Wales team to face England at Twickers

Part of the problem is the number of people who seem to be appointed to these panels  This series of internationals might well have got away with one panel of 3 but definitely no more than 6, operating on a different mix each week scenario. Then they can be instructed and trained to resist the silver-tongued KCs. And there might actually be some consistency of sentence between first and second tier teams.

GPR - Rochester wrote: I think Gwyn Jones summed it up very well in his latest piece for WOL. The way Fagerson was given a smaller ban than his previous ban for being sent off for the same offence was farcical, Farrell's decision appears to be nonsensical & Sexton's lenient treatment when compared to the 11 weeks given to the former England captain Hartley for calling the ref a cheat suggests that making sure tier one teams arrive at the World Cup fully loaded takes precedence over protecting players from serious head injury & confirming the status of the officials. In a couple of words "it stinks".

Thats less than the last ban of 6 matches. Quite a shocking decison. Should be 12wks. Double each ban.

The game last Saturday for which he was available, but not selected, counts as one of the four. Total joke.

reesytheexile wrote: Rob Hunt wrote: The game last Saturday for which he was available, but not selected, counts as one of the four. Total joke. He would never have been able to play that game once the appeal was known. He would also have missed some training. It was right to take him out.He would ordinarily have played if not for this offence issue

Rob Hunt wrote: reesytheexile wrote: Rob Hunt wrote: The game last Saturday for which he was available, but not selected, counts as one of the four. Total joke. He would never have been able to play that game once the appeal was known. He would also have missed some training. It was right to take him out.He would ordinarily have played if not for this offence issue  The appeal committee stated that they included the Irish game in the four match ban as he voluntarily stood down once the appeal was made. Do you honestly think that if he’d have been sent off in the World Cup semifinal he would have voluntarily stood down for the final to await the appeal’s decision.

They did the right thing as Farrell would have had the appeal in his mind and of course the Irish players would see him as a possible weak link that game. Also as mentioned,I gather he missed some training as well. These top games to me are not ‘only’ warm ups. All games count to pro players. His folly may also cost him his place.As to the hypothesis you raised I really don’t know. It would depend on his state of mind at the time imo but I guess that England might take the risk. I’m sure Gatland would.Just my opinion of course Farrell will remain a much observed / scrutinised player in the WC but of course, he is the author of his own misfortune!

Edited by reesytheexile - 23 August 2023 at 10:35am

Legendinmybathroom wrote: So England go into the opening game of the World Cup against Argentina (a top tier country) without their captain and main goal kicker and their talismanic no8, both due to bans for dangerous high tackles. As a result of the bans and the way the fixtures pan out, they could struggle to make it out of the group stages or may just scrap through as runners up but then face a much tougher route to the latter stages.