November has been a momentous month for Ireland.
In a year which started so badly, the team has wrapped it up quite brilliantly. Patiently and confidently, they destroyed Argentina, crossing for no less than seven tries – all scored by the forwards, which must be some sort of record. Added to the scalp of New Zealand last week, it's very hard to find anything to criticise in any aspect of these two performances, although Saturday's opposition was tired and weak.
The Six Nations beckons, and with great English and French performances also over the weekend, it might well be a vintage year. There are, nonetheless, management decisions to be made with visits to London and Paris on the schedule which will be damned difficult trips. One of the big calls will be at replacement scrumhalf. When Craig Casey came on for Conor Murray he put a lot of Jamison Gibson-Park-like zip into things, and might well be the better bet, certainly long term.
And so to the 60th minute at the Aviva, and to Argentina's Tomas Lavanini. He is a serial offender with a litany of cards on his record and is capable of doing some serious damage. You'll remember his assault on Owen Farrell in the last World Cup, with Nigel Owens delivering the red card on that occasion.
His shoulder charge into Cian Healy, as the kneeling prop was minding his own business at the back of a ruck, was a disgrace, an utter disgrace. Maybe it's time for Argentina to review their selection policy. Maybe World Rugby will do it for them, it should. Referee Matt Carley dealt well with the no-choice situation and, at the same time, he neatly defused Peter O'Mahony who was incensed at the action of Lavinini.
Carley had a good match, and without being over-picky, it would have been positive to see him keep several penalties in his pocket when the “offences” were not material to play – just let the game breath somewhat more.
Next, let’s go to that great old cabbage patch in southwest London, Twickenham.
There was an Irish presence in referee Andrew Brace, a very important day for him. At half-time England had scored two tries and, unexpectedly but correctly, had also won two scrum penalties against the mighty South African pack. From another scrum, way out on touchline, they used it as an attacking platform to create a try wide out on the other side. The first half did not bring many challenges for the referee, and, nice and quietly, he was going about his business very well.
Then the bomb squad arrived for the Springboks, their completely new front row proceeded to tear England apart and the whole pack ratcheted up the physicality to new levels altogether. England, on the rack, gave away penalty after penalty, repeatedly infringing. Brace surely needed to delve into his pocket much earlier than he did, only “eventually” giving a warning and a deserved yellow.
South Africa gradually ate into the English lead and, with only moments remaining, had nudged ahead by two points. It was looking like just enough but Francois Steyn was correctly penalised for dangerous play on the tackled Marcus Smith. This kicked off a fractious outburst, tempers, which had been simmering, boiled over. A long consultation and video review followed, before Steyn was penalised. But where on earth was the card? Steyn should have followed captain Kolisi, to the bin.
Smith, with outrageous calm, knocked over the winning kick, 28-27. But it wasn't over yet. Eben Estebeth, frustrated no doubt that the game was up, crashed into Freddie Steward while the English fullback was in the air. Again, a long review, long explanation, and a penalty, but again no card. These incidents have to be food and drink to a top class referee. All that's needed is a short, even curt, "dangerous tackle, yellow card". Nothing else is necessary.
Planning and preparation are the fundamental keys to high performance, and Brace will need to revisit his communication and his thinking around the use of cards. The second half was difficult, there’s work to do.
Paris – the French team produced a fireworks display which lit up the night sky. It was a wondrous performance, and a deserved victory, in this sort of mood they are impossibly good. Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont opened his box-full of sorcerer's tricks, aided and abetted by Emile Ntmack et al, it frequently seemed that France had more than 15 on the pitch.
New Zealand did put in a much better second half which, coupled with their ridiculously arduous schedule, may well save coach Ian Foster’s bacon.
Wayne Barnes can be pleased with his performance, not perfect but that's not possible, and – over the weekend – he was the best of the referees.
Wales v Australia was marked by quite a bit of controversy and World Rugby may well study the postmatch interview with Australia coach Dave Rennie. He probably has plenty of questions for ref Mike Adamson who was right in law to allow Nick Tompkins' try, after he had batted down an Australian pass. The ball did not appear to go forward, so the try stood, as odd as it looked.
Australia were reduced to 14 men as early as the 15th minute. The Welsh ball carrier Adam Beard was spurting blood before he hit the ground after a head high tackle which lacked any technique whatsoever. No option here for the referee, so the red-carded culprit Roberto Valetini left for good, as did Beard.
There isn't much to add to World Rugby's sanction of Rassie Erasmus – is thorough and damning – except to wish them well in enforcing it which won't be easy. It appears that an appeal is on the way, so it seems neither he, nor South Africa, see anything wrong with his behaviour and that's another problem. Meanwhile, the lawyers, one imagines, are leafing through the latest Porsche catalogue.
We have all been digesting the sad information that New Zealand's iconic former prop, Carl Hayman, is suffering from early-onset dementia at the age of just 41. And now more disturbing news has come along – Dillon Hunt, ex-New Zealand flanker, has been forced to retire after multiple concussions. Ten (yes, 10, you read that correctly) are reported, and he has been struggling with severe symptoms for over a year. He is 26.
Everybody will hope that the next 15 years, as Hunt approaches 41, will be kinder to him than they are likely to be for Carl Hayman. Where is it all going, I’m not the only one asking?
