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Rugby

'They will come down on Joe Marler like a tonne of bricks' | Keith Wood on referee 'respect'

Keith Wood believes that Joe Marler is in for significant punishment after his grab at Alun Wyn J...



Rugby

'They will come down on Joe Marler like a tonne of bricks' | Keith Wood on referee 'respect'

Keith Wood believes that Joe Marler is in for significant punishment after his grab at Alun Wyn Jones' genitalia.

Speaking on Monday Night Rugby, Wood believes that it is inevitable that the authorities come down on Marler like 'a tonne of bricks', following his citation by World Rugby on Monday.

"Obviously, what Marler did - it is ludicrous to think that it is any part of the game. My belief is that they will come down on him like a tonne of bricks," Wood told Joe Molloy.

"He is going to get sanctioned for that. The other point is the one that Alun Wyn Jones made and is one that is very close to my heart.

"It is in relation to referees. With referees and captains, respect is a two-way street. The captain has to be able to talk to the referee.

"At any stage in the game, if he says 'I'm sorry, ref, there is something that I would like to have a discussion with you about' - if the referee respects the captain then he will answer him.

"Too many of the referees are dismissive. Admittedly, there is too much chat going on all the time and I imagine the referee is sick to death of listening to out-halves, in particular, shouting at them all the time.

"I would love to bring it back to the point of where there is a proper sanction. If a guy is shouting at the referee, march him back 10 yards, if he does it again - give him a yellow card.

"It would stop very quickly because you have to have an open line between the captain and the referee. Alun Wyn Jones did not seem to have an opportunity to discuss that at that moment in time.

"I thought that he showed unbelievable restraint in not decking the person that did it; if he did then he would have been sent off."

Tuilagi

That was by no means the only controversy of the match, as Manu Tuilagi was sent off for a high tackle on Wales' George North.

He has since been cited, but Eddie Jones was critical of the decision after the match.

“Manu was coming over the top to kill the tackle. It’s absolute rubbish and there is no common sense in such situations. Come on,” said Jones.

Wood gave his analysis on the incident.

"In the rush to make the tackle, [Tuilagi] is going full-tilt to get there. In the meantime, George North falls and stumbles again on the half-tackle. He makes a collision with the side of his head with his shoulder.

"You have to take George North out of this because he has a very poor history with concussion.

"As a tackle, it was just reckless as it wasn't a tackle. His arms were never in a position to enact a tackle.

"I think there is a small bit of mitigation because of the way he fell, but even then it wasn't a proper tackle."

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6 Nations Eddie Jones England Joe Marler Rugby Six Nations