THE CHAOS AND the carnage with the card decisions started early amid a frenetic atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium.
Just six minutes in, referee Matthew Carley and his officials had a big decision to make.
Springboks out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu launched himself into a tackle on Tommy O’Brien that Ireland took major issue with.
As players scuffle with each other, TMO Andrew Jackson calls in a “check, check”, and Carley goes to a formal review of the incident.
Carley asks Jackson where he believes the contact from Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s shoulder is.
“Most of the force of that shoulder is into the chest, there is slight head contact,” says Jackson, and Carley responds, “So it’s onto the shoulder, then it moves up to the head.”
Assistant referee Karl Dickson chimes in, “The player is really low. The player doesn’t have time to bring his arm up. I’m at PK [penalty kick] only.”
Carley asks his other assistant, Christophe Ridley, for his view, which is brief and inaudible over the ref mic.
Carley then says, “Jacko, we have a decision. We’re not convinced that it’s a no-arms tackle, but we do believe there is head contact.
“The player [O'Brien] is falling, so we’re going with a penalty restart in 15 [metres].”
Carley is essentially indicating that he believes the degree of danger of the head contact is around yellow card level, but that the mitigation of O’Brien falling brings the sanction down to a penalty. Mitigation doesn’t apply for alway-illegal acts of foul play, but Carley indicates that he doesn’t think it’s a no-arms tackle.
Ireland captain Caelan Doris argues that Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s tackle is “reckless,” but Carley says, “That’s the end of the discussion.”
Ireland kick their penalty into the right corner but get turned over a couple of metres from the Springboks line in the next passage of play.
Carley brandishes his yellow card for the first time in the 20th minute after TMO Jackson flags another incident.
Tadhg Beirne has just scored a try for Ireland, but there’s a review of James Ryan’s clearout on Malcolm Marx at a ruck two phases before.
Carley watches a few replays and then gives his view.
“The Irish player, number four, is late arriving,” says Carley. “There’s definite head contact, but glancing… can we see one more time from the touchline, please?”
Further angles show that the contact to Marx’s face is not glancing and that Ryan does not wrap.
There must be consideration of a permanent red card, but Carley decides to show a yellow and send the incident for off-field review.
“The dynamic of him [Ryan] falling over that player [Sam Prendergast on the ground], so we’re not sure whether the arm will come up, so I’m going to send it to off-field,” says Carley.
Around seven minutes later, Carley is notified that foul play review officer [FPRO] Dan Jones has made a decision on Ryan’s foul play and the referee informs the captains.
“We have a decision from the bunker,” says Carley. “The yellow card will be upgraded to a 20-minute red card because it’s high danger because the action is always illegal.”
FPROs cannot issue permanent red cards, only 20-minute reds.
At this stage, Doris seems to question Carley on the Feinberg-Mngomezulu incident again.
“It was shoulder to shoulder, then up to the head, and we’re not sure if he had time to get his arm up,” replies Carley.
Just a couple of minutes later, there’s another review for Carley and co. after a nasty collision between Ireland wing O’Brien and Springboks wing Canan Moodie.
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Carley’s two assistants chip in their thoughts while the replays are shown.
“So we’re considering penalty only,” says Carley. “We’re between penalty and yellow card at the moment.
“He [O'Brien] is really passive and some of the force is through the chest.”
Carley then informs the captains and crowd, “We’re going for a penalty only. We believe the player is extremely passive and although he makes head contact, both players are dipping into the action as well.”
So there’s relief for Ireland, although O’Brien has to go for a head injury assessment and doesn’t return from it.
But Ireland don’t stay at 14 players for long as the Boks opt for a scrum from the penalty.
Ireland are guilty of several different penalty offences in the ensuing passage
First, Andrew Porter gives up advantage at the scrum. After the first phase, Carley seemingly indicates a new penalty advantage for Prendergast either being offside or failing to roll away from his tackle. Two phases later, the referee seems to give another advantage for Prendergast being offside.
At the next ruck, Ryan Baird gives up another Irish penalty advantage for playing the ball off his feet.
And from that ruck, Prendergast is clearly offside for yet another penalty advantage.
