The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Jones won’t contest referee rulings
WALES 40 ENGLAND 24
England have opted against lodging an official complaint to World Rugby over the performance of Pascal Gauzere in Saturday’s 40-24 defeat by Wales.
Gauzere awarded Wayne Pivac’s Grand Slam hopefuls two dubious tries in the opening half an hour of the Six Nations clash at the Principality Stadium, the first of which was particularly controversial.
Ex-England captain Martin Johnson called the French official’s decision to allow Josh Adams’s 17th-minute try “appalling refereeing”, and even ex-Wales skipper Sam
Warburton said Eddie Jones’s team were right to be “livid”.
However, it is understood Jones will not be making a formal complaint to the sport’s global governing body despite widespread condemnation of Gauzere.
Yesterday, debate continued over whether Liam Williams’s 30th-minute try was legitimate because of a likely knock-on by Louis Rees-Zammit in the build-up.
But Adams’s score was more cut and dried, with England captain Owen Farrell addressing his team over their indiscipline as instructed by Gauzere, only for the referee to quickly restart play, letting Dan Biggar hoist the scoring cross-field kick.
The visitors, including their wings Jonny May and Anthony Watson, had moved infield to hear Farrell speak and there were a number of water carriers on the pitch when Gauzere blew his whistle. A frustrated Farrell protested to Gauzere but to no avail.
“They’re huge decisions. We can’t debate it, we are not allowed to debate it. All I will end up with is a fine and that won’t help anyone,” Jones said after the game.
“They get points maybe they don’t deserve and we have to fight to get back into the game.
“It makes it difficult and you have to be good enough to overcome it.
“Whenever you get beaten and bettered by a penalty, then discipline an issue.
“But there were bigger issues in the game than that, and I will let you discuss them.”
For all the controversy, England produced their best rugby of the Six Nations to force their way back into contention, with Ben Youngs dummying his way over in the 62nd minute to draw the game level at 24-24.
A grandstand finish awaited but Wales closed out the match with steely professionalism, scoring 16 unanswered points including a late Cory Hill try as they profited from their opponents’ kamikaze discipline.
It was the most points is
Wales have scored against their fiercest rivals since fixtures began between the two countries 140 years ago.
The self-destructive final penalty count was 14-9 against England, who have conceded a ruinous average of 13.6 penalties per game across the first three rounds.
According to Youngs, it is this statistic rather than Gauzere’s blundering that explains a second defeat of the tournament after Scotland emerged similarly convincing winners in the Calcutta Cup debacle of the opening weekend.
“Our ill-discipline was the theme of the game. We got ourselves in a position to kick on and try to win but unfortunately we just couldn’t eradicate poor discipline,” Youngs said.
“When you give away easy points you’re going to be putting yourself under pressure and eventually they were able to claw ahead.
“Credit to Wales for capitalising, but our discipline wasn’t where we’d expect it to be. It was very similar to when we played Scotland.
“That’s the most disappointing thing for me and it’s something we need to get hold of quickly and eradicate from our game.”
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones insists there is no Grand Slam chat in his team’s camp despite moving closer to another Six Nations clean sweep.
Victories over Italy and France next month would secure Wales’s sixth Six Nations title and fifth Grand Slam.
Triple Crown silverware is already in their trophy cabinet, courtesy of the win over England, but coach Wayne Pivac has stressed that Wales will not be getting ahead of themselves, so skipper Jones has mirrored his coach’s approach.
“There is no talk of that (Grand Slam),” Jones said. “We didn’t really talk a lot about the Triple Crown this week.
“We came into this competition off the back of a disappointing Autumn
Nations Cup, although it was about the strength in depth and giving players an opportunity.
“Italy historically get better as the competition goes on. They will be hurting from the defeats they’ve had, so that is our next focus.
“Momentum is important, we are pleased with the results, but anything after that is going to be muted.
“Sometimes after you win a game you would like another straight after to keep momentum going.
“We are faced with a challenge with the fallow week before a big game against Italy, and it is about what we do, not what we’ve done.”
Aberdeen Assassin Lee McAllister was “devastated” after his scheduled fight in Ghana was cancelled at short notice.
However, he revealed he will fight next Sunday in Ghanaian capital Accra.
The 38-year-old was set to face Ghana’s Korley Collison yesterday evening.
McAllister had flown out to another continent in a bid to fight, having had eight bouts cancelled in the UK due to the pandemic.
He is undergoing regular Covid-19 tests in Ghana and was tested on leaving the UK and arrival in Accra.
On the eve of McAllister’s six-round fight the entire bill was cancelled due to two boxers on the card testing positive for coronavirus.
Aberdeen fighters Kenny Allan and Craig Dick, who jetted out with McAllister, were also set to box on the bill.
McAllister said: “We are all devastated and absolutely gutted.
“The two away opponents who came in to fight the two boxers at the top of the bill on the show have tested positive.
“They were then struggling to get quality opponents to come in at such short notice.
“Rather than have belowpar fights they decided to call off the whole show.
“With the two top fights being off they have cancelled the whole show as they couldn’t get replacements in with the coronavirus tests in time.”
McAllister revealed he has now secured a bout next Sunday in Ghana.
That will give him extra time to acclimatise to the 30 degree plus heat.
McAllister said: “We are fighting next Sunday, though, so we are looking forward to that.
“Having this weekend’s fights cancelled could work out positively as we have an extra week now to get ready for our fights.
“Sometimes things happen for a reason, so this will also give us a chance to get used to the heat.
“We will use that time to keep ourselves in tip-top shape.”
Former European lightheavyweight champion Danny McIntosh, whom McAllister now manages, also flew out to Ghana to fight.
Meanwhile, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will face Billy Joe Saunders in May seeking to become the undisputed super-middleweight world champion after his victory over Avni Yildirim on Saturday night.
Alvarez needed only three rounds to see off WBC mandatory challenger Yildirim in Miami, defending his WBC and WBA titles.
Within hours of the win a bout with WBO champion Saunders was confirmed for May 8 in a venue to be determined. “We want to unify the division,” Alvarez said.
“He’s a world champion; we want to go for it and we need to go for it. He’s a very difficult fighter and has a championship, the WBO.
“People talk but I’m a very mature fighter and I know how to control myself.
“All I need to do is go into the ring, win and make history.”
Saunders, who boasts a 30-0 record, will be defending his title for a third time after most recently sending Martin Murray into retirement with a comprehensive win.
“Canelo, I’m ready to rock and roll,” the 31-yearold said. “You have to dare to be great and you aren’t going to be a great if you don’t beat the greats.
“I believe I am the only one with the footwork, knowhow, skillset, mindset and brain to unlock that door in Canelo.
“He’s the main man in the sport and the face of boxing.
“You have to give him respect, he hasn’t ducked anyone, he’s beaten good names, but nobody is unbeatable, and I believe I have got the tools to beat him if I use them properly.”
Alvarez made light work of Yildirim in Miami, securing victory when the Turk retired late in the third round.
Alvarez had a strong start as he hit Yildirim with a big left hook then spent the remainder of the first round working the Turk’s body.
Yildirim copped more shots in the second as Canelo continued the punishment.
The challenger was then knocked down by a straight right in the third.
Yildirim got up but his corner waved the fight off moments later, marking the third loss in the Turk’s 24-fight career.