Montpellier-Racing 92. Was the referee right to whistle the end of the match on the KO of Sam James?

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Hooked on all terrains, the 12^e Top 14 day was marked by some controversies. One of them concerns the match between Montpellier and the Racing 92completed in stormy conditions while the referee whistled the end of the match following a significant forward to theImpressive knockout of Sam James.

Montpellier-Racing 92: bitter end of match after James' KO

With its 4 points lead preserved thanks to a good defensive sequence and a possibility of leaving the camp, the MHR undoubtedly thought they had done the hardest part. But that was before returning the ball to his opponent as well as a final match point.

Racing 92 thus returned to the 22 meters of Hérault and increased the playing time. Sam James took the line and, tackled, took the arm of a defender in the face as he fell. Completely knocked out on impact, he released the ball forward, thus bringing the match to an end.

“He was totally unconscious and he convulsed, I have rarely seen a knockout like that,” admitted Nolann Le Garrec after the match. Transported to hospital immediately, the rear of the Racing 92 is better, and that is the main thing.

The referee's explanations

As for the match, the Racingmen through the voice of Gaël Fickou tried to make Tual Trainini relent, hoping to obtain a penalty for foul play. Without success, the referee of the match considering that it was a “ completely accidental play » after watching the video.

“I wonder about this stoppage of the match. From what I understood and I haven't seen the footage yet, the referee would have said that it wasn't done on purpose, that it was accidental. But all high tackles are accidental,” whispered Dimitri Szarzewski in the mixed zone.

We easily understand the crux of the problem, the subtle nuance between a gambling accident and a poorly controlled or ostensibly dangerous gesture. The Ciel et Blanc coach is free to consider that all high tackles are accidental, but we have the right to disagree with his statement.

In this case, what could the MHR defender do when Sam James fell on him? Not much, and one would tend to say that Tual Trainini judged the situation perfectly.

If this had occurred earlier, it would have had less serious consequences on the meeting and would probably have been easier to accept. As bitter as this outcome is, all that remains is to wish Sam James a speedy recovery.

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