Jac Morgan feared penalty after watching replay of cleanout on Carlo Tizzano in Lions win over Wallabies
The man at the centre of the most controversial call in Wallabies vs Lions history has admitted he was nervous of being penalised after watching a replay of his cleanout on Carlo Tizzano.
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The man at the centre of the most controversial call in Wallabies vs Lions history, Jac Morgan, admitted he was nervous of being penalised after watching a replay of his cleanout on Carlo Tizzano.
In a revelation certain to further aggravate Australian fans, Morgan gave a pitchside interview to Welsh broadcaster S4C at the MCG in which he became fearful after seeing the breakdown hit on the big screen.
“I was nervous,” Morgan said. “I thought I was all right, then I saw it.”
Morgan’s own admission of his concerns flies in the face of the Lions’ claims that it was a “brilliant” cleanout and there was nothing illegal about it.
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Tizzano, who arrived at the breakdown first, was hit by Morgan’s shoulder in the neck region and reeled backwards, then lay prone on the ground and clutched his neck.
Referee Andrea Piardi, officiating just his 12th Test match, watched replays and then ruled that Morgan and Tizzano had arrived to the breakdown at the same time, and there was no dangerous contact.
Rugby Australia has since written to World Rugby seeking answers and accountability for the decision that cost the Wallabies the match and the series, given their laws on head and neck contact rewritten six years ago states: “A player must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders.
“Head contact and cleanouts around the neck must be penalised.”
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Tizzano has since been accused of trying to milk a penalty to save the game, which the Wallabies have bristled at.
Former Lions captain Sam Warburton wrote in The Times: “It is under the microscope because of when it happened, at the final ruck before the try was scored, and Tizzano made a real meal of it, something I really don’t like. I appreciate that the contact may have been on the shoulder/neck line but additional simulation is something we don’t want in the game.
“Tizzano got himself into a great jackal position over the ball, but all No7s know that you just do not react like that when you get hit. Not wishing to be all macho here but I’ve got a four-inch scar on the back of my neck from doing that. You know what is coming when you are putting your head there at a ruck.”
Former England international James Haskell claimed Tizzano should have been sent off for diving.
“Only bit of foul play and nonsense in the incident was the Australian player diving,” Haskell said on the The Good, the Bad & the Rugby podcast.
“That should have been red carded, because that is utter crap. There is no physical way to clear out a player that is that low over the ball.”
READ MORE: Waugh demands World Rugby ‘accountability’ after no-call
But Tizzano’s teammate Nick Frost shot down the idea that Tizzano was faking injury to earn a penalty.
“Carlo is there as a competitor, like he always is,” Frost said.
“He’s trying to get on ball, he’s seven. Puts his hands out, he’s there first and he gets hit pretty hard with a full-force clean-out. It is what it is.
“We can’t do anything about a decision.”
Frost was not aware of Haskell’s comments, but was clearly disappointed at the accusation against Tizzano.
“It’s hard when you’ve got guys who aren’t on the field, they’re ex-players and different things, but when the people who are on the field day in, day out and putting their body, especially a guy like Carlo who always gets over the ball by guys that are competing, it is tough,” Frost said.
“Even in the tight five, you put your body in harm’s way.
“It’s a tough one for him.
“We don’t really listen to much outside noise, whatever the media says around that stuff, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it.
“It’s just disappointing in general that this series is done for us.”
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Originally published as Jac Morgan feared penalty after watching replay of cleanout on Carlo Tizzano in Lions win over Wallabies
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