Things are very tetchy in Sydney. With Ireland's build-up interrupted by a protest leading to their team bus arriving at the bus 15 minutes late, they have taken a more serious blow during the game as captain Peter O'Mahony left the game on a medical cart after half an hour.
O'Mahony fell heavily from a height from the kick off following a challenge in the air from Israel Folau.
The Aussie full-back did make contact with O'Mahony in the air, tugging him back once he realised that he couldn't get the ball. Following a TMO review, the referee elected to send Folau to the sin-bin, which was followed by a chorus of boos from the Australian crowd.
Watch the moment below.
It has split opinion:
Israel Folau getting punished for dangerous play for a superb piece of athleticism against a player who is so high in the air because he's being lifted. The lift is just as dangerous as playing him in the air
— Rúaidhrí O'Connor (@RuaidhriOC) June 23, 2018
That was dangerous because O’Mahony was being lifted by Stander. The single, unsafe lift created a dangerous situation where O’Mahony was out of control, not Folau’s actions. Bad call.
— Chris Jones BBC (@chjones9) June 23, 2018
Folau pulls him back after the ball is gone.
Very dangerous.
This cannot go unpunished.— RugbyLAD (@RugbyLAD7) June 23, 2018
That's dangerous. Folau pulls him in the air after the ball is gone #AUSvIRL
— Three Red Kings (@threeredkings) June 23, 2018
If you want to dish out cards on the basis of "duty of care" for catcher, CJ Stander is as culpable as Folau for a loose one man lift.
LTBP pic.twitter.com/LSGM2tkD6d— Tim Cocker (@cocker) June 23, 2018
