see it THEN where the fuck are the AR's?  Are these poor bastards only there to lift their little flags to show who is going to do the throw-in at the lineout or what?  What does AR stand for?  ASSISTANT REFEREE.  So be a fucking AR then assholes and help the ref. Lastly, NZ accept your blinking Red Card and get over it. There are many examples of where AR's could have assisted the ref to make the right call but no they are assholes.

  • colombes
    3:00 PM 20/08/2019

    Imagine a world where Twitter is a rugby commission and Andy Goode is WR president... France would not even authorized to play rugby :) Gabrillagues will rightly receive his 2 or 3 weeks ban, end of the polemic which wasn't one. On a side note, it's funny to read people complaining about Owens bad performance as French fans critic his biased way to ref since years. Twitter has unsurprisingly a selective memory.  

    • arkelt
      4:26 PM 20/08/2019

      And yet Scott Barrett gest 3 weeks and Gabrillagues gets 6...

      • Ferrari2018
        12:15 PM 24/08/2019

        During that test, it was justified. This is a different test with a different ref that interprets the rules differently. So do not compare the two.  

      • colombes
        10:22 PM 20/08/2019

        Oh don't speak too loudly my friend, you could sound as a paranoid french fan. Some facts and truths are not well appreciated around. Let's say the law is flexible regarding certain jerseys. 

        • pickay
          8:33 AM 22/08/2019

          Good to know that apparently you are the only one knowing the "facts and the truths". Conspiracy theories are more fun than reality anyway, so keep it up!

          • colombes
            2:36 PM 22/08/2019

            Thanks to confirm my point

  • arkelt
    10:56 AM 20/08/2019

    I fully agree that this deserved a much better overview on the moment, and deserves a hearing and a sanction as well.But saying that this is "much worse" than what Barrett did is non sense. The result is worse, as Barclay got hit head to head and suffered from what looks like a concussion. But this was a clearout in a ruck.Barrett intentionally projected his arm and shoulder right at a already tackled, falling down, Hooper. His intention was clear, and it was not a ruck phase.Both actions are, at best, equal in terms of stupidity and unfair play.

  • alasdairduncan3
    11:36 PM 19/08/2019

    Nige missed a bad one there. Usually a big fan of the man but eventrying my best to be impartial I find that one hard to excuse.Did he at least check it to make sure Barclay didn't need an HIA?

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