Some breaking news this morning: the Australians appear not to be taking defeat to Ireland very well. The incident causing most controversy in the aftermath of Ireland's tour victory is Israel Folau's one-match suspension for tackling Peter O'Mahony in the air. Folau challenged O'Mahony in the air thrice, with the third incident ending with O'Mahony leaving through injury and Folau being given a yellow card.
Here's the incident:
Even the yellow card proved divisive at the time, with Michael Lynagh saying on Sky that he felt CJ Stander was partly at fault for recklessly tossing O'Mahony into the air.
The fact that Folau has been banned for a game since has proved even more controversial. Folau will now miss the Waratahs' Super Rugby derby against the Rebels on Friday, and there has been uproar in Australia: Drew Mitchell told Fox Sports that it was all Stander's fault:
This shouldn’t even be a penalty, let alone a yellow or a judicial hearing.
It’s rubbish.
O’Mahony came down poorly because CJ Stander didn’t do his gym work and couldn’t hold him up.
Folau has yet to publicly comment on the ban, but his wife Maria has taken to Twitter to cry injustice, using a clip of Rob Kearney tackling Folau in the air during the Test series as support. Australia were given a penalty for the incident, but Kearney was neither given a card nor cited. Maria Folau tagged World Rugby asking "is this not deemed as dangerous/foul play?"
Is this not deemed as dangerous/foul play?? @WorldRugby #fairquestion pic.twitter.com/pqbPMtbAdC
— Maria Folau (@MariaFolau) June 29, 2018
