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Samoan players are in serious trouble for foul play. Two players who were yellow carded in the win over Russia on Tuesday have been cited and a third has received a warning by the citing commissioner.
Center Rey Lee-Loo and hooker Motu Matu’u were yellow carded by referee Romain Poite (France) for foul play. Both players made no-arms tackles which saw direct shoulder to head contract to their Russian opponents. The incidents were direct violations of law 9.13 and constitute a red card offense.
In both instances Poite was talked down from a red card to a yellow card by TMO Graeme Hughes (England). The calamity caused by Hughes favored Samoa notably as neither man had the right, under the laws of the game, to continue playing the match.
Both Lee-Lo and Matu’u now face bans for foul play. Following today’s three-week suspension of Australia’s Reece Hodge consistency implies that the Rugby World Cup is over for both Samoan offenders.
Russia had been leading the match against Samoa at half-time. This is an indication of the seriousness of the influence that TMO Graeme Hughes had on the officiating.
For Samoa the foul play went further as winger Ed Fidow received a warning from the citing commissioner for foul play. He was shown on camera throwing a punch which is a breach of law 9.12. It was a yellow card offense and thereby allows Fidow to play in Samoa’s remaining RWC matches.
Samoa’s second match is to be on Monday, September 30 against Scotland in Kobe. From there the Pacific Islanders will face Japan in Toyota on October 05 and Ireland in Fukuoka on October 12.
