RUGBY EUROPE HAS again delayed its response to a request by Spain to replay the 2019 World Cup qualifying match it lost against Belgium, a game officiated by a Romanian with a result that benefited Romania.
Victory for Spain would have given them an automatic place in the World Cup in Japan next year, but Belgium won 18-10 in Brussels to send Romania through instead.
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At the final whistle referee Vlad Iordachescu was surrounded by outraged Spanish players.
The Spanish rugby federation, who had requested before the match that the trio of Romanian officials be switched, have now asked the match be replayed because of 19 decisions they believe were unfair to their team.
But the Spanish federation said that Rugby Europe, whose president Octavian Morariu is also Romanian, had rescheduled a teleconference meeting of its board slated for today until next week, without specifying the new date or time of the meeting.
Rugby Europe justified its third postponement in a week of the meeting by stressing the need to gather more information before taking a decision, the federation said.
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Rugby Europe delays decision on Spain v Belgium RWC controversy - again
RUGBY EUROPE HAS again delayed its response to a request by Spain to replay the 2019 World Cup qualifying match it lost against Belgium, a game officiated by a Romanian with a result that benefited Romania.
Victory for Spain would have given them an automatic place in the World Cup in Japan next year, but Belgium won 18-10 in Brussels to send Romania through instead.
At the final whistle referee Vlad Iordachescu was surrounded by outraged Spanish players.
The Spanish rugby federation, who had requested before the match that the trio of Romanian officials be switched, have now asked the match be replayed because of 19 decisions they believe were unfair to their team.
But the Spanish federation said that Rugby Europe, whose president Octavian Morariu is also Romanian, had rescheduled a teleconference meeting of its board slated for today until next week, without specifying the new date or time of the meeting.
Rugby Europe justified its third postponement in a week of the meeting by stressing the need to gather more information before taking a decision, the federation said.
- © AFP 2018
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