World Rugby set to demand an apology from Alun Wyn Jones
Last month we shared some footage of Alun Wyn Jones’ yellow card in the second Test against South Africa, which suggested he might have been pulling the wool over referee Angus Gardner’s eyes when he was protesting.
Despite this, there were still plenty of people that thought the former Wales captain was unfairly dismissed by the referee for what he referred to as “cynical hands”. However, new, definitive proof looks to have surfaced online that shows the Welshman definitely committed foul play.
This was the incident, where the camera angle is not particularly conclusive in determining whether Jones touched the ball or not, and explains why there was so much controversy. Take a look:
YELLOW CARD! 🟨
🗣️ “It’s cynical hands by 19,” the referee says.
He sends Alun Wyn Jones from the field and the experienced lock is fuming about it, as he feels he did nothing wrong. 😤
🏉 #SAvWAL pic.twitter.com/pUrKqyFsUJ
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 9, 2022
However, this latest angle that has surfaced from the Springboks’ end of the pitch shows that the lock clearly slapped the ball away in the ruck and was therefore rightly yellow carded.
This probably would have created more of a storm at the time had Wales gone on to lose, however, the visitors actually won the match in Bloemfontein 13-12, which was their first ever win over the Springboks on South African soil, which kept their three match series alive.
This latest angle sheds some new light on the situation and shows Gardner was right all along. It goes to show that a referee who is just a couple of feet away from the incident might actually have a better view than the cameras. It is only a matter of time before World Rugby demand a written apology from the Welsh legend.
Take a look at this new footage of Jones’ “cynical hands” in the ruck:
