Gregor Townsend fumes over ‘disappointing’ officiating at the Rugby World Cup

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has taken aim at the officials after his side’s 45-17 victory over Tonga on Sunday.

Townsend took exception to the decisions of the officials after Affusipa Taumoepeau was yellow-carded for his tackle on Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie.

Townsend unhappy with head contacts

The Foul Play Review Bunker reviewed the incident and judged that there was enough mitigation to not upgrade his sin bin to a red card.

In the final 10 minutes of the match, Tonga’s Vaea Fifita was also sin-binned, but his tackle was deemed to reach the red card threshold and was upgraded by the bunker soon after the final whistle.

“I don’t know if we will get an explanation,” Townsend said when asked why the tackle on Ritchie was not upgraded to a red card.

“The referee explained that there was mitigation in terms of height when he explained why it was just a yellow.

“Jamie has obviously failed his in-game HIA and wasn’t able to return to the field, so it’s very disappointing that our captain, one of our key players, was hit in the head and had to be removed from the game.”

He added: “That’s twice now that’s happened; against South Africa, Jack Dempsey got hit in the head, nothing happened that day, and today it was only a yellow card.

“I just don’t understand what the bunker and the three officials there and the TMO to say whether it’s a red card or not; what they are looking at.

“They are trying to look at ways to not give red cards rather than referee what isn’t a legal tackle and should be a red card, in my opinion.”

Afusipa Taumoepeau sees yellow for this tackle which is now being reviewed! 🟨

Will this be upgraded to red? 🟥#RWC2023 | #SCOvTGA pic.twitter.com/dQhAaloX0V

— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) September 24, 2023

Foul Play Review Bunker issues

The Foul Play Review Bunker has not impressed the Scotland boss during the World Cup.

The new system was added to speed up on-field decisions around foul play when called upon by the referee.

“It has not been delivered as what I thought it would be, which is only if the referee at the time isn’t sure whether there is a yellow card or a red card,” Townsend said.

“I don’t believe there has been a red card issued by the referee yet (at the World Cup); they have all gone to the bunker.

“I suppose it is to help the referees when they are not sure whether there is a red or yellow card, but it’s taking the game away from the referees to make those decisions.

“If there is mitigation for a player who runs into contact and gets hit in the head, I don’t see it.

“It is supposed to be a late or sudden movement, just Jamie didn’t even carry the ball that low and gets hit in the head, and this is our showcase, our opportunity to show what is legal and what is illegal, what we want out of the game.

“That’s two tackles now, both upright, both hit the head of our players; one had no sanction, not even a penalty, and the second one just had a yellow card. I don’t think that’s good enough.”

Townsend added that Ritchie is set to miss Scotland’s clash with Romania as he goes through the return-to-play protocols. He is set to be available for Scoltand’s crunch Pool B clash against Ireland on October 7.

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