No, not Sam Tomkins' genitalia.....

The differences between Rugby League and Union are often debated on this site, but they can not have not been demonstrated more accutely than by the dismissal of Sam Warburton during the Wales v France game on Saturday for what, in my opinion, was nothing more than a really good tackle.

Surely this would have gone unpunished in League. Wouldn't it?

Be a penalty nothing more.

In RL I would have expected a penalty and NFA for a Wigan player and a fine or perhaps a one game ban for any other SL player

If it was, as most pundits acknowledge, an accident, how does a sending off prevent it happening again? If it was related to poor tackling technique then the players would be able to learn from this example and eliminate it from their game - but if it was as suggested, an accident, why penalise anybody?

the lads been banned for three games if I hear correctly so why are the welsh still bleating on about the Ref getting it wrong....?

He has clearly got it right as has been supported by the views of the the disciplinary commitee...

anyway terrible sport absolutely terrible...

It was a tip tackle, he lifted and dropped Vincent Clerc on his head. I think when they say it was accidental they mean Warburton lost control of the tackle, he didn't mean to dump Clerc, but the tackle ended that way. The ruling is that if you take a man up off his feet, you are responsible for how he comes down. In most peoples eyes, reckless rather than intentional, so should have been a yellow card and a citation (leading to the 3 week ban) rather than a red.

In RL, I would have expected a penalty and the incident on report. According to RFL guidelines, lifting and dropping a player is a C-D offense so 2 -5 week suspension, similar consequences imo, had the union ref got it right.

I know someone who likes Sam's tackle (Sam Burgess's though)

France defence coach Dave Ellis, who like Edwards made his name in the 13-man code, said: "I think it was a fantastic rugby league tackle. Unfortunately we are not playing rugby league, we are playing rugby union.

"As soon as I saw it I thought it was a sending-off."

As the only Welshman in work who actually played union the moment i saw the tackle i knew he was going off, rest of the canteen was shoutng obscenity at the French guy on the ground. Once he got sent off it went rather quiet. Its a very dangerous tackle and a sending off is the correct. 3 week ban is out of order though.

Even in League it would minimum give you a sin bin or report and only get you a ban if you have previous on a bad takling technique. Wether he intended it or not he got it all wrong and could have caused a serious injury.

Union a mans game? Pah.

To be fair to the lad he pulled out of a full 'spear' tackle, but he had turned the froggy upside down by this stage.

The girlfriends welsh, so been a bit of lively debate going on this weekend

As an ex-union player I would say the tackle did NOT warrant a straight red. The player was committed to the tackle and the body movements menat the french players legs went above his head. Had the Welsh player been able to bring him down safely it would only have been a penalty. There was no malice in the tackle so a fair situation would have been penalty and yellow card. (eventhough he's Irish, does anybody else think that "Alain" is such a french sounding name!)

Apparently one of his parents is French. However, I cant explain why a referee would have two parents.

Penalty to France, worst case a yellow or put on report.

It's clear that that French players momentum means his legs fly up.
Warburton lets go too late, doesn't protect the player from fallling on his head.
Not good but no more than a yellow as there was no intent.

In league or union it should be penalized but what would have happened if he had shown intent - a double red??
The ref was wrong - regardless of what the RU bosses say - imo of course!