Brian O’Driscoll regrets joining red card debate
Voice your opinion on Twitter at your peril is the lesson Brian O’Driscoll may have learned this week following Jordie Barrett’s red card at the weekend.
Barrett was shown red in the first half of the Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia on Sunday for raising his foot and kicking the face of Marika Koroibete while catching a high ball.
The former Ireland captain shared his view on the offence on Twitter, saying he believed it was not a red card, and faced an onslaught from those who did not agree with him, which was very many. The majority of people online feel that it was a red card, regardless of whether Barrett was trying to balance himself or not.
O’Driscoll wrote: “Have watched a lot of these incidents over the past year, the ones red cards were given for and the near misses. It is a totally natural action for the catching player to balance themselves out with an extended leg. Look at their body shape on full extension.
“They physically can’t just drop down without recalibrating their balance in order to avoid injury. This rule really needs to be looked at. Issue is once or twice a player has used that rebalancing act as a means to using foul play. In 99% of occasions that is not the case.
“If you don’t get the exact flight of the ball correct your body recalibrates in mid air to compensate. He catches it higher on his chest than hoped and so needs to leverage himself back. As one of the best in the business Rob Kearney what’s your take?”
They physically can’t just drop down without recalibrating their balance in order to avoid injury. This rule really needs to be looked at. Issue is once or twice a player has used that rebalancing act as a means to using foul play. In 99% of occasions that is not the case.
— Brian O’Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) September 5, 2021
If you don’t get the exact flight of the ball correct your body recalibrates in mid air to compensate. He catches it higher on his chest than hoped and so needs to leverage himself back. As one of the best in the business @KearneyRob what’s your take?
— Brian O’Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) September 5, 2021
Rob Kearney agreed with his former captain, saying: “It shouldn’t be a red card although I think JB knew what he was doing at the same time trying to protect himself from getting smashed as he hit the ground, he probably should have used his knee as protection as opposed to his studs!!”
It shouldn’t be a red card although I think JB knew what he was doing at the same time trying to protect himself from getting smashed as he hit the ground, he probably should have used his knee as protection as apposed to his studs!!
— Rob Kearney (@KearneyRob) September 5, 2021
