No accountability
• I was outraged last year when referee Jonathan Kaplan and his assistant Peter Allan allowed an illegal try by Mike Phillips, which caused Wales to win their Six Nations game. We heard of no sanctions against Mr Kaplan and Mr Allan.
Then last Sunday at Lansdowne Road, referee Wayne Barnes gave a yellow card to a Welsh player for a very bad spear tackle.
Bradley Davies was subsequently cited and banned for six weeks.
The rules state it should have been a red card but Mr Davies returned to the field to play his part in the last few minutes of the game.
The referee's assistant, Dave Pearson, confirmed the seriousness of the foul, yet recommended a yellow card.
Mr Barnes then dished out the same punishment to Ireland's Stephen Ferris and a poorly advised Italian citing commissioner also had Ferris cited.
Not only was he not banned by the board, but it rightly stated that no foul had been committed. Therefore the penalty and resulting score should not have been awarded.
Mr Barnes effectively ended Irish interest in the Six Nations by facilitating a Welsh win last Sunday. Is there any unacceptable level of errors by so-called international referees?
In my opinion there should also be a sanction for Mr Barnes -- or rugby union will be the loser.
Padraic Deane
Roscommon
Irish Independent
