Sir Clive Woodward is furious after England captain Owen Farrells red card in Saturday’s warm-up with Wales at Twickenham was overturned.
Farrell’s yellow card was upgraded to red by the new ‘Bunker’ review system after a high tackle on Taine Basham.
However, a disciplinary panel reviewing the incident cited a change in dynamic in the contact area as a mitigation.
“When I first heard Farrell had been cleared to play with immediate effect, I was lost for words and just totally dumbfounded. My reaction was: ‘You have got to be joking?” wrote Woodward.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to in the game was expecting the England captain to face a long ban and miss at least the early stages of the World Cup after his high shot on Wales’ Taine Basham.”
Woodward added: “My view is that the bunker review system is a welcome addition to the game.
“But the three Australian judges on the committee have now essentially said it doesn’t work. I would love to know what rugby experience they have to make that call.
“All three have badly let the game down on the eve of its biggest occasion.
“What is going to happen the next time a player makes a high tackle and then the decision is checked by the bunker system? I can tell you. Players will look at the Farrell case as a yardstick.
“They will say: ‘Farrell got off, so why shouldn’t I?”
Woodward continued: “Farrell should have been banned for three or four matches and even a one or two-game ban would have been acceptable to a degree.
“To overturn the red card completely is just so wrong.”
RUGBY QUIZ:
Five most hated rugby players, named and ranked:
We have curated a compilation of individuals who, through their actions on and off the field, have acquired a regrettable reputation within the game. Their notoriety extends beyond specific fan bases or clubs; it encompasses the entire rugby community.
#5. Dan Biggar (Wales)
Amusingly, Biggar epitomizes the kind of player who manages to invoke strong dislike until he becomes a part of your own team.
Over the course of his career, this fly-half has exhibited a growing penchant for passionately berating referees.
This behavior has reached such heights that Glove39, a renowned online personality and unwavering fan of Scotland, cleverly crafted a video titled ‘birdman.’
In this video, Glove39 humorously mimicked Biggar’s habitual arm-raising expression of frustration directed at officials.