Further Repercussions Arise from European RWC Qualifiers

Further repercussions have arisen from the Rugby Europe RWC Qualifiers controversy. The saga that erupted on March 18 has not faded away. Instead new information continues to surface.

Before new information was reported today, in the Spanish media, there was already a lot to the story. The following is a Time Line detailing the events prior to today.

• On February 18 Spain defeat Romania 22-10 in a RWC 2019 Qualifier.
• On February 19 Spain request a change of referees vs Belgium so as not to have Romanian officials, to ensure impartiality. Rugby Europe Referees Commissioner, Patrick Roben denies the request.
• On March 11 Spain defeat Germany 84-10 in a RWC 2019 Qualifier. With it they need to beat Belgium to officially qualify.
• On March 16 Marius van der Westhuizen is replaced as an assistant referee for Ireland vs England by World Rugby. He had refereed an England training session to which World Rugby acted ‘to avoid any additional unfair and unnecessary conjecture’.
• On March 18 Belgium defeat Spain 18-10 in a RWC 2019 Qualifier. The match was officiated by Vlad Iordachescu with fellow Romanians Radu Petrescu and Alexandru Ionescu as the assistant referees. Iordachescu was escorted from field amongst verbal and physical abuse from Spanish players angrily questioning his performance and neutrality.
• On March 18 Romania qualify for RWC 2019 as Europe 1
• On March 18 World Rugby states that Rugby Europe, not World Rugby appointed the referees.
• On March 19 World Rugby announces it is to investigate context of events from Belgium vs Spain.
• On March 20 Spain file an official complaint to World Rugby against Iordachescu asking for the match to be replayed.
• On March 23 World Rugby overturn result of Tahiti vs Cook Islands RWC qualifier after Tahiti is found to have fielded ineligible players, breaching Regulation 8. Cook Islands advance in RWC qualifying, Tahiti disqualified.
• On March 24 former Romania Head Coach Lynn Howells says Romanians should not have officiated Belgium vs Spain.
• On March 25 Germany Coach Pablo Lemoine states that Belgium had fielded an ineligible player against Germany on March 03, and names the player.
• On March 26 Bryan Ray details that former Tongan 7’s player Sione Faka’osilea was never eligible for Romania despite featuring heavily in the RWC Qualifiers.
• On March 27 it emerges that Belgium had played in RWC qualifiers with an additional ineligible player.
• On March 27 it emerges that the eligibility of a Spanish player has also been missed by Rugby Europe.
• On March 28 the eligibility of a second Spanish player is questioned.
• On March 28 Germany notes that serious issues surround the eligibility of players who played in 2018 RWC qualifiers for Belgium, Romania and Spain.
• On March 28 Rugby Europe postpone their decision over Belgium vs Spain for a second time.
• On March 29 Fermín de la Calle reports that Match Commissioner Michel Arpaillange was critical of the refereeing performance of Vlad Iordachescu, noting “two or three actions” which had a notable impact on the game and there having been a “continual bias” from Iordachescu.
• On March 29 Russia filed an official complaint to Rugby Europe and World Rugby about Sione Faka’osilea, demanding the cancellation of results of the Romania vs Russia RWC qualifiers.

Further repercussions unfolded today. Writing for Spanish publication El Confidencial Fermín de la Calle noted a number of important matters.

de la Calle notes that Rugby Europe has passed the decision making over both the replaying of Belgium vs Spain and Romania’s player eligibility to World Rugby.

He also writes that World Rugby High Performance Match Officials’ Manager, Alain Roland has reviewed Vlad Iordachescu’s refereeing performance from Belgium vs Spain and has concluded that: “Iordachescu will not return to officiating matches at that level”.

In regards to Sione Faka’osilea, de la Calle notes Russia’s complaint and says it will disqualify Romania from competing at RWC 2019. With it, he goes on to say that, Spain would take Romania’s place while Russia would enter repechage (if they beat Portugal).

Finally, de la Calle writes that Spain are facing notable sanctioning from World Rugby. Guillaume Rouet and Pierre Barthere, and there could be more, are to be cited for referee abuse. There is a possible ban for a number of Spanish players and some could be ruled out of competing at RWC by World Rugby.

Not addressed, however, is Spain’s selection of Mathieu Bélie or Bastien Fuster. Both players have come under question having previously represented France u20 in matches that should be considered binding according to World Rugby Regulation 8.