La Rochelle’s head coach Ronan O’Gara has accused Stade Francais flanker Romain Briatte of staging a fall during an intense Top 14 match in Paris on Monday (AEDT).
Wallabies star Will Skelton received a red card for a reckless clear-out of Briatte at a ruck in the 20th minute.
The former French international seemed to dramatically amplify the contact with Skelton, theatrically collapsing to the ground as if in distress.
Will Skelton was sent off for this incident. Twitter
With a player down, La Rochelle succumbed to their sixth consecutive defeat as Stade Francais clinched an important 22-17 win.
“There needs to be a balance between aggression, intelligence, and executing clear-outs,” remarked O’Gara, a legend of Irish rugby, to the media.
“In rugby, players have the right to clean out a ruck. Unfortunately, we were playing at Parc des Princes (home stadium of football club Paris Saint-Germain) where we witnessed (football star) Neymar. This is a dismal day for rugby. To issue a red card for that?”
La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara. Getty
“I’m not attempting to shield Will. This isn’t a good situation, but a rugby player who reacts like that is rather intriguing.”
The Brazilian star Neymar is known for his theatrical appearances.
O’Gara’s ongoing losing streak does not bode well for his aspirations to replace Joe Schmidt as the Wallabies’ head coach.
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The renowned coach has shown interest in the role and has secured two European championships with La Rochelle.
“I believe he would excel in that position. He’s an exceptional coach, and his experience in the Top 14 has been outstanding,” Skelton mentioned during the Kick Offs and Kick Ons podcast last month.
“He’s at the helm of a top European team, battling against other elite sides. His approach to games is akin to Joe’s when it comes to attention to detail and team connectivity.
“He’s meticulous about what he desires and strives to bring out the best in us. He can be tough on me, and though we have a solid relationship, he doesn’t hesitate to challenge me in meetings, even if I’m not on the field…
“To transition that knowledge into a Wallabies squad filled with talents like Bobby Valetini, Taniela Tupou, Noah Lolesio… he’d provide invaluable insights and guidance during critical moments, especially alongside Noah and other 10s, like Ben (Donaldson).
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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