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Rugby

27th Feb 2021

Owen Farrell rages at referee Pascal Gauzere as Wales catch England sleeping

Patrick McCarry

“Every single water-carrier was still on the pitch!”

England captain Owen Farrell was livid with French referee Pascal Gauzere as a couple of first half try decisions went against his side.

The scores were level at 3-3, after 16 minutes, when there was a small break in play for a penalty. Water-carriers from both sides were on the pitch but Wales No.10 Dan Biggar got the nod from Gauzere and took a quick-tap before launching a cross-field kick for Josh Adams. to score from.

Several of the English players were taking fluids on-board when the move rapidly unfolded, and were caught unawares.

As the Welsh players celebrated, Farrell approached Gauzere and begged for him to reverse the try decision.

“Give us a second,” Farrell protested, “You’ve got to give us time to set.”

“Please,” Gauzere fired back, “I talk first. I give the [signal] for time back on, I give the time for you to give the message to your teams. I say ‘time on’ and after is play on.”

With that, the discussion was over and Biggar made matters worse (for England) by slotting over a touchline conversion.

Adding salt to the wound, both Gauzere and his TMO allowed a Liam Williams try to stand, after 27 minutes, even though the ball may have come forward off the hand of Louis Rees-Zammit.