Siya Kolisi clears Prendergast away from the ensuing tackle and the Springboks skipper grabs at the folding Tadhg Furlong in behind the breakdown, briefly impeding the Irish tighthead from getting to the other side of the breakdown.
As Cobus Reinach darts away to score, we can see Tadhg Beirne appealing to Carley about Kolisi’s actions, but the referee confirms the try and immediately goes to his yellow card.
Sometimes referees opt to keep their yellow in their pockets after a try has been scored with penalty advantage playing, but the major accumulation of penalties close to the Irish own line means Carley isn’t willing to do so.
“Number 10,” says Carley. “Three penalties in the same sequence, offside.”
Prendergast heads to the sin bin and Ireland are down to 13 players.
Remarkably, Ireland respond by scoring an excellent try through hooker Dan Sheehan.
Just before that try, South Africa are perhaps fortunate to escape a yellow card for Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Du Toit is part of the ruck when he reaches out and plays Garry Ringrose’s arm as the Irish centre scoots away.
This action has been outlawed in recent times and it’s a fairly cynical act from du Toit. This kind of stuff can be strictly sanctioned by referees because it’s deliberate. But it’s close to the halfway line and Ireland don’t make any appeal for further sanction after Carley awards them a penalty.
Farrell’s men score a cracking try through Sheehan from the ensuing lineout and Jack Crowley’s conversion brings them back to within five points of the Boks.
Ireland would love to get to half time trailing just 12-7 but Crowley is sin-binned in the 40th minute for cynical play.
Crowley has just tackled Damian de Allende and attempts to stay up on his feet to counter-ruck.
But Crowley is clearly off his feet when he reaches forward and connects with Boks scrum-half Reinach’s right hand, causing a knock-on.
TMO Jackson seems to flag it with Carley.
“We’ve got a hand on the floor at the bottom of that ruck,” says Carley.
“Number 22, leave the field. Clearly off his feet, that is a cynical action.”
So Ireland are reduced to 12 players as the Springboks decide to kick the penalty to touch.
However, in that break in play, Cian Prendergast comes on to replace James Ryan after the 20-minute red card window has elapsed, so Ireland are back to 13 men.
South Africa win another penalty from the maul and opt for a scrum. And after a series of earlier scrum penalties for the Boks, Carley has a warning for Porter before they pack down.
“If I clearly have to penalise you in this scrum, I won’t have any option but to send you from the field,” says Carley to Porter. “That’s three scrums in a row. If it happens again, I’ll have to put you in the sin bin.”
Lo and behold, the scrum goes to ground and Porter goes to the bin.
Porter’s knees and left elbow both go to ground under pressure from a South African scrum that has two fresh props just off the bench before half time.
The Boks can’t use their advantage to score, so Carley comes back to the scrum penalty and bins Porter.
“Four scrums in a row,” says Carley to Ireland skipper Doris.
“Four scrums in a row. He [Porter] is on the outside and collapses to the floor.”
So Ireland are down to 12 players.
The Springboks opt for another scrum with their penalty.
Ireland have sent Paddy McCarthy on for Josh van der Flier so they can scrummage. They have opted against adding a back into the scrum to make it an eight-man set-piece.
The Boks power up yet again and Carley heads under the posts to award a penalty try.
Ireland trail 19-7 at the half time break.
Still down to 12 players, they manage the opening minutes of the second half and actually win a penalty that Prendergast kicks through the posts just after returning from the sin bin.
But Ireland concede another try while they’re still down to 13 players.
They are finally restored to 15 players in the 50th minute as Porter follows Crowley back onto the pitch, but there’s another yellow 10 minutes after that.
For the second time, the yellow card comes at the scrum.
A sequence of three scrum penalty concessions under their own posts from Ireland sees Carley go to his pocket.
The referee warns Ireland after the second.
“He must engage with his head above his hips,” says Carley of Irish loosehead McCarthy.
“That’s two scrums in a row. He’s not giving me a lot of options. Scrummage up, please.”
The next scrum collapses on that loosehead side and after the Boks fail to score with advantage playing, Carley bins McCarthy.
Ireland manage not to concede during that sin-bin period, but they’re unable to make a dent on the 24-13 scoreline for the remainder of a chaotic game.
