World Rugby CEO Brett Gosper has been labeled an "a**hole" as "debate rages over the alleged inconsistencies" of the RWC judicial system, according to FOX SPORTS. World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward, former Wales int'l Jonathan Davies and ex-Samoa center Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu are "among the latest to cry foul" with a system that in many eyes is favoring "tier one" nations over tier two. Fuimaono-Sapolu said that he "sensed a conspiracy at this year's tournament." Ireland flanker Sean O'Brien was handed a one-week ban for striking France lock Pascal Pape, while Samoa winger Alesana Tuilagi "was scrubbed out for five weeks for raising his knee" to Japan's Harumichi Tatekawa. Fuimaono-Sapolu said, "When you compare it with deliberate acts of violence it's just unconscionable. These are a bunch of old white men and I don't mean to attack white people, so, relax, but they are an old bunch of white men who come in there, have no idea what the legal process entails and what factors you have to evaluate. They are not there for justice." As "for a message to Gosper," Fuimaono-Sapolu said, "Stop being an a**hole" (FOX SPORTS, 10/15).
SCOTLAND APPEALS BANS: The PA reported the Scottish Rugby Union announced it was "challenging the punishments" handed to its forwards, hooker Ross Ford and lock Jonny Gray, for "dumping Samoa's Jack Lam on his head with an illegal two-man tip tackle." But in a subsequent statement, Scotland said that it is "set to appeal only against the length of the suspensions and not the finding of guilt itself." The SRU statement said, "Both players have exemplary records and are widely acknowledged as model professionals who play the game in the right spirit. Their actions had no malice or harmful intention" (PA, 10/15).
