Of course I know he is Irish, by nationality, I am also highlighting the strong French connection and the ridiculous decision to allocate him to such a high level game involving the French.
If you take another look at the footage you will see the speed of his reaction to display the red card. No consideration, no consultation, no balance, no other option?
This is why I am harping on about the choice he had under the current law. He did have a choice, the laws are open to interpretation as they state should and not must. If he had consulted, if he had considered the gravity of the moment, if he had looked around and saw the illegal reaction of the french team, if he had balanced the whole incident and applied the descretion the law did allow him, he could have made a fair decision and binned Warburton for 10 minutes.
I will never know what went through his bi-lingual mind at that time, what I do know is that the IRB made an insane choice of ref (not the ref, the decision) and the law DOES leave the subject open for development.
Either way, the French have got their final against New Zealand. I hear that Nicolas Sarkozy is free next weekend, maybe he will throw his keys into the middle to officiate.