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How Ireland were reduced to 12 players against the Springboks
THE CHAOS AND the carnage with the card decisions started early amid a frenetic atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium.
Just six minutes in, referee Matthew Carley and his officials had a big decision to make.
Springboks out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu launched himself into a tackle on Tommy O’Brien that Ireland took major issue with.
As players scuffle with each other, TMO Andrew Jackson calls in a “check, check”, and Carley goes to a formal review of the incident.
Carley asks Jackson where he believes the contact from Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s shoulder is.
“Most of the force of that shoulder is into the chest, there is slight head contact,” says Jackson, and Carley responds, “So it’s onto the shoulder, then it moves up to the head.”
Assistant referee Karl Dickson chimes in, “The player is really low. The player doesn’t have time to bring his arm up. I’m at PK [penalty kick] only.”
Carley asks his other assistant, Christophe Ridley, for his view, which is brief and inaudible over the ref mic.
Carley then says, “Jacko, we have a decision. We’re not convinced that it’s a no-arms tackle, but we do believe there is head contact.
“The player [O'Brien] is falling, so we’re going with a penalty restart in 15 [metres].”
Carley is essentially indicating that he believes the degree of danger of the head contact is around yellow card level, but that the mitigation of O’Brien falling brings the sanction down to a penalty. Mitigation doesn’t apply for alway-illegal acts of foul play, but Carley indicates that he doesn’t think it’s a no-arms tackle.
Ireland captain Caelan Doris argues that Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s tackle is “reckless,” but Carley says, “That’s the end of the discussion.”
Ireland kick their penalty into the right corner but get turned over a couple of metres from the Springboks line in the next passage of play.
Carley brandishes his yellow card for the first time in the 20th minute after TMO Jackson flags another incident.
Tadhg Beirne has just scored a try for Ireland, but there’s a review of James Ryan’s clearout on Malcolm Marx at a ruck two phases before.
Carley watches a few replays and then gives his view.
“The Irish player, number four, is late arriving,” says Carley. “There’s definite head contact, but glancing… can we see one more time from the touchline, please?”
Further angles show that the contact to Marx’s face is not glancing and that Ryan does not wrap.
There must be consideration of a permanent red card, but Carley decides to show a yellow and send the incident for off-field review.
“The dynamic of him [Ryan] falling over that player [Sam Prendergast on the ground], so we’re not sure whether the arm will come up, so I’m going to send it to off-field,” says Carley.
Around seven minutes later, Carley is notified that foul play review officer [FPRO] Dan Jones has made a decision on Ryan’s foul play and the referee informs the captains.
“We have a decision from the bunker,” says Carley. “The yellow card will be upgraded to a 20-minute red card because it’s high danger because the action is always illegal.”
FPROs cannot issue permanent red cards, only 20-minute reds.
At this stage, Doris seems to question Carley on the Feinberg-Mngomezulu incident again.
“It was shoulder to shoulder, then up to the head, and we’re not sure if he had time to get his arm up,” replies Carley.
Just a couple of minutes later, there’s another review for Carley and co. after a nasty collision between Ireland wing O’Brien and Springboks wing Canan Moodie.
Carley’s two assistants chip in their thoughts while the replays are shown.
“So we’re considering penalty only,” says Carley. “We’re between penalty and yellow card at the moment.
“He [O'Brien] is really passive and some of the force is through the chest.”
Carley then informs the captains and crowd, “We’re going for a penalty only. We believe the player is extremely passive and although he makes head contact, both players are dipping into the action as well.”
So there’s relief for Ireland, although O’Brien has to go for a head injury assessment and doesn’t return from it.
But Ireland don’t stay at 14 players for long as the Boks opt for a scrum from the penalty.
Ireland are guilty of several different penalty offences in the ensuing passage
First, Andrew Porter gives up advantage at the scrum. After the first phase, Carley seemingly indicates a new penalty advantage for Prendergast either being offside or failing to roll away from his tackle. Two phases later, the referee seems to give another advantage for Prendergast being offside.
At the next ruck, Ryan Baird gives up another Irish penalty advantage for playing the ball off his feet.
And from that ruck, Prendergast is clearly offside for yet another penalty advantage.
