SHAUN EDWARDS: Justice has been served for Owen Farrell. It is RIGHT that he has been cleared to play. Of course player safety is paramount but rugby is a collision sport
Justice has been served for Owen Farrell. I was one of the few people who thought his red card was wrong. It is true that he has been allowed to play.
We live in a world of slow motion replays. These frame-by-frame photos are so different from what players see on the field.
Things happen in a split second. If the ball carrier changes direction too late – as we saw with Taine Basham – it is almost impossible for the tackler to react.
People need to realize that. The post-game disciplinary system worked and now I wish Owen the best of luck in the sequel.
What I didn’t like about the Twickenham incident was the way all the opponents threw up their hands to appeal. It happens all the time now, as soon as someone comes near the head. It’s like football, asking for red cards. Sorry, that’s not rugby to me. Let the referees do their job.
Owen Farrell (pictured) was shown a yellow card, which was upgraded to a red card by the new ‘Bunker’ rating system, during England’s 19-17 win against Wales on Saturday
The England fly-half was initially sent to the sin bin for the above tackle on Taine Basham (centre) in Wales
Referee Nika Amashukeli (right) then upgraded Farrell’s yellow card to red after a review took place
Rugby is in a strange place when it comes to player safety. Of course, player safety is paramount, but the reality is that it is a collision sport. When we talk about tackling low around the legs, that also carries risks.
The chop tackle is great if you’re coming off the side of someone, but if you’re head-on, chances are you’ll be knocked out.
Before the World Cup I asked where the target of the tackle is if someone had a pick and go near the try line. The courier’s head is level with their hips, so where should you hit? I have no idea and I still haven’t had an answer.
Rugby is a game with rules. It’s not a game for villains. You shouldn’t hit people on the head, but sometimes you miss things and get it wrong. Owen is a world class player and I’m sure he practices tackle technique with Saracens and England. Mistakes will happen if you only have a millisecond to react.
Whoever goes into the World Cup has a huge advantage if he manages to keep 15 players on the field. New Zealand is the favorite for the tournament, but anyone who can keep 15 players on the field has a chance. When we won the Six Nations last year, we didn’t get a single card. It’s a huge thing in modern rugby.
Initial fears had been raised for Steve Borthwick’s side (pictured) over whether Farrell would receive a long-term tackle suspension and miss this autumn’s Rugby World Cup
But on Tuesday, Farrell (left) was fully acquitted by a panel of judges who found there were mitigating factors involved in the tackle that meant the decision could be reversed
Farrell (right) is now immediately free to play and will be available to take part in the warm-up game against Ireland this weekend
Romain Ntamack’s injury is a shock to everyone
Our task at the World Cup got a bit more difficult after we lost Romain Ntamack to a knee injury.
It was a shock to everyone. Fabien Galthie told everyone and it was just a total shock. We thought it was a minor injury, but unfortunately the cruciate ligament is a vital part of your body.
He has had a scan and as soon as you get the images back you know what’s going on. There’s no guesswork. It was bad news.
I feel with Romain because he is a model professional in the way he takes care of his body and prepares for competitions. You felt the whole place drop their shoulders when we found out. He’s such a popular person, but also a great player who controls a lot of our game.
He has a calming influence on our team; kicks at the right time, passes at the right time and he’s one of the best defensive 10s in the world. He is a big boy who likes to get things done. I feel for him and I feel for his family.
It’s a heartbreaking feeling to lose one of your best players and you feel for the boy himself.
It reminded me of my first UK tour in 1988. I was 21 and all my life I had been training to tour Australia. In the first game against Papua New Guinea I injured my knee and then I had to go home. It still bothers me to this day.
Someone else will have to intervene and we will just have to do our best. There is no doubt that there was an atmosphere of despondency. It is now up to us as coaches to get the players back on their feet as soon as possible.
France’s fly-half, Romain Ntmack (pictured), has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup due to a knee injury
The number 10 (pictured) tore his anterior cruciate ligament during France’s 30-27 win against Scotland
Fabien Galthie (pictured) and his side are in shock after losing their playmaker, but will have to find a replacement ahead of the tournament
France, set to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, will take on New Zealand in what will be an electric curtain for the event
Les Bleus, who have been drawn in Pool A four of the tournament, will face the All Blacks, Italy, Uruguay and Namibia in the Group Stage
The draw for the World Cup has been unilateral
We don’t have long to go now. In the back of our minds, we have been preparing for the competition in New Zealand for two or three months now.
It is a very important game, but probably even more important is the match against Italy in the second round. If it doesn’t go our way against New Zealand, that duel with Italy will be vital. The same goes for Ireland, when they take on Scotland after South Africa.
New Zealand have been improving over the past year since they changed coaches and got a new front row. They are doing great, but we have also had some very good periods.
The draw ended a bit lopsided. It seems a little unfair that the top five teams are on the same side of the draw, but that’s the hand we’ve been dealt. As we see, we just have to deal with the challenges ahead.