Springboks deftly dodge raging Owen Farrell debate: 'World Rugby ...
Anyone hoping for some Springbok insights into the ongoing Owen Farrell red card drama would've been left disappointed as the world champions played back any questioning on the matter with a proverbial straight bat.
South Africa's interest in the saga - where the England captain was cleared by a Six Nations-facilitated independent judicial committee before World Rugby decided to appeal the decision - is nothing more than a thoroughly indirect one.
However, it remains relevant given the wide-held sentiment that the Boks continue to draw the short straw when it comes to disciplinary hearings.
The Six Nations, which oversees disciplinary procedures for warm-up matches involving leading European countries, said on Friday that Farrell's new hearing would be held on Tuesday.
Though there's consensus that if the flyhalf is indeed not sanctioned, a "dangerous" precedent would be set.
Nigel Owens.
Legendary retired arbiter Nigel Owens is the latest observer to have waded into the debate, noting in his column for WalesOnline: "Quite simply, if we don't deal with actions like this as a red card offence, then the game is going to be in big trouble moving forward."
Mzwandile Stick, Springbok assistant coach, however, was phlegmatic in merely stating that there's a sincere effort from World Rugby, the global governing body, to keep player welfare at the top of its agenda.
"I don't think it's my space to comment on this matter and the other teams," he said on Friday.
"One thing I know for sure is that World Rugby is trying to keep the game clean and that's what matters. But whatever happens on the other side, it's not my place. It's not my focus area, I'm here to help the players."
Stick's measured if somewhat stony response was in stark contrast to Warren Gatland's, whose Welsh team hosts the Boks at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.
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The prickly New Zealander flatly refused to engage reporters on the issue despite his own flanker, Taine Basham, being on the receiving end of Farrell's shoulder charge.
"I've already said I don't want to talk about the Owen Farrell situation. That's already been spoken about. I don't want to talk about it."
Reminded then that he'd written about the issue in his regular column for a daily English publication, Gatland added: "I was forthright about the fact he's got to get his technique a little bit better. It's something we talk with players about: if you don't bend at the hips then you're putting yourself in a situation that you can potentially get yellow-carded or red-carded.
"I'm just waiting to see what the final outcome of that is. Everyone wants clarity and certainty about all aspects of the game."
Another pertinent aspect to the issue that will become evident, regardless of the outcome, is the fact that a new set of eyes and minds will be adjudging the incident as per World Rugby's appeal.
To Freek Burger, former South African Test referee and World Rugby citing consultant, that situation is not ideal.
"There's still too much room for interpretation," he told News24 this week.
"Rugby needs more consistency in terms of its judicial committees. I know there are logistical challenges, but the Farrell incident illustrates the potential pitfalls of these differing panels disagreeing with on-field decisions, particularly now that we have a 'bunker' system in place.
"It's about consistency. Where is it? Even if there's a different verdict arising from the appeal, it still means there's no consensus among the two sets of judicial committees. It's a problem that needs to be addressed."
