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Home / Sport / Rugby / All Blacks

All Blacks bias? A look through red-card history

NZ Herald
18 Jun, 2018 12:36 AM5 mins to read

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Benjamin Fall looks on. Photo / Getty Images

Benjamin Fall looks on. Photo / Getty Images

Fresh debates have arisen surrounding referees favouring the All Blacks after Benjamin Fall was controversially red-carded on Saturday.

Fall became the 10th player to be sent-off against the All Blacks, meanwhile, only three All Blacks have ever been sent off.

Gardner and TMO George Ayoub punished Fall with a red after he made accidental contact with Beauden Barrett contesting for a highball.

The red card was deemed unworthy by many fans and players and former All Black Cory Jane believes decisions like that are killing the game.

"We want to look after the players, but it is a contact sport," Jane told Radio Sport Mornings with Jason Pine.

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"There's going to be unfortunate situations where some things don't go the way they should.

"If we try to police everything to the letter of the law, then it's going to be a boring game for people watching and probably for the people on the field."

Benjamin Fall receives a red card from Referee Angus Gardner. Photo / Getty Images
Benjamin Fall receives a red card from Referee Angus Gardner. Photo / Getty Images

Over the past decade, World Rugby has slowly edged out the prospect of referees using common sense when judging infringements.

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Fall joined an experienced list of players who say red against the All Blacks, but his walk of shame wasn't as deserving as his new counterparts.

Refereeing is terrible in the All Blacks vs France game. Biased. The greatest weapon in the All Blacks armoury @SkySportsRugby @WorldRugby @TheRugbyPod #NZvFRA #NZLvFRA

— Warren Bennett (@warben123) June 16, 2018

Totally biased because when was the last time ABs were red carded for deliberate foul play? Could have been in Grosso incident last week, but no, they Clinton out of jail again because WR suck up to ABs.

— Sean Jefferies (@SeanJeff1973) June 16, 2018

#NZFRA Red card is probably ok but what really makes me sick is the knowledge that if the roles had been reversed & an @AllBlacks player had dumped someone on the head the officials would have awarded the AB with a penalty. This very biased reffing in AB matches is killing rugby!

— Michael Jones 🇺🇦 (@mickjones61) June 16, 2018

He joins a list of head-stompers, punchers and high-tacklers, but his mid-air collision isn't worthy of the mortification that the likes of Jamie Heaslip and Simon Shaw deserve.

A steady incline of soft red cards against players can be easily observed in the past decade and have resulted in games becoming write-offs.

Wales' 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign was ruined after their captain Sam Warburton was red-carded for a tip tackle against the French that split rugby fans.

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Bismarck Du Plessis hits Dan Carter. Photo / Getty Images
Bismarck Du Plessis hits Dan Carter. Photo / Getty Images

In 2013 South African hooker Bismarck du Plessis was unfairly sent from the field in the 42nd minute after he received two yellow cards against the All Blacks.

He first received one in the 16th minute for one of the best tackles ever, smashing an unexpecting Dan Carter into the turf.

Du Plessis hit Carter on the shoulder in what referee Romain Poite deemed was a high tackle without any arms and deserved a yellow card - it didn't.

His second offence came in the 42nd minute after he fended off Liam Messam with his elbow, which earned him his second card and in turn a red from Poite.

Fellow Springbok Damian de Allende was sent off in a match against the All Blacks last year after he made late and high contact with Lima Sopoaga.

Sonny Bill Williams is shown a red card. Photo / Getty Images
Sonny Bill Williams is shown a red card. Photo / Getty Images

The International Rugby Board and Sanzaar both deemed both incidents to be undeserving of yellow cards respectively.

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The only three All Blacks red carded throughout their history are Cyril Brownlie, Colin Meads and Sonny Bill Williams.

Williams made history during the British and Irish Lions series when he became the first All Black since Meads in 1967 to be sent from the pitch.

Before the incidents to Fall, Allende and du Plessis, those playing against the All Blacks were sent from the field for proper, red card worthy, offences.

Jamie Heaslip was sent off in the 16th minute of a Test in 2012 for unleashing on Richie McCaw by hitting the All Blacks captain several times with his knee.

Simon Shaw was red carded in 2004 after kneeing Keith Robinson in a ruck after just 11 minutes.

Danny Grewcock was later cited for stomping Dan Carter in the head during the same game - missing out on receiving a penalty.

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Referee Wayne Erickson gives Danny Grewcock the red card. Photo / Getty Images
Referee Wayne Erickson gives Danny Grewcock the red card. Photo / Getty Images

In 1999 Frenchman Jean-Jacques Crenca was sent off for stomping on current Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson directly in front of the referee.

While he missed a card in 2004, Grewcock was ordered off the field in 1998 after half an hour for kicking Anton Oliver in the head and copped a five-week ban.

South African Andre Venter vented his frustrations on Sean Fitzpatrick by stomping on his face repeatedly in 1997. Bill Cavubati was sent off during Fiji's 71-5 drubbing in the same year.

Huw Richards was sent from the field during the 1987 World Cup after he punched Gary Whetton following an elbow he received from the Kiwi.

Wayne Shelford took matters into his own hands at the time and knocked out Richards with a swinging hook and didn't receive a card.

Red cards against the All Blacks

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Benjamin Fall (France), Westpac Stadium, 2018
Damian de Allende (South Africa), Cape Town, 2017
Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), Eden Park, 2013
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), New Plymouth, 2012
Simon Shaw (England), Eden Park, 2004
Jean-Jacques Crenca (France), Athletic Park, 1999
Danny Grewcock (England), Carisbrook 1998
Andre Venter (South Africa), Eden Park, 1997
Bill Cavubati (Fiji), Albany, 1997
Huw Richards (Wales), Brisbane, 1987

Red cards from the All Blacks

Cyril Brownlie (vs England), Twickenham Stadium, 1925
Colin Meads (vs Scotland), Murrayfield, 1967
Sonny Bill Williams (vs British & Irish Lions), Westpac Stadium, 2017

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