This is called a very inappropriate gesture on the ground. We play the eighth minute of this England-Wales on Saturday at Twickenham. After a trial refused at the XV of Leek, the players of the two teams explain themselves. And this is the moment that the fanciful English pillar Joe Marler chooses to come and test the sex of the Welsh captain, Alun Wyn Jones, who complains to the linesman, in vain. A gesture captured by the cameras of the director of the meeting.
Joe Marler on Alun Wyn Jones ... pic.twitter.com/YHxoKCkNOf
- Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) March 7, 2020At the end of the defeat of his selection (33-30), the third in this Six Nations Tournament, Jones was questioned on this touch of genitals in press conference. “I took part in 138 tests for my country. If I react, I take a red card. It’s difficult, right? Hopefully World Rugby (editor's note: the international federation) takes a look at it, "he said, while stressing that" Joe is a good guy.
Towards a heavy suspension
"I look at the linesman who, obviously, did not see what happened. OK, it happens, continued the second line. But there are a lot of images that were shown, a lot of supporters saw what happened. It is very frustrating that we talk so much about TMO (Editor's note: video-refereeing) and that it is not used when it is necessary… ”
According to article 9.27 of the World Rugby regulations, the English pillar could be fairly heavily penalized for their actions. "A player must not grab, twist, squeeze or hit an opponent in the genital area (male or female) or, in the case of players, in the breast area", specifies the text which fixes the scale of sanctions of twelve weeks to four years of suspension. It remains to be seen whether Joe Marler's gesture falls within this definition.