Here are your rugby evening headlines on Monday, February 28
Former Test coach slams the 'muppets' running rugby
Former Scotland coach Matt Williams has hit out at the “muppets” who run rugby in the wake of the farcical scenes during the Ireland-Italy Six Nations clash.
The Italians finished the game with just 12 men as they went down to a 57-6 Six Nations defeat at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
That followed them losing two players after the sending off of replacement hooker Hame Faiva for a high hit on Dan Sheehan in the 18th minute.
With starting No 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi already off injured, Italy were forced to go for uncontested scrums and the laws state when a red card contributes to that situation, the offending team has to lose another player.
So, after much confusion, Italy were reduced to 13 men and ended up with just 12 after replacement flanker Bram Steyn was yellow carded late on.
Speaking on Virgin Media Sport, former Leinster and Scotland coach Williams said: “We’ve got to be the only team sport on the planet that constantly shoots ourselves in the foot.
“If that’s the first game of rugby you’re watching, you are not going to watch a second.
“Many of our laws are no longer fit for purpose. The players out there and the officials on the field are not to blame. They are simply implementing the law.
“Italy were so unjustly punished to be put down to 13 men.
“The loser was not Italy or Ireland. The game of rugby lost, on the international stage.”
The Aussie added: “I would think that law (is an easy fix), but what I’m astounded by is the muppets have left it in there!
“Why hasn’t that been fixed? That’s their job.
“It is such a damning statement on our game what occurred out there.”
Brian Moore says stoppages marred 101-minute England-Wales game
Brian Moore says the England-Wales clash at Twickenham was marred as a spectacle by stoppages that saw it taking 101 minutes to complete.
Writing in The Telegraph, he was particularly critical of the length of time taken up by scrums during a match that saw the hosts triumph 23-19.
“In the end, the Twickenham crowd were given a tense end to a game that was won by England but which, for lengthy periods, was frustratingly disjointed,” said the former Lions hooker.
“The responsibility for this unevenness lay with both teams, who made too many unforced errors, and the officials.
“An 80-minute game actually took 101 minutes to play. Even accounting for the fact that there were two longish breaks for injury, there were other long bouts of inactivity which marred the spectacle, including a turgid first half which did nothing to promote rugby to any but its most avid supporters.
“Two sets of scrums took six minutes to complete, including one which ran down nearly three minutes off the Liam Williams sin-bin clock.
“What made this even more frustrating was that in some areas the referee, Mike Adamson, was admirably sharp in enforcing the law.
“If he had refereed the scrums in the same way he did the breakdown, we would have been spared the interminable delays and repeat offenders would have been yellow carded.”
Moore said Wales had delivered “an admirable riposte” in fighting back from 17-0 down, but added it was disappointing it took them so long to find their attacking fluency.
He picked out Welsh wing Alex Cuthbert as “the most potent attacker on the pitch” and said Taulupe Faletau was “remarkable, given he had just returned from injury”.
Welsh regional star signs new deal
Ospreys back three star Mat Protheroe has signed a new two-year deal to stay with his home region.
The Swansea-born 25-year-old has proved a valuable acquisition since coming on board from Bristol in 2020.
He has made 27 appearances at full-back or wing, scoring five tries, exciting fans with his speedy counter-attacking and elusive running.
Commenting on his contract extension, he said: “This was a really easy decision for me.
“I came home to play for the Ospreys and to prove myself and I have had the opportunity to do that.
“We have a really exciting blend of world class players like, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, and then this crop of younger players who are proving themselves all the time.
“There is no doubt we are going to get stronger and stronger as a team and as a squad. I really want to be part of that.
“I just hope I have repaid the faith people have shown in me, in and outside of rugby, and have done them proud.”
Head coach Toby Booth said: “Mat has been fully committed to the Ospreys from the outset and proved his ability and value in a highly competitive position in our squad.
“We all know the sight of Proth in full flow is one that excites Ospreys supporters and his team-mates. Players like him are the reason we all watch this game.”
Spain on course for Rugby World Cup
Spain have moved a major step closer to qualifying for their first Rugby World Cup since 1999.
Over the weekend, they beat Romania 38-21 in Madrid to climb to second in the Rugby Europe Championship table behind leaders Georgia.
That means they are on course for a place in Pool B at next year’s finals in France, alongside holders South Africa, Ireland and Scotland.
Try scoring back-row Matthew Foulds said: “We are feeling the pressure, but we like the pressure and want to qualify for the World Cup.
“We saw this game and the one to come against Portugal as two finals, we have won one and now we have to focus on the next one.”
Romania head coach Andy Robinson, the ex-England and Scotland boss, said: “Spain deserved the victory in this match. We were off our game and made too many errors.”
To get the latest rugby news and analysis, sign up for our Welsh rugby newsletter.
