Andy Farrell baffled by red card incident as England hit by Joe Schmidt accusation

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These are your latest rugby headlines on Sunday, November 2.

Ireland beaten, Farrell baffled

By Edward Elliot, PA

Captain Dan Sheehan admitted Ireland failed to deliver following a resounding 26-13 defeat to New Zealand in Chicago.

Andy Farrell’s side initially overcame the controversial early dismissal of Tadhg Beirne for a high tackle on Beauden Barrett to lead through a Tadhg Furlong score and eight points from Jack Crowley.

But, almost nine years to the day since Ireland’s milestone first victory in the fixture, the All Blacks gained revenge at Soldier Field thanks to tries from Ardie Savea, Tamaiti Williams, Wallace Sititi and Cam Roigard.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow,” Sheehan told TNT Sports.

“To be honest, I don’t think we ever really got going. We saw very small patches of what we were looking for but we couldn’t really put the whole picture together.”

Lock Beirne was sin-binned in the third minute for an upright challenge on All Blacks fly-half Barrett – who landed three of his four conversion attempts – before the punishment was upgraded to a red card on review.

“I don’t know because I am all for the safest way possible for this game to move forward so you’ve got to be careful what you say in that regard,” Farrell said. “To me, if you look at it in real time, I don’t know how he was transferred [from yellow to red]. They’ve obviously got their reasons and I wasn’t privy to that.

“You can look at it in all angles but the only way to look at it is in real time. To me it’s a forward pass in the first place and how that influences your decision after that…but it doesn’t matter any more does it? We got a red card and we actually dealt with it pretty well to be fair. That doesn’t make it any better.”

Ireland led 10-7 at half-time and increased that advantage by three points early in the second period through Crowley’s second successful penalty of the game.

However, New Zealand took control of a contest, which was more scrappy than scintillating, in the final quarter to ruin Farrell’s return as Ireland head coach following his British and Irish Lions sabbatical.

Ireland host Japan next weekend ahead of further Dublin appointments against Australia and world champions South Africa.

“I thought we were operating about 80 per cent going into that half-time period,” said Sheehan.

“We looked to get a bit extra going into that second half. At times we did but there was a lot of inaccuracies at the breakdown and with discipline, so there’s a lot to work on.

“We thought we were in a good spot, but things didn’t click for us today and we’ll have to have an honest review of that.

“Hopefully we can bounce back next week and turn it around.”

Ireland versus New Zealand has developed into a genuine rivalry in recent years, with each side beginning the day with five wins apiece from the past 10 meetings, including the previous clash in the United States.

All Blacks back-rower Savea, who came off the bench in his country’s 40-29 loss in 2016, said: “That was nine years ago, but it is nice to come here and rectify that. We’ll enjoy tonight and celebrate the win.”

Asked about the team talk following a disjointed first-half display, he said: “We couldn’t get things going and it’s credit to the Irish team for putting pressure on us.

“But once we started to get our flow things started to go our way. We’ll look at the first half, but overall we’re happy.”

Schmidt accuses England

Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has accused England of “gamesmanship” in the build-up to his side’s defeat on Saturday, following reports that Steve Borthwick had complained to referee Nika Amashukeli ahead of the match about what he perceived to be repeated incidents of illegal and dangerous clearouts at rucks by the Wallabies.

Schmidt’s men ended up on the wrong side of a 25-7 scoreline at Allianz Stadium Twickenham as tries from Lions tourists Ben Earl, Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell and Luke Cowan-Dickie helped England kick off their autumn campaign with a relatively comfortable win.

However, in the build-up to the match, it was reported by The Telegraph that Borthwick had met with Amashukeli ahead of the clash to raise as many as 40 examples of what he deemed to be persistent side-entries by Australia in previous matches.

Wallabies captain Harry Wilson had already hit back at the suggestion ahead of the match, but at the full-time whistle, Schmidt said he was “disappointed” by what had occurred in the days leading up to the clash.

“I think it is a bit of gamesmanship,” the Wallabies boss said of the allegations. “We have had, up until today, 1,256 attacking rucks [this year]. There’s two players at least in all of those so it is at least 2,500 ruck entries and we have had one yellow card and no one has left the field injured as a result of our cleanouts.

“We haven’t ever been excessively penalised for side entries. I always find those things disappointing but not distracting. All we can do is focus what we do and try to do as well we can.

“We can have a look at guys with their hands down and if it is not one thing it could be another,” Schmidt added. “We will have a figure in confidence in the referee.

“For all those incidents that were highlighted, 10 were sent to referee and he did not even agree with them all. It was not the number of 40 which was said earlier in the week. I think the referee is very experienced and just got on and refereed the game.”

Arrest made after pre-match incident

Police have confirmed that a man was arrested after the Rugby League Ashes match between England and Australia were gatecrashed by an internet prankster.

