Stephen Jones has taken aim at Ireland supporters in his latest column for The Times.
The controversial rugby writer cast his opinion over the ongoing Owen Farrell red card saga, which has dominated rugby news and headlines over the past week.
Jones argues that the initial tackle itself - Farrell's hit on Wales' Taine Basham last Saturday - has been largely forgotten and "blotted out of rugby’s landscape by the settling of scores, self-righteous pomposity, biased cross-border craziness and jealousy. And just occasionally, the odd mention of player safety."
He then goes onto imply that Irish supporters and pundits are somewhat to blame for this situation, saying that:
It appears, for example, that Irish television must have shown its viewers a totally different version of the Farrell tackle, one which showed something close to attempted murder.
Stephen Jones Gives His Take On The Owen Farrell Tackle Saga
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
READ HERE: Owen Farrell May Have Played Himself By Not Pleading Guilty At Hearing
Jones has long been known to stick the knife into and singling out Irish rugby whenever it pleases him, and this seems to yet another example of this.
Many commenters from a range of different nations condemned both the tackle and the rescinding of the Farrell's red card at his disciplinary hearing.
The bastion of refereeing knowledge that is Nigel Owens criticised the hearing decision, while a host of professional players pointed out the leniency given afforded to Tier 1 players over Tier 2 players, using Tonga's George Moala's recent ban as an example.
RE: The Owen Farrell debate…
This is part of a YouTube video by Andrew Forde from 4 years ago showing his thug tackles
This was in 2015, 8 years of mitching tackle school pic.twitter.com/BpLg7TLmt3— Geraint (@shaggydudley) August 18, 2023
🇳🇿 Richie Mo'unga did not hold back when asked about the Owen Farrell/George Moala saga.
🗞️ Full story: https://t.co/OTh9oqFVvb pic.twitter.com/GdHks1q5wn
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) August 19, 2023
How have we gone to Owen Farrell being the victim???
— Lukhanyo Bam (@BoknRoll) August 19, 2023
Not to be satisfied with just complaining about the Farrell incident, Jones also brought up Freddie Steward's accidental hit on Hugo Keenan during the Six Nations.
Jones implies that Irish fans were partly to blame for Steward's red card, due to their reaction after seeing the hit on the big screen.
Conveniently he ignores the face that referee Jaco Peyper has years of experience in these situations and has trained not to be influenced by crowds, and that, accidental or not, Freddie Steward initiated the contact which resulted in an elbow to the head for Hugo Keenan.
"When Jaco Peyper was contemplating dismissing England’s Freddie Steward in the Six Nations for an unintentional illegal tackle in the Ireland against England game (he was sent off) with the crowd exploding in rage for each of the 20 replays, Peyper looked like he wanted to run off the pitch."
SEE ALSO: Ronan O'Gara's Astute Defence Of Owen Farrell Goes Against The Tide
