Referee came close to retiring instantly after Owen Farrell-Dan Biggar bust-up
Refereeing Owen Farrell must be tough for any referee, refereeing Dan Biggar must be tougher as the Wales No10 is even mouthier. Refereeing both of them at the same time must be enough to give any referee nightmares. Managing to referee as the pair squared up to each other in a heated exchange must be one of the toughest jobs around. We are not just talking in rugby either- firefighters, lumberjacks, any job in the world.
That is why referee Nika Amashukeli deserves a medal for managing the pair at Twickenham on Saturday. Tempers flared between the two No10s after Farrell’s red card tackle on Taine Basham. Trying to control both of them is enough to make any referee instantly retire, so the fact that Amashukeli was able to control the situation is probably the most remarkable feat on the pitch (then again, the performances of both England and Wales did not offer much competition).
Take a look at their exchange:
Owen Farrell Yellow Card 🟨
‘Bunker’ review system back into play.#ENGvWAL
Edit: Has been upgraded to red 🟥 pic.twitter.com/c26hwm9Skf
— Darren (@SaffasRugby) August 12, 2023
All this was lacking was the Godfather of mouthy No10s, Johnny Sexton. If the Ireland No1o was somehow able to join in that spat, rugby as we know it would have probably ended. And of course, while Sexton serves his ban for abusing a referee, he has had plenty of free time on his hands to take a trip to London.
Biggar actually addressed the altercation in a column for the Daily Mail, writing: “I really like Owen Farrell as a bloke, but I wasn’t going to allow him to speak to me like he did at Twickenham on Saturday night which is why we had a spat.
“I’ve got no issue with Owen – we’ve been team-mates with the Lions – but he made it personal by coming at me in the second half at Twickenham.
“‘Stop complaining,’ was what Farrell said in my direction, just after he’d hit Taine Basham high. I thought it was a clear red card and was just airing my view.
“I told Farrell that people are allowed to have a go at him. He’s not above everyone else. Owen is such a competitive guy, just like I am, and it was a heat-of-the-moment incident.”
