Imo piatau would have been an immense AB. Career wasted for money
RWC Week 3: Scotland
Match thread
Tonga
@Billy-Tell Yes I was just thinking we let him go too early. Similar for Fekitoa.
@Billy-Tell For me, the classic example of someone who should have been allowed to go and play Club Rugby in Europe or Japan, earn big money and learn about different styles of Rugby, then could have come home.
He could have been a 100+ Test All Black if the rules were a bit more flexible.
I wish Scotland would stop poaching Dutch rugby players. Even if it’s the forebears that were Dutch….
Normally I’d be for Tonga. But I’d like this pool to go to the wire for ire vs Scot which means Scotland need 2 BP victories
Wish Fekitoa would have stayed with the ABs.
Piutau just chased the money. I guess Fekitoa did as well. But Piutau just bothers me more.
I really don’t think Piutau is looking to good right now anyway.
Tonga are putting in some nice hits. Their 6 looks pretty good to me. But just getting a little out classed.
We don’t see enough of that actually in my book. Couple minutes before the end Scotland being marched back 10 for backchat. But honestly some of the other calls on this match were demoralising….
@Jailbreak7 said in RWC Week 3: Scotland v Tonga:
@Billy-Tell Yes I was just thinking we let him go too early. Similar for Fekitoa.
We didn't let him go, we just couldn't afford him. He was offered double+ what our top abs were on. If he got paid that, so would everyone else have to be
@Jailbreak7 said in RWC Week 3: Scotland v Tonga:
How many SA do Scotland need ffs
Four seems to have done the trick. Don’t forget the Tongan too.
Watching the highlights, not having seen the game. Vaea Fifita, how stupid was that "clean-out"? Deserved red card. The yellow card for Afusipa Taumoepeau I can understand because the sudden dip will be a cause for mitigation, but Fifita's was blood red all day.
Tonga looks like a poorly coached team.
I only saw highlights but Big Ben still looks more mobile than our props.
@Bovidae said in RWC Week 3: Scotland v Tonga:
Tonga looks like a poorly coached team.
I only saw highlights but Big Ben still looks more mobile than our props.
Reminiscent of a young Bill Cavubati charging in for that try…..and yeah, making Nepo and Ofa look like a pair of Easter Island statues.
Those two South African Scottish wingers sure are dangerous. Particularly DVDM, that try he set up was class, shades of Jonah in that one ( more so than Caleb Clarke has shown at any rate )
@Bovidae said in RWC Week 3: Scotland v Tonga:
Tonga looks like a poorly coached team.
I only saw highlights but Big Ben still looks more mobile than our props.
Didn't Hansen tell him to lose weight to be more mobile?
Looks like he added 20kgs and still is a machine
@bayimports His weight has been very up and down. This is from November 2019.
Fuck me how was that not a red card?
Dickson is a terrible ref. Either he's not looking or he's not confident.
Tonga’s Vaea Fifita attended an independent Disciplinary Committee hearing for an offence contrary to Law 9.20(a) (dangerous charging into a ruck or maul) as a result of a review by the Foul Play Review Official in Tonga’s Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool B match against Scotland on 24 September.
The independent Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Brenda Heather-Latu (Samoa), joined by former international players Leon Lloyd (England) and Mike Mika (Samoa).
The player accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but challenged the Foul Play Review Official’s decision that the act warranted a red card.
Having considered all the available evidence, including the application of World Rugby’s Head Contact Process, the submissions by the player and his representatives, and all available camera angles and technology, the independent Committee determined that:
A reckless act of foul play had occurred;
Head contact had occurred;
The degree of danger was high;
The action was always illegal and therefore mitigation was not available.
On that basis and in considering the sanction, the independent Committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in head contact (six matches). Taking all considerations into account, including the player’s remorse and previous disciplinary record, the independent Committee determined mitigation of two matches was appropriate, resulting in a final sanction of four matches to be applied as follows:
South Africa v Tonga – 1 October, 2023
Tonga v Romania – 8 October, 2023
Bulls v Scarlets – 22 October, 2023
Stormers v Scarlets – 28 October, 2023
So why do some players get a reduction from 6 to 3 weeks (not including tackle lessons) and Fifita from 6 to 4, while he meets all the usual mitigation factors? I'm not saying 4 weeks isn't deserved, I just would like to see the difference explained in decisions. Otherwise it could just be seen as arbitrary.
The written decision has not yet been published on WR's website.
@Stargazer also no week off for participation at tackle school?
Guess there has to be benefit applied for the guilty plea?
@taniwharugby This wasn't a red card for a dangerous tackle, so no tackle school option.
@Stargazer ah ok, just assumed after scanning what you posted (and given thats what most are for these days)
I do wonder if there has ever been a case with Ben T in the front row where teammates had trouble getting their arm round him 
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