Veteran NRL referee Ben Cummins has opened up on his controversial ‘Six Again’ call that flipped the 2019 grand finale, saying he felt “ashamed and worthless” in the days that followed.
The comments come as the NRL world still comes to grips with the death of league great Paul Green.
Cummins’ call is widely considered to have flipped the match, which the Sydney Roosters wound up winning 14-8 against the Canberra Raiders.
The incident occurred in the 71st minute when a Raiders’ fifth tackle kick was contested in the air 10m from their try line and bounced backwards off Canberra’s kick chaser into skipper Josh Hodgson’s path.
Cummins, believing the ball had come off Roosters fullback James Tedesco, initially called ‘Six Again’ before changing his call seconds later on the advise of assistant referee Gerard Sutton and the touch judge.
However, Wighton did see the changed call and assumed his side had a whole new set to work with before being required to hand over the ball.
Raiders players were left incensed at the call, and their feelings were made worse just minutes later when the Roosters scored through Tedesco off the ensuing set, in what turned out to be the match-winning play.
Cummins, who has refereed in over 400 matches, said the enormity of the situation hit him once he left the pitch after the final whistle.
“I walked into the tunnel and the cameras were all on me and I was thinking, ‘This is not normal. This is big’,” he said. “I think my heart sunk.”
“I got into the changerooms and Graham Annesley and ‘Jacko’ (Glenn Jackson from NRL media) were there and they basically said, ‘This is going to be the back page’.”
Cummins revealed that his teenage daughters were targeted by abusive fans in the wake of the incident, admitting he endured some dark days in the aftermath.
“When you sign up to referee at the top level, you know that it comes with fans who are passionate, and people can say things about your performance,” he explained.
“But when it brings in your family and your home, it’s sort of to a different level. I found that really hard.
“I can’t say it was easy for them. My son was copping a lot of abuse at school and my daughters (were) online – because they are on social media. That was really tough.
“I basically locked myself in my house for a week.
“It was pretty dark times. I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. I had some thoughts about what I wanted to do with my life and they were pretty negative.
“You feel ashamed and worthless, embarrassed. I wasn’t sleeping. I just wanted everything to go away.”
The gates to the city’s rail network have been thrown open, as union members begin a planned three-week period of industrial action and Sydney Trains management urges customers to pay regardless.
Beginning at 6am on Saturday, station staff who are members of the Rail Tram and Bus Union said they would leave the gates open at all stations across the network, meaning those using the train system did not have to tap on and off to access it.
Rail users will be able to access the city’s train network without tapping on or off for three weeks, starting on Saturday.Credit:anna kucera
While passengers could run the risk of a fine or caution if they do not tap on and off, the union has banned its members from issuing fines or cautions until September 6 as well.
The industrial action is planned for a three-week period, which Sydney Trains management warned could cost the state up to $10 million in lost revenue.
“Tapping on and tapping off ensures commuters are charged the correct fare, and can access Opal benefits, including daily and weekly travel caps,” chief executive Matt Longland said.
The RTBU and the state government are at loggerheads over NSW’s new intercity train fleet, which the union says is unsafe.
Two ministers met with union leaders on Thursday night and agreed to provide a deed next week guaranteeing the government would make modifications to the trains.
The union vowed to continue with industrial action until it receives a deed satisfying the demands of its members for safety modifications to the guards’ compartments.
Unless a deal can be struck, commuters are likely to face major disruptions on the T8 Airport and South, T3 Bankstown and Southern Highlands lines next Wednesday with another six-hour work stoppage planned.
The man dubbed Roger Shoey Vasa-Sheck, who guzzles beer from a boot at New Zealand Warriors games, was sensationally tossed out of Mt Smart Stadium and handed a lifetime ban on Friday.
Calley Gibbons, a 31-year-old Auckland brickie, had gained cult-hero status for popping up on the TV screen in front of Stacey Jones’ coaches box and drinking beer from his size-12 footwear.
He was spotted during the Warriors’ homecoming game against Wests Tigers, again during the Storm clash and briefly in the first half on Friday night against Canterbury.
However, after enjoying only one “shoey”, Gibbons was fronted by security and several police and asked to leave.
gibbons told The Sun-Herald he was not intoxicated, had bought the beer from inside the venue and ended up heading down the road to a nearby pub and drinking from his shoe every time the Warriors scored a try.
Gibbons is not facing any charges, while The Sun-Herald has contacted the Warriors for comment.
A change.org petition to have Gibbons’ ban overturned had already attracted more than 2,500 signatures by Saturday morning.
