Overview
- A late Bautista Delguy try was overturned after a referee and the television match official consulted, and that decision prompted Tomás Albornoz to approach and remonstrate with officials before he threw the ball to the turf and had to be restrained.
- World Rugby has formally charged Albornoz under the Match Official Abuse Sanction Process and confirmed he will appear before an independent disciplinary committee with hearing details to be published shortly.
- Albornoz will be the first player to be adjudicated under the process that was agreed at the Shape of the Game forum and which has already been applied to a coach in this competition.
- Under World Rugby’s disciplinary regulations cited by the governing body, verbal abuse can carry bans of roughly six to 52 weeks and threatening acts or language can carry suspensions from about 12 weeks up to 260 weeks depending on severity.
- The charge follows a fractious Nations Championship match on July 18 that saw multiple yellow cards and reports an object was thrown at the referee as he left the field, and the case could test whether the new process reduces abuse and leads to clearer, more consistent sanctions for officials’ protection.