Rugby fans were once again left baffled after Leinster somehow escaped sanction for a high shot in their United Rugby Championship clash with the Dragons.
In the 75th minute of the game at Rodney Parade, the Welsh region were pressurising the Irish province’s line looking to level matters.
The Dragons were 17-10 in arrears at the time but a converted try would have set up a thrilling finale.
They thought they would be getting a helping hand when Leinster forward Scott Penny’s shoulder collided with the head of Levi Douglas.
While Penny did wrap and Douglas was falling, it was a high degree of danger and there was plenty of force involved.
Not even a penalty
Many expected there to be some sort of sanction but referee Morne Ferreira did not even deem it to be worthy of a penalty.
The game changed on that moment as the visitors cleared their lines and secured the victory a couple of minutes later through RG Snyman’s try.
It proved to be the big talking point from Friday’s action after a November Test campaign which has seen some real inconsistency in the implementation of the laws.
“Dragons captain and everyone watching rightly in shock as Scott Penny’s high tackle is deemed not foul play,” Irish presenter and journalist Will Slattery wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“What on earth is going on with rugby at the moment? No match is safe from a game-altering foul play error.”
There is a certain irony that it was a South African official who made the call given that they were the most involved in the controversy.
Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert were given permanent red cards for high shots against France and Italy respectively, but the latter had his rescinded.
That caused an outcry in the Republic, but they were then fortunate a week later when Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu escaped a card when his should connected with the chest/head area of Tommy O’Brien.
Disciplinary inconsistency
This latest incident once again adds to the confusion over rugby’s disciplinary process with fans, journalists, pundits, players and coaches unsure as to what will and won’t be penalised.
“I can absolutely understand how Dragons capt is not only v confused about the lack of card for Scott Penny, but also that there is ‘no foul play’???” another Irish journalist, Andy McGeady, wrote.
“Rugby is in a really bad place when it comes to how players, fans, and media can actually engage with its laws about head contact.”
Meanwhile, South Africa writer Brenden Nel wrote: “Just seen the Scott Penny ‘tackle’ – how that wasn’t a red is beyond me. How that wasn’t even considered ‘foul play’ is a joke. Rugby is really in trouble unless we get some clarity.”
Another person added: “Leinster got away with murder with that Scott Penny elbow being a non penalty.”
Even Leinster supporters were confused with one writing: “As a Leinster man, have to say that was a scandalous decision. If it was other way round, I’d have been screaming for a card. That it took the wind out of the sails of a potentially equalising score & a penalty that resulted in a win feels tainted. I understand the grievance.”
Another observer added: “What a farcical decision in the Leinster match after that Scott Penny tackle to the face. Should’ve been a yellow and penalty try.”
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