Piardi call in Australia-Lions test should be accepted, Erasmus says
The Lions won the test with a try from Hugo Keenan in the final seconds but Australia believe a ruling from referee Andrea Piardi at a ruck immediately beforehand was incorrect.
Australia coach Joe Schmidt said the call was an error in his post-match press conference, suggesting Jac Morgan's clear-out of Carlo Tizzano was dangerous, and Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh said he would seekg "accountability" from World Rugby over it.
But Erasmus, who received a two-month ban from World Rugby for a 62-minute video that was critical of Australian referee Nic Berry after the first Lions test in South Africa in 2021, said he could see both sides of the argument.
"I had Australia (winning) by four points in the game, so I lost our internal (coach's competition) on that one," Erasmus told reporters with a smile on Tuesday.
"It's such a tough decision. World Rugby has come out to say it was the right decision. It was a very tough call for the referee to make.
"If I was Joe, I would be really disappointed, and if I was (Lions coach) Andy (Farrell), I would be really happy. I think it was touch-and-go, so I can understand both sides of what each coach sees.
"But World Rugby has ruled on it and that is what everybody has to accept."
World Rugby chief Alan Gilpin backed the call from Piardi earlier on Tuesday.
"We do share with Joe and the coaching team why the match officials made that decision," he said.
"Joe's got a view about what was wrong with that decision and there'll be a debate so that Joe and his players can go into the next test understanding how that game's going to be officiated."
South Africa will host Australia in two Rugby Championship tests in Johannesburg and Cape Town next month.
Italian Piardi will officiate the defending champion Springboks' final match in the competition against Argentina in London in October.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
18 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Won't matter once we're all dead – Lando Norris plays down F1 title battle
Norris arrives for the concluding round before Formula One's three-week summer shutdown 16 points behind McLaren team-mate Piastri in the standings. The title momentum swung back in Piastri's favour at last weekend's rain-hit round in Belgium. Norris started on pole position but allowed Piastri to swoop past in the treacherous conditions. Norris was unable to stop Red Bull's Max Verstappen from taking his fourth consecutive championship last year, but such is McLaren's superiority, it is team-mate Piastri who has emerged as his sole rival for this season's crown. Piastri has six wins to Norris' four but when asked if he needs to get under the Australian's skin to land his maiden F1 title, Norris replied: 'I don't enjoy that. In 200 years no one is going to care. We'll all be dead. 'I am trying to have a good time. I still care about it, and that's why I get upset sometimes and I get disappointed and I get angry at myself. And I think that shows just how much I care about winning and losing. 'But that doesn't mean I need to take it out on Oscar. I just don't get into those kind of things.' Historically, intra-team title battles rarely end well in F1, but Norris continued: 'Yes, he (Piastri) is the guy I want to beat more than anyone else. 'But if I don't beat him, then that's just because he has done a better job. I will do it the way I believe is best for me, and just because one person did it a few years ago, it doesn't mean you have to do that, too. I don't really care about those things.' At the Hungaroring on Friday, Norris completed an impressive practice double – beating Piastri by just 0.019 seconds in the first session before extending his advantage to nearly three tenths later in the day. Norris has never been out-qualified by a team-mate on his six previous visits here, and he will be encouraged by his showing in practice. Over at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton has won a record eight times in Hungary and has secured nine pole positions. But the 40-year-old, who remains without a podium in Ferrari colours, struggled for pace on Friday. In the first session, he complained his car didn't 'feel good' and ran off the road at the first corner following a major lock-up. He ended the day in sixth, three tenths and as many places behind team-mate Charles Leclerc. Verstappen ended speculation he could leave Red Bull at the end of the year by committing his future there for at least another season. However, he finished a distant 14th in practice, 1.1 seconds slower than Norris. 'I don't know what is going on,' said Verstappen over the radio. 'It is just undriveable.' Verstappen is also facing a stewards' investigation after he threw a towel – seemingly left in the Dutchman's cockpit by accident – out of his car.