Siya Kolisi clears Prendergast away from the ensuing tackle and the Springboks skipper grabs at the folding Tadhg Furlong in behind the breakdown, briefly impeding the Irish tighthead from getting to the other side of the breakdown.
As Cobus Reinach darts away to score, we can see Tadhg Beirne appealing to Carley about Kolisi’s actions, but the referee confirms the try and immediately goes to his yellow card.
Sometimes referees opt to keep their yellow in their pockets after a try has been scored with penalty advantage playing, but the major accumulation of penalties close to the Irish own line means Carley isn’t willing to do so.
“Number 10,” says Carley. “Three penalties in the same sequence, offside.”
Prendergast heads to the sin bin and Ireland are down to 13 players.
Remarkably, Ireland respond by scoring an excellent try through hooker Dan Sheehan.
Just before that try, South Africa are perhaps fortunate to escape a yellow card for Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Du Toit is part of the ruck when he reaches out and plays Garry Ringrose’s arm as the Irish centre scoots away.
This action has been outlawed in recent times and it’s a fairly cynical act from du Toit. This kind of stuff can be strictly sanctioned by referees because it’s deliberate. But it’s close to the halfway line and Ireland don’t make any appeal for further sanction after Carley awards them a penalty.
Farrell’s men score a cracking try through Sheehan from the ensuing lineout and Jack Crowley’s conversion brings them back to within five points of the Boks.
Ireland would love to get to half time trailing just 12-7 but Crowley is sin-binned in the 40th minute for cynical play.
Crowley has just tackled Damian de Allende and attempts to stay up on his feet to counter-ruck.
But Crowley is clearly off his feet when he reaches forward and connects with Boks scrum-half Reinach’s right hand, causing a knock-on.
TMO Jackson seems to flag it with Carley.
“We’ve got a hand on the floor at the bottom of that ruck,” says Carley.
“Number 22, leave the field. Clearly off his feet, that is a cynical action.”
So Ireland are reduced to 12 players as the Springboks decide to kick the penalty to touch.
However, in that break in play, Cian Prendergast comes on to replace James Ryan after the 20-minute red card window has elapsed, so Ireland are back to 13 men.
South Africa win another penalty from the maul and opt for a scrum. And after a series of earlier scrum penalties for the Boks, Carley has a warning for Porter before they pack down.
“If I clearly have to penalise you in this scrum, I won’t have any option but to send you from the field,” says Carley to Porter. “That’s three scrums in a row. If it happens again, I’ll have to put you in the sin bin.”
Lo and behold, the scrum goes to ground and Porter goes to the bin.
Porter’s knees and left elbow both go to ground under pressure from a South African scrum that has two fresh props just off the bench before half time.
The Boks can’t use their advantage to score, so Carley comes back to the scrum penalty and bins Porter.
“Four scrums in a row,” says Carley to Ireland skipper Doris.
“Four scrums in a row. He [Porter] is on the outside and collapses to the floor.”
So Ireland are down to 12 players.
The Springboks opt for another scrum with their penalty.
Ireland have sent Paddy McCarthy on for Josh van der Flier so they can scrummage. They have opted against adding a back into the scrum to make it an eight-man set-piece.
The Boks power up yet again and Carley heads under the posts to award a penalty try.
Ireland trail 19-7 at the half time break.
Still down to 12 players, they manage the opening minutes of the second half and actually win a penalty that Prendergast kicks through the posts just after returning from the sin bin.
But Ireland concede another try while they’re still down to 13 players.
They are finally restored to 15 players in the 50th minute as Porter follows Crowley back onto the pitch, but there’s another yellow 10 minutes after that.
For the second time, the yellow card comes at the scrum.
A sequence of three scrum penalty concessions under their own posts from Ireland sees Carley go to his pocket.
The referee warns Ireland after the second.
“He must engage with his head above his hips,” says Carley of Irish loosehead McCarthy.
“That’s two scrums in a row. He’s not giving me a lot of options. Scrummage up, please.”
The next scrum collapses on that loosehead side and after the Boks fail to score with advantage playing, Carley bins McCarthy.
Ireland manage not to concede during that sin-bin period, but they’re unable to make a dent on the 24-13 scoreline for the remainder of a chaotic game.
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