REPORTS | Israel Folau offered big-money return to rugby union - Page 2 of 4 - Ruck

REPORTS | Israel Folau offered big-money return to rugby union

7. Craig Joubert

It is easy to forget that, prior to his catastrophic performance in the 2011 World Cup final, Joubert was considered one of the best referees in world rugby. Since then, his performances have been on a downward trajectory, culminating in the display which contributed to Scotland’s crushing quarter-final exit to Australia. He’s since retired, but it seems unlikely Joubert will be heading back to Scotland anytime soon.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 18: Referee Craig Joubert shows the yellow card to Sean Maitland (L) of Scotland during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Quarter Final match between Australia and Scotland at Twickenham Stadium on October 18, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

6. John Inverdale

How has it come to this? Twenty years ago John Inverdale was respected and admired. Now look at him at the bottom of another mass pile-on, pilloried all over social media and the press for being at best a berk, at worst a serially sexist buffoon.


5. Pascal Pape

Pape decided to dedicate a portion of Stade’s clash with Edinburgh to his unending pursuit of shithousery.

You may remember that it was Pape who also thrust his knee into Jamie Heaslip’s back,  leaving the Irish No. 8 with fractured vertebrae.

Well, his next defining moment was when Edinburgh’s wonderfully-named Phil Burleigh was sent-off for slapping Pape in the face. While childish, it wasn’t exactly forceful. Nonetheless, poor Pascal felt its brute force, and threw himself to the ground.

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