Wallabies and the magic number
“Unfortunately that’s two threes (pens) we’ve had to take now, not a try” At the time it seemed a clever quip from Wallaby skip, Michael Hooper. His nod to sticks, delivered with a subtle side of dissatisfaction. The open side, casually reminding referee, Jaco Peyper that this was the second occasion that an Australian attack had found itself thwarted by an All Black infringement, when he felt the watch was ticking towards try time. Had this been Soccer Football, Hooper would have been in the grill of the South African whistleblower. His thumb pressed against his index finger, frantically waving an invisible card, whilst issuing a barrage of profanity, in attempt to gain sway with the official. Alas, this is Rugby Union. When dealing with ‘Sir’, one must refrain from such truculence in seeking to influence the referee's perception. A clever quip, perhaps, but I ain’t got no quarrel with the officiating. It is the mindset that manifested in the decision to go for the t...
