Red card laws are turning fans toward League, claims Botica
FORMER dual code star Frano Botica has blamed rugby’s red card laws for fans in New Zealand seemingly turning to League.
Four of the seven red cards issued to All Black players in the history of Test rugby have come since November 2020, with Angus Ta’avao’s dismissal in the 23-12 defeat to Ireland in July the latest.
Botica, who won seven caps for the All Blacks in the late 1980s before making a code switch with an all-star Wigan team, believes the NRL is commanding more of an audience because of the way the game is officiated and says enough is enough.
“It’s not just with New Zealand but in general some of these red cards for accidental or high shots are ridiculous. You do a stand-up wrap tackle and accidentally clash heads and someone gets a red card. It’s ruins the game,” he lamented.
“No wonder people keep watching Rugby League down this way. What they do is if there is a head clash or a high tackle is put it on report and analyse it later but they won’t let it ruin the game unless it is a blatant bad shot like the South African winger on Beauden Barrett, which was stupid.”
Botica, 59, does not hold back when it comes to the All Blacks’ demise, either, blaming poor selection as the primary for the team’s miserable run of form.
“One of the best fullbacks in the world is Will Jordan and they don’t play
him at full-back, they put him on the wing or don’t play him at all. He needs to be full-back, and (Richie) Mo’unga should be 10.
“The captain (Sam Cane) isn’t the best seven we’ve got, we’ve got a number of sevens who are a lot better than he is and yet they are persisting with him, and there are a couple of props who should be starting. “So I think a lot of it is selection, I don’t know whether he (head coach Ian Foster) is stubborn but something needs to change.”
After their 26-10 defeat to South Africa last week, New Zealand slipped to their lowest-ever ranking of fifth and, for once, are unlikely to start a World Cup as favourites. But Botica says you dismiss them at your peril.
“The All Blacks will always be serious challengers in any World Cup, the challenge for them now is there are four or five other teams who on their day can win the World Cup.
“The French will be the favourites, but you never under-estimate the All Blacks. It won’t take much to change things slightly, and we’re still 14 months out. It could be a lack of a bit of confidence and it could also be putting the right players on the field.”