The yellow card given to Liam Williams for making contact with the head of Ireland’s playmaker Johnny Sexton has sparked controversy on the internet.
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Williams, who had been accused of diving himself moments earlier, was given a yellow card only due the passive nature of the tackle.
Instead, Sexton was the player under fire as the veteran number 10 milked the tackle.
Reacting to the incident, one fan wrote: “Sexton play acted a head injury. Blatant cheating.”
A second wrote: “That Liam Williams yellow card shows why rugby will be dead in a few years – nothing wrong with Liams body shape and Sexton play acting sums up how rugby has drastically changed for the worse. It’s a mockery to the real injuries.”
Another commented: “Sexton winks after getting another fellow professional a card by his simulation of injury and as always gets up to take the resulting penalty. This will destroy the spectacle that is International rugby.”
A fourth said: “Another football injury/tactic from Johnny Sexton. He does it too many times.”
Another wrote: “This is some pretty poor rugby from Wales. But Sexton selling the head injury is low.”
Williams tackle on Sexton:
Wink from Sexton:
COMPETITION
4 players who flopped in the opening round: 2023 Six Nations
We take a look at five players who failed to perform in today’s 2023 Six Nations action.
#1. Owen Farrell (England)
RUCK 4/10: Aside from being poor from the tee, his defensive positioning at centre cost his side more than once.
Planet Rugby 6/10: “Kicked poorly off the tee.”
Telegraph 5/10: “Not his finest performance in an England shirt. Clattered into Russell slightly late in the first half which was met with approval from the Twickenham crowd – tackle school has been treating him well. Patchy from the tee.”