Glasgow Times
18 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Won't matter once we're all dead – Lando Norris plays down F1 title battle
Norris arrives for the concluding round before Formula One's three-week summer shutdown 16 points behind McLaren team-mate Piastri in the standings. The title momentum swung back in Piastri's favour at last weekend's rain-hit round in Belgium. Norris started on pole position but allowed Piastri to swoop past in the treacherous conditions. Lando Norris topped both practice session at the Hungaroring on Friday (Bradley Collyer/PA) Norris was unable to stop Red Bull's Max Verstappen from taking his fourth consecutive championship last year, but such is McLaren's superiority, it is team-mate Piastri who has emerged as his sole rival for this season's crown. Piastri has six wins to Norris' four but when asked if he needs to get under the Australian's skin to land his maiden F1 title, Norris replied: 'I don't enjoy that. In 200 years no one is going to care. We'll all be dead. 'I am trying to have a good time. I still care about it, and that's why I get upset sometimes and I get disappointed and I get angry at myself. And I think that shows just how much I care about winning and losing. 'But that doesn't mean I need to take it out on Oscar. I just don't get into those kind of things.' Historically, intra-team title battles rarely end well in F1, but Norris continued: 'Yes, he (Piastri) is the guy I want to beat more than anyone else. Oscar Piastri holds a 16-point championship lead over team-mate Norris (Bradley Collyer/PA) 'But if I don't beat him, then that's just because he has done a better job. I will do it the way I believe is best for me, and just because one person did it a few years ago, it doesn't mean you have to do that, too. I don't really care about those things.' At the Hungaroring on Friday, Norris completed an impressive practice double – beating Piastri by just 0.019 seconds in the first session before extending his advantage to nearly three tenths later in the day. Norris has never been out-qualified by a team-mate on his six previous visits here, and he will be encouraged by his showing in practice. Over at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton has won a record eight times in Hungary and has secured nine pole positions. But the 40-year-old, who remains without a podium in Ferrari colours, struggled for pace on Friday. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth in practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix (Bradley Collyer/PA) In the first session, he complained his car didn't 'feel good' and ran off the road at the first corner following a major lock-up. He ended the day in sixth, three tenths and as many places behind team-mate Charles Leclerc. Verstappen ended speculation he could leave Red Bull at the end of the year by committing his future there for at least another season. However, he finished a distant 14th in practice, 1.1 seconds slower than Norris. 'I don't know what is going on,' said Verstappen over the radio. 'It is just undriveable.' Verstappen is also facing a stewards' investigation after he threw a towel – seemingly left in the Dutchman's cockpit by accident – out of his car.
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Davison eager for Nunthorpe challenge with She's Quality
The filly arrived on the South Downs having been second in three consecutive starts this season, all of which were Group events on British soil over five furlongs. She was a 9-1 shot under James Ryan and just fell short once again, missing out by only a neck as Jm Jungle prevailed. 'She's a super filly, that's four seconds at the highest level,' said Davison. 'Hopefully it'll all come good in the Nunthorpe, 37 millimetres of rain probably didn't help her but I'm very proud of her. 'I think she's by far the best the sprinter in Ireland, it's a pleasure to have her. It's a pleasure to bring her over here to compete against the best the UK has to offer. 'She's only four, she's improving. I like my horses to be ridden with cover and to come from slightly off the pace, she's learning all that now. 'It's a step in the right direction, she was right up there with the best horses in the world and we're looking forward to the Nunthorpe.' Behind She's Quality in third was Harry Eustace's Time For Sandals, winner of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot when last seen before stepping down to five furlongs at Goodwood. 'Today was to see how competitive she could be under those conditions, under a penalty and back to five furlongs,' said Eustace. 'It's a sharp track and she certainly looked at home. Over five you need everything to go right and she just couldn't quite get herself into the gap that she needed to. 'She had another go at them, which is pretty unusual, so I'm very happy. 'My gut feeling watching that was Haydock (for the Sprint Cup), she's looked more at home over six and really travelled. 'We'll let the dust settle, I don't think she'll go to York. She's a three-year-old filly and I'm just very keen to mind her. 'It's all about having a healthy horse next year and if we upset that by being greedy this year that would really annoy me, we'll try not to do that.' Henry Dwyer's Australian sprint star Asfoora was out of the money in seventh, with her trainer saying: 'Similar to Ascot (fifth in the King Charles III Stakes), she's run good without being great. 'I just feel there have been things against her both times and we haven't had the rub of the green. We're gearing up towards a good run at York, but just not having the right luck at the moment. 'She probably peaked there around 100 metres out, which we thought she would fitness wise. I'm happy enough, but she just needs to keep taking those steps which I'm confident she will. 'It will be on to York now, assuming she pulls up well.'
