Rugby World Cup 2023: Referees, officials put teams on alert as Tom Curry send off highlights crackdown

Every player at the Rugby World Cup has been put on notice by “overzealous officialdom”, writes Julian Linden. He analyses what it means for the game’s showpiece event.

Tom Curry of England (not pictured) is sent off. Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images

It has taken less than a week, but World Rugby’s baffling disciplinary process is already in the spotlight amid growing fears it could turn the World Cup into a lottery.

If the Wallabies weren’t on high alert before, they should be now because the World Cup judiciary has sent a blunt warning to every team in France that any act of foul play — no matter how innocuous — will be dealt with brutal severity.

The first player to incur the wrath of overzealous officialdom is combative English flanker Tom Curry.

He copped a two-week ban for making head-to-head contact with Juan Cruz Mallia at the start of England’s win over Argentina on the weekend.

Tom Curry is shown a red card by referee Mathieu Raynal. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

His actions were clearly unintentional but that doesn’t matter a thing these days because of the sport’s clampdown on any contact with the head.

Facing the possibility of an even longer ban that could have sidelined him for the knockout phase, Curry threw in the towel and accepted the two-match ban, ruling him out of England’s upcoming games against Japan and Chile.

“The player accepted that foul play occurred and that the offence warranted a red card,” a World Rugby statement read.

Tom Curry decision scandalous and I’m a full supporter of rugby safety. He wraps, he flexes his hips, his head is upright no intention. It’s an accident.

— Lord Knows 🇪🇺🇫🇷 (@Hickson1Chris) September 9, 2023

Tom Curry is checked out by members of the crowd. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

“The Committee noted that the offence carries a mandatory minimum mid-range sanction (six matches), and having considered the mitigating factors, including admission of foul play and correctness of the red card at the first opportunity, an exemplary disciplinary record, apology to the player and good character, reduced the sanction by the maximum mitigation of 50 per cent.”

While not unexpected, Curry’s suspension has still raised questions about the inconsistency of the judiciary after South Africa’s Jesse Kriel and Chile’s Martin Segrin got off light after being involved in similar head-contact incidents.

Segrin did at least get a yellow card – but Kriel got off completely free after colliding with former Wallaby backrower Jack Dempsey, who is now playing for Scotland.

If anything, his contact looked worse that Curry’s, and rugby fans and commentators have let World Rugby know what they reckon about the system, flooding social media with complaints.

Juan Cruz Mallia receives medical attention. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“What rugby really needs is consistency and clarity when it comes to foul play,” former England captain Will Carling tweeted.

“To ban @TomCurry98 and not to ban two other players for almost identical incidents just leads to frustration and confusion. Not helpful when wanting to market the game.”

You can bet Curry won’t be the last player to find himself in the dock at the sport’s biggest event because of World Rugby’s determination to clean-up the game.

But while the strict new rules mean players are better protected than ever because the really dirty stuff that used to go has been eliminated, they’re also being busted for incidents that are considered part of the game but are now deemed offences.

It’s left the game’s traditionalists worrying that the sport has lost the plot and the inconsistent rulings already shown in 2023 support fears that commonsense has been tossed out the window.

Tom Curry sporting his battle scars. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images

The warning for the Wallabies couldn‘t be better timed though as they prepare to play Fiji this weekend then Wales seven days later.

At the last World Cup at Japan in 2019, Australian utility back Reece Hodge was given a three-week suspension for a high tackle on Fijian flanker Peceli Yato, ruling him out of the Welsh fixture.

It was a sliding doors moment that transformed the Wallabies’ hopes into a trainwreck.

They lost to Wales, missed their chance of an easier route to the semi-finals and were bundled out in the quarters after being thumped by the Poms, with Michael Cheika quitting as coach the next day.

Under Cheika’s successor Dave Rennie, the Wallabies never got their on-field discipline sorted out, claiming the unwanted title as most penalised Tier I team in the world.

They have been much better since Eddie Jones took over and now know they will need to be.

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2023: Referees, officials put teams on alert as Tom Curry send off highlights crackdown