Rugby is a game that some belief has a darker side. There is an old saying, which has a lot of truth to it, that football is a gentleman’s game played by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen. There are some bad habits that have wormed their way into the sport, much to the dismay of officials and fans.
Many fans called it a dive
In Munster’s European Champions Cup quarter-final match against Edinburgh, former Scarlets star Tadhg Beirne collided with Pierre Schoeman and took a tumble. The referee gave the penalty and Munster ended up scoring a try that led to the game going in their favor.
Afterward, critics and fans slammed Beirne for this so-called dive. Television pundit David Flatman had some particularly harsh words to say; however, in an interview, Beirne denied any wrongdoing. Former rugby union player Ugo Monye suggested the penalty could have been reversed to demonstrate the referee’s disgust at both players’ performances on the pitch.
Pacific Islands may boycott the tournament
The Pacific Islands have become breeding farms, producing some of the top talents in the sport. From Fiji to Tonga and Samoa, the players are snapped up by the well-off clubs around Europe and they are prevented from playing for their home countries during international windows.
The Pacific Islands are considering boycotting this year’s Rugby World Cup over plans to change the international Test calendar – plans that overlook the Pacific Islands. Officials have been working on creating a new format comprising 12 countries to come into effect in 2020. These countries are England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Argentina, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, the US, Australia, and Japan.
In contrast, according to Premier Rugby, an inclusivity program is celebrating its success, having reached the goal of 25,000 new players.
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Officials are often made into scapegoats; however, it is important to remember that the referee is not biased and that losing is the fault of the team.
