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04-Feb-2018<br />

ESPN StaffHIA incidents in Ireland v France set for review<br />

ESPN.co.uk<br />

Click to open<br />

Referee Nigel Owens explained to Johnny Sexton why France's Antoine Dupont was being<br />

replaced under a HIA.<br />

12:56 PM GMT<br />

ESPN staff<br />

Six Nations organisers have said that "a number of incidents" from Ireland's victory over<br />

France are being reviewed to see whether the head injury assessment (HIA) protocols were<br />

abused at the Stade de France.<br />

French halfbacks Matthieu Jalibert and Antoine Dupont suffered knee injuries in the defeat<br />

but both were replaced under the HIA protocols. It allowed Machenaud to re-enter the game<br />

and replace Dupont rather than him having to be replaced by an unused substituted.<br />

Irish fly-half Johnny Sexton questioned referee Nigel Owens on that replacement with four<br />

minutes remaining, but Owens insisted the match doctor had told him Dupont was leaving<br />

the field to undergo a HIA.<br />

Joe Schmidt has ordered Ireland not to rely on Johnny Sexton to dig them out of trouble<br />

again in the NatWest 6 Nations.<br />

Warren Gatland said he fully expected a dominant victory over Scotland as his Wales side<br />

opened their Six Nations campaign with a thumping 34-7 victory in Cardiff.<br />

1 Related<br />

"The HIA Review Processor is reviewing a number of incidents from the France v Ireland<br />

match in the senior men's championship," Six Nations organisers said in a statement.<br />

"Depending on their findings, SNRL will be considering the next steps in respect of those<br />

incidents."<br />

It is not the first time the use of the HIA has come under scrutiny, after France were<br />

reprimanded for failing to follow protocol in their victory over Wales in last year's<br />

tournament.<br />

Among those critical on social media was former Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll who said the<br />

"it was nothing short of a disgrace".<br />

Just because we won with an INCREDIBLE 42 METER drop goal that HIA decision<br />

shouldn't get swept under the carpet. It was nothing short of a disgrace!!!<br />

— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) February 3, 2018<br />

Following last night's game against Ireland, French head coach Jacques Brunel stated the<br />

decisions were taken out of the his team's hands.<br />

"They were collisions, but the head injury protocol was decided by the independent doctor; it<br />

wasn't our decision," said Brunel. "Both players had knee injuries, but the independent<br />

doctor decided that by the protocol."<br />

The Press Association contributed to this report

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