Shugs. I agree, I was astonished that the game restarted with a scum to Italy without so much as checking with the TMO, particularly as to add insult to (serious) injury, Italy scored from the scrum.
I don't want to have a go at Negri, you shouldn't punish the outcome of an infringement unless you are sure there was malice and I don't think for a second that he had any intention of injuring Jack, he was doing what every player is doing these days due to how the breakdown is coached and refereed. If you consider the laws, for a start, Jack was first to the ball, was on his feet and should have won possession so there's a very strong argument for a pen to England for not releasing, or the scrum should have gone to England as the team in possession at the moment the injury took place. Negri definitely went straight off his feet, penalty offence. Not quite as clear cut but looked very much like he was in at the side, also a penalty, and there was plenty of quoting of Law 9.20a, foul play at the ruck at the weekend after Scotland's red card; "A player must not charge into a ruck or maul." It is intended to outlaw head contact but it also describes Negri's actions. It does mention that "Charging includes any contact made without binding onto another player in the ruck or maul" so perhaps it's not applicable as he obviously grabbed Jack, it depends whether you call tackling someone which is essentially what he did, "binding".
So, there's at least one, clear-cut 100% certain infringement and potentially up to 3 others so to not even review the incident is ridiculous. Completely agree that they cannot continue to allow this sort of thing, rugby is quite dangerous enough already.
Always a Wasp
