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Jonny Sexton celebrates with Keith Earls and Andrew Trimble - but did Ireland cheat their way to victory? ©INPHO/Photosport/Anthony Au-Yeung

Horan: Ireland beat Wallabies by faking injuries

Former Australian centre Tim Horan claims that unsporting tactics were key to Ireland’s win.

AUSSIE LEGEND TIM HORAN has slammed Ireland for using dirty tactics in Eden Park last weekend, accusing Declan Kidney’s men of faking injuries to gain the upper hand.

In the Australian Telegraph, Horan — capped 80 times by the Wallabies — said that Ireland set out to use injury stoppages to disrupt the flow of the game, and claimed that backs coach Alan Gaffney had admitted as much to him afterwards.

“Ireland had a deliberate plan to fake injuries each time there was a breakdown in play last Saturday, so they could slow the game down and frustrate the Wallabies,” Horan wrote.

How can I be sure? By talking to Irish assistant coach Alan Gaffney in the dressing rooms afterwards.

The former centre also blamed James Horwill for Australia’s 15-6 defeat, blasting the Wallabies captain for not hounding referee Bryce Lawrence until Ireland were penalised for time-wasting.

“If James Horwill was more experienced as a captain, he would have blown up about it to referee Bryce Lawrence and really created a scene – there is no way Richie McCaw would have stayed silent if a team used the same tactics against the All Blacks.”

“The shame was that Lawrence destroyed the spectacle of the game,” Horan wrote.

Ireland deserved to win and always would have won, but the way Lawrence handled the match means he should not get another game at the World Cup.

Read Horan’s column in the Australian Telegraph >

As it happened: South Africa v Namibia

NFL memo warns teams on faking injuries

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    Mute Tamagotchi
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:27 PM

    I’m sure Sweden’s current strikers who got them there are delighted.

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    Mute Professional Chef
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:28 PM

    Just when you thought he couldn’t become more unlikeable,

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    Mute Caoimhin O'Murchadha
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:44 PM

    Disrespectful to his fellow pros and arrogance beyond belief!

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    Mute Mike
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:46 PM

    @Caoimhin O’Murchadha: We’re all just speculating. What’s the view in Sweden I wonder?

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    Mute Caoimhin O'Murchadha
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    Apr 15th 2018, 7:04 PM

    @Mike: No matter what way you look at it Mike he’s taking a seat on the plane that he didn’t earn, no Swedish player is going to call him out over it though because he has legendary status over there, he was a fantastic player for them over the years but this is unfair.

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    Mute james heffernan
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    Apr 15th 2018, 11:08 PM

    @Mike: Studying abroad and have met a lot of swedes and they would all welcome him back. He’s a hero in their eyes, the greatest ever swede.

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    Mute Gary Dunne
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    Apr 16th 2018, 11:09 AM

    @Caoimhin O’Murchadha: Any player in the squad earns their place. He’ll hardly be the only player to not feature regularly or at all in qualifying to be in a World Cup squad.

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    Mute David Linehan
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    Apr 15th 2018, 7:00 PM

    They’ve qualified purely down to the fact that he wasn’t there. They’re a team without him.

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    Mute al
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    Apr 15th 2018, 8:32 PM

    I’d never wish an injury on any sports player, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of the Swedish strikers might be getting a few voodoo dolls. Absolute awful behaviour from Zlatan and from the coaching staff if they allow him.

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    Mute Tony Mcgrath
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    Apr 15th 2018, 8:08 PM

    My guess he won’t be picked

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    Mute Sloop John G
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    Apr 16th 2018, 9:44 AM

    Must be a slow news day. This article was first posted at 6.15pm yesterday and the article about Man United’s loss to West Brom was posted at 5.50pm yet these are the top 2 stories on 42 this morning having been re-posted. Bad journalism. You need to do better.

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