Swans south-coast shocker but Zohore soars again for Bluebirds
THERE is so much that can go wrong for visiting players on a trip to Paris to take on France. Ask Colm Tucker. A misprint in the France-Ireland programme in 1980 saw the letter ‘T’ in his name replaced by the letter ‘F’, and when the back rower came on as a replacement during the second half the announcer read out what was in front of him, much to the amusement of all present.
Tucker might have been able to laugh after that match.
But few Welsh players were in jovial mood after Saturday’s events in the French capital.
They had given their all and a bit more again, leading 18-13 as the game headed towards the 80-minute mark.
That’s when events all went more than a bit haywire, never more so than when France took off replacement prop Uini Atonio and brought on Rabah Slimani.
Was Atonio injured or was it anagainst-the-rules tactical switch?
Well, Rob Howley reckoned Atonio had told referee Wayne Barnes a minute or so earlier, in response to a question about whether the prop had an injury: “I’ve got a sore back, I’m OK.”
According to Wales, one of the French coaches had left the technical area — which he shouldn’t have done — had a word with a doctor and within seconds the said medical man had gone onto the field to take Atonio off, apparently for a head injury assessment.
How his back was, we can’t be sure.
The poor chap wouldn’t have known whether to take a Paracetamol to clear his fuzzy head or ask for a squirt of Ralgex to ease the pain in his dodgy back.
That’s assuming he had an injury in the first place.
Whatever, the authorities need to get to the bottom of the supposed bump and find out whether it was phantom or not.
If it was a made-up injury — and that might be difficult to prove — the French should have the book thrown at them, and then some more.
Has it really come a point where winning means that much in the Six Nations, the oldest and grandest rugby tournament of the lot, that a team apparently feels the need to resort to ruses which, if proven, are hopelessly outside the rules?
If so, it is a sad day for rugby and a sad day for sport.
Winning never has been the only thing that matters.
The way a team conducts itself is just as important. Every time. Even a suggestion of going outside the rules on the scale France are accused of doing at Stade de France leaves a bitter taste.
That is why the matter has to be looked into thoroughly by World Rugby.
Such drama, plus someone allegedly biting George North, again in the final 20 minutes or so that were bolted on to the end of the match to make it one of the longest games in history.
The wing had what appeared to be teeth marks on a bicep.
Asked about the claims that North had been munched, France coach Guy Noves responded: “I can bite myself and if I do that, I will have a bite mark.”
So Wales have in their ranks a chap who bites himself? Noves knows that is not so. So who bit George North? Rever-