Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia has slammed the officiating of the incident involving Faf de Klerk and Nic White during the Test between South Africa and Australia in Adelaide.
White has copped plenty of criticism for milking a harmless swipe from De Klerk that led to the Springbok halfback being yellow-carded during Australia’s victory over South Africa in the third round of the Rugby Championship.
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The incident took place towards the end of the first half when De Klerk, trying to disrupt the ball from a Wallabies scrum inside their 22, accidentally made contact with White’s jaw.
White exaggerated the impact and a bemused De Klerk was subsequently sent to the sin bin.
“Faf’s tried to tap the ball out of Whitey’s hand and he got it wrong and slapped his face,” Wallabies centurion Genia wrote in his column for The Roar.
“The referees have to be able to make a decision based on being out there – seeing and understanding the circumstances.
“What are we playing? Are we playing touch?
“Yes, it was penalty. But there’s no malice, no bad intention. It’s not a high degree of force and he’s just trying to make a normal rugby play. Penalty, go back 10. To go through that whole process and it’s a yellow card? That’s an atrocious decision. I hate that that’s the way the game is going.
“A referee like Nigel Owens probably says, ‘OK, I’m giving Australia a penalty because there’s contact with the face. Whitey, I don’t want to see that again. Faf, I understand what you’re trying to do, but you have to understand it’s a penalty’.
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“It had a huge impact on the game because losing a halfback is significant. It’s like losing two players, because not only are you missing the link between forwards and backs, you lose the person who has to come in to play that role. South Africa sent their wingers in at halfback, robbing them of the width and making them much easier to defend.”
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