England vs Australia

England Lowers The Shoulder, Fiji Lowers The Boom

England Lowers The Shoulder, Fiji Lowers The Boom

A recap of Autumn Internationals

Nov 25, 2018 by Alex Goff
England Lowers The Shoulder, Fiji Lowers The Boom

England won fairly comprehensively against Australia Saturday in a game you saw LIVE on FloRugby, but the game turned somewhat on a disputed call regarding a no-wrap tackle by England's Owen Farrell.

Hmm ... where have we seen that before?

Farrell ended his team's 12-11 win over South Africa with a tackle tat many felt was an illegal no-wrap challenge. In that game he was not penalized at all and England won. Against Australia, he was penalized, hitting lock Izack Rodda just as Rodda was about to go over the line for a try.

See England vs Australia On-Demand

Many, including English commentator Wayne Barnes, felt that should have been a yellow card and a penalty try (foul play preventing a sure try). But referee Jaco Peyper, from South Africa, ruled the tackle was a penalty only, saying that because Rodda had lowered a shoulder (as any good ballcarrier is taught to do) he was partly to blame.

The decision cost Australia a penalty try and some momentum, and Australia head coach Michael Cheika wasn't happy, calling Peyper's decision "ludicrous."


Cheika, who is 4-9 this year at the Wallabies' helm, stopped short of saying the decision cost his team the game. 

"England were the better team and had us under pressure for a long time but we defended well," said Cheika. "However, the justification that Rodda tried to take him (Farrell) on with his shoulder is ludicrous, that is what happens when you carry the ball.

"The other week at a referees conference they said that Farrell's effort to tackle without the ball at the end of the South Africa Test should have been a penalty. Well this was three penalties."

Australia also had a try disallowed after it had been awarded and the conversion was about to be attempted. That, Cheika indicated, was mostly an annoyance. But, he added, that while that try was called back by the TMO, the Farrell tackle did not go up t the booth.

"I was enquiring for management below on the touchline to ask why it wasn't being looked at they replied time is up and that reason is not good enough," said Cheika. "I am not sure if we are doing something particularly wrong in our coaching but we have had some pretty significant calls against us this year."

Australian captain Michael Hooper was also left astonished that the Farrell shoulder charge was not referred back upstairs.

"I was surprised it was turned around against us," said Hooper. "As a ball carrier, you carry with your shoulder. Simple as. I was surprised there was no luck at it. We were waiting for the TMO to have a look but there was not a look, which I thought was quite surprising."

Meanwhile, Fiji shocked France 21-14 in another game shown on FloRugby. France trailed just before halftime 12-7, but four minutes past the hooter managed to maul it over to take a 14-12 lead. 

See Frances vs Fiji On-Demand

However, Fiji's defense and France's inability to execute left Les Bleus scoreless in the second half, and three penalty goals sealed it for Fiji.


Ireland rode a 33-0 second half to beat the USA 57-14 in a game that was tied 30 minutes in. Wales beat South Africa, New Zealand blew out Italy, and in a game also on FloRugby (but a kind of dull game), Scotland edged Argentina 14-9.