Daniel Jarvis, who has built up a huge online following after infiltrating a number of high-profile sporting events, was seen lining up with the Australian team – and wearing a matching jersey – during the pre-match anthems at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, having seemingly given stewards and security the slip.

After the match, Merseyside Police confirmed that an arrest had been made in connection with the incident, as a police spokesperson said: “We can confirm that officers have detained a man following an incident at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool this afternoon, Saturday, November 1.

“The 37-year-old man from Gravesend, Kent, was detained at around 2.30pm after entering the pitch before the start of the the England v Australia Rugby League match.

“He has been arrested on suspicion of possession of articles for use in fraud and fraud by false representation and has been taken to a police station for questioning.”

Jarvis, who uses the nickname “Jarvo 69” on social media, has previously infiltrated other sporting events including a cricket Test match between England and India at the Oval, Sky Sports’ transfer deadline day coverage and an FA Cup match between Wolves and Liverpool in 2023.

Saturday’s match saw Australia clinch the series with a game remaining, with a 14-4 win in Liverpool following their 26-6 victory over England at Wembley last weekend.

Scotland demolish USA in biggest-ever Murrayfield win

By Anthony Brown, PA

Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe continued their compelling scrap with each other at the top of Scotland’s try-scoring charts by filling their boots in a professional 13-try, 85-0 victory over the United States in their opening autumn Test at Murrayfield.

The Scots were missing a string of A-listers, including Sione Tuipulotu, Finn Russell, Blair Kinghorn, Ben White, Zander Fagerson, Pierre Schoeman, Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge, but they still had far too much firepower for their limp visitors as they set themselves up nicely for next weekend’s visit of New Zealand.

Van der Merwe marked his 50th cap with a double to bring his international tally to 34, but fellow Edinburgh wing Graham moved level with him as Scotland’s highest try-scorer of all time with a hat-trick.

The Scots were in control from the outset and they got their first points on the board in the fifth minute when Dylan Richardson pushed over from close range after Jack Dempsey’s pick and go from the back of a scrum. Two minutes later, 21-year-old debutant back-rower Liam McConnell produced a brilliant run up the left and then a sensational basketball pass to set up Edinburgh team-mate Van der Merwe, who eased over the line.

The Scots were enjoying themselves and they conjured a third try in the 10th minute when Adam Hastings looped a lovely pass out to the right for Graham, who finished clinically. Jamie Dobie got his name on the scoresheet 10 minutes later as he chipped the ball forward for Graham and then raced up in support of the wing to receive the return pass and dive in under the posts.

Van der Merwe’s second of the night came in the 24th minute when he danced past two defenders to score on the left after being fed by Kyle Rowe. Three minutes later, Dobie notched his second of the match after some brilliant play from Stafford McDowall, the captain for the night, to set him free.

Graham then became the third Scotland player to score a first-half brace when he finished off a scintillating move on the right. Hastings was successful with five of his seven first-half conversions as the Scots went in with a commanding 45-0 interval lead.

Graham completed his hat-trick four minutes after the restart after an incisive one-two with Ollie Smith. Replacement stand-off Ross Thompson missed the conversion. Rowe then got in on the act in the 57th minute after being played in by Dobie, with George Horne taking on kicking duties and converting.

After Edinburgh hooker Harri Morris came off the bench for his debut, the Scots ran in four tries in the closing 10 minutes, with McDowall, Horne, Dobie and Smith all capitalising on American fatigue to cross the whitewash.

‘Ball of energy’ Pollock praised

By Duncan Bech, PA

England head coach Steve Borthwick was delighted with the energy brought by Henry Pollock after seeing the back-row sensation run in a crucial try against Australia.

The Wallabies were dispatched 25-7 at Allianz Stadium with the introduction of England’s heavyweight bench, which included five British and Irish Lions forwards arriving en masse in the 52nd minute, proving decisive.

Pollock was the first to make an impact when he showed superb hands to gather a loose ball before racing clear and recovering from an ankle tap to fall over the line. It was the 20-year-old’s third Test try in two replacement appearances and crucially it propelled his side 15-7 ahead at a point when they game was finely poised.

“Everybody’s excited when Henry Pollock gets on to the pitch because of what he brings, there’s no doubt about that,” Borthwick said. “He’s probably the most excited person! The way he is and the energy he brings – he’s a ball of energy.

“I love having that character in the squad. We’ve got a great blend of personalities developing within the team.”

Fiji are the next visitors to Twickenham in the second of November’s four Tests and Borthwick admitted the performance of his replacements will make team selection trickier next week.

“The bench certainly had a positive impact. It’s a sign that the squad is building in depth,” he said. “It was an important summer for English rugby with a number of players away with the Lions, who were successful down in Australia, as well as a number away in Argentina and America with England.

“It’s enabled the squad to grow and that’s pleasing. It means I’ve got some difficult decisions to make. It’s the exact decisions you want as a head coach.”

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