URC release statement and refute 'entirely untrue' reports following controversy

Wales Online

25-04-2025

URC release statement and refute 'entirely untrue' reports following controversy
It comes after a hugely controversial moment in the race for the play-offs
Piardi was slammed for his actions during Munster's defeat to the Bulls
The United Rugby Championship has refuted "entirely untrue" reports surrounding referee Andrea Piardi after he found himself at the centre of a major controversy last weekend.
The Italian official was the man in the middle for Munster's clash with the Bulls at Thomond Park last Saturday, when he mistakenly reduced the Irish side to 14 men following injuries to both of their tighthead props. After Oli Jager came off in the first half for an HIA and failed it, his replacement Stephen Archer took to the pitch only to suffer a contact injury early on in the second half.
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As a result, uncontested scrums were enforced, but Piardi also mistakenly ordered Munster to remove one of their players from the action, which would have only been the correct decision had both Jager and Archer suffered contact injuries. Munster were then left a man down for the next 14 minutes, before flanker Alex Kendellen was allowed to return to the field.
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The Bulls were not able to capitalise on their man advantage during that period, but they did ultimately win 16-13 which could majorly cost Munster if they fail to qualify for the URC play-offs or next season's Champions Cup. The Irish province take on Cardiff at the Arms Park tonight in a huge match for their play-off hopes, as they currently trail the Welsh side by a single point in the table.
Following last weekend's match, Piardi was widely slammed for his actions and was not included in the list of officials for this weekend's URC fixtures, leading to reports that he had been removed from a scheduled appointment. 25% OFF DEAL: Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
However, the league have now intervened to explain that the Italian referee "was not originally scheduled to officiate in Round 16 this weekend" with "suggestions that he has been removed from an appointment.. entirely untrue."
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In a statement issued on Friday, clarity was also given around the events of last Saturday, with an incorrectly working app and "incorrect interpretation of the laws" at the centre of the controversy.
"Due to enforced replacements being made for both of Munster's tighthead props during the first and second halves, the teams were forced by Law 3.13 to adopt uncontested scrums in the 52nd minute due to a lack of specialist player at that position," the statement read.
"At this point it was deemed by the match officials that based upon Law 3.20 that Munster would have to reduce their team to 14 players. The match referee Andrea Piardi consulted with the technical zone officials to ensure this was the correct interpretation of the Law.
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"Normally, the technical officials would have entered the player exchange information into the sideline management app on a tablet which would have flagged that Munster did not need to be reduce their team by one player in this situation. However, performance issues meant the app was not working correctly and with an incorrect interpretation of the laws, the technical zone officials incorrectly confirmed to the match referee that Munster had to play with 14 players."
Acknowledging the error, the statement continued: "In this situation, Munster nominated Alex Kendellen (No 8) to leave the field. Soon after the reduction in players, Munster queried the error with the technical zone officials in interpreting Law 3.20.
"The correct interpretation of Law 3.20 in this situation is applied as follows: In the First Event, Munster tighthead, Oli Jager (No 3) is removed in the 15th minute for a Head Injury Assessment (HIA). He is replaced by Stephen Archer (No 18) who remains on the field after Jager did not return to play.
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"In the Second Event, Archer is removed in the 52nd minute of the game due to a Contact Injury and could not return. In this situation, it was correctly decided that the game would proceed with uncontested scrums. The removal of an additional Munster player was incorrect.
"Additional players are only removed in situations where both specialist tightheads have suffered Contact Injuries; OR a Contact Injury to one player has been followed by a Yellow or Red Card to the replacement; OR a Yellow or Red Card to a player is followed by another card to the replacement The error was recognised and the removed player, Kendellen, returned to the field of play in the 66th minute."
The statement added that the URC's Head of Match Officials, Tappe Henning, had contacted the Munster coaching staff to acknowledge the mistake, with a full review carried out and "learnings gathered". Following the review, the league said three main actions are now being taken.
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"Referees will be made aware that they must own the process and reminded that they are ultimately responsible and accountable for the final decision of the correctness of any substitutions and all decisions during a match," the statement added.
"All documents regarding Technical Zone Protocols and the Uncontested Scrum Table circulated at the start of the season will be circulated again as a point of emphasis for match officials, technical zone officials and club personnel.
"Protocols for referees and technical zone officials [will be] updated [and there will be] continuation of on-going training and law interpretation for Technical zone officials and club personnel."