Provocation should be as bad as retaliation

LAST weekend Australia’s hooker Tolu Latu spiked any chance of a comeback against New Zealand in Tokyo after being sinbinned midway through the second half.
Latu’s crime was to respond to a push in the chest by his All Black counterpart Codie Taylor after a scrum had broken up with a penalty awarded to the world champions. It was deliberate niggle and Latu retaliated by pushing Taylor, although his openhanded shove was knocked upwards and connected partially with the New Zealand hooker’s chin.
No damage was done, but referee Romain Poite felt compelled to send...

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