“I was evicted from the stadium and the security guard escorted me out and told me I had a lifetime ban,” Gibbons said. “Your guess is as good as mine as to why I was kicked out. It’s just wrong.
Calley Gibbons before he was asked to leave on Friday night.
World swimming has another bona fide superstar on its hands.
Teenage sensation David Popovici continued his breakout season at the European Swimming Championships on Saturday (AEST), posting a sizzling time in the 100m freestyle semi-finals.
The 17-year-old touched the wall in 46.98 seconds, setting a new European record and breaking his own world junior record.
Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
He won his heat easily, finishing over a second ahead of Italian Lorenzo Zazzeri, while only two other swimmers, Kristof Milak and Alessandro Miressi, managed to go under 48 seconds.
Popovici became just the fourth swimmer ever to dip under the 47-second barrier, after world record holder Cesar Cielo (46.91), Alain Bernard (46.94) and Caeleb Dressel (46.96).
Bernard is still the fastest European ever but his time was not ratified by FINA in 2009 because it was swam in a non-approved suit.
Swimming fans were blown away by Popovici’s scintillating effort in Rome.
The Romanian, who goes by @chlorinedaddy on Instagram, is expected to threaten the world record again in the final, which he goes into as the raging favourite.
“It’s a fine route to the final and a step towards the right direction,” an understated Popovici said after the semi-final.
“It feels normal for me to go step-by-step and keep improving my time.”
Popovici has taken the swimming world by storm since emerging onto the scene with solid results at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
And in June, he became the first man to win the 100m and 200m freestyle double at the World Championships in nearly 50 years.
He dominated the 200m freestyle final and claimed gold in the 100m final in the absence of Kyle Chalmers and Dressel.
Earlier this year he also won three European junior titles in his home town of Bucharest.
In other events, Italian world champion Nicolo Martinenghi won the 100m breaststroke.
Martinenghi was a double gold winner at the Budapest worlds and got the home crowd roaring in Rome with a time of 58.26sec in his final, beating countryman Federico Poggio by 0.72sec.
Andrius Sidlauskas took the bronze for Lithuania.
Margherita Panziera won the 200m backstroke, Thomas Ceccon claimed the honors in the 50m butterfly and Simona Quadarella won European gold in the 800m freestyle for the third straight time.
Only Jaeman Salmon knows how it feels to be called a “weak-gutted dog person” by Ricky Stuart, and to be at the center of an intense media spotlight after the Raiders coach exploded at a press conference.
Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler, trying to put themselves in the shoes of the Panthers playmaker, imagine he’s struggled enormously.
“Walking down the street, you’re shopping, you look over and someone’s looking at you. You’re going, ‘What are they thinking about? Why is everyone staring at me?’,” Johns said on Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and the Eighth.
READMORE:Payten’s emotional tribute to Paul Green
READMORE:‘Hardcore’ move that could redefine Ricciardo
READMORE:Great rips AFL ‘mess’ after staggering Cripps call
Jaeman Salmon was the victim of Ricky Stuart’s “weak-gutted dog person” outburst at a press conference. (Getty Images)
“It’d be horrible.
“I dare say during the week there would have been camera crews outside his house.
“It’s an absolutely shitty feeling.
“Until you’ve been in the bull’s eye it’s hard to describe how difficult it can be.”
Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on9Now.
Salmon, filling in for Jarome Luai as the first-choice five-eighth recovers from a knee injury, turned out for Penrith in its 16-0 defeat to Melbourne on Thursday night.
He didn’t impress at Penrith Stadium, but few Panthers players did as the Storm strangled the reigning premiers.
Raiders coach banned for ‘unacceptable’ spray
“You’d like to think it’s not going to affect (him), but it will,” Fittler said.
“It’s anything. It’s just in your head. Whether someone says something about you, writes something about you, if you see it or hear it or people want to throw it down your throat, then it’s in your head.”
Salmon has played 17 NRL games for the Eels and 23 for the Panthers.
The 23-year-old has quietly gone about playing 20 games this season, primarily starting on the bench and being injected into the second row.
So good are Luai and halves partner Nathan Cleary that, if he wants to become a first-choice playmaker in the NRL, his future doesn’t lie at the Panthers.
Fittler believes Salmon, who’s not contracted beyond this year, is an attractive prospect for rival clubs.
“It’s the best footy he’s played by far. By far. And he’s a talented player, without a doubt. What he’s doing at the moment — it’s working,” Fittler said.
“I always speak about the bench. The bench is so important. You have a look at (the Panthers’) bench: Scott Sorensen, himself, sometimes they’ve got Mitch Kenny, Spencer Leniu, Eisenhuth, possibly, sometimes. There’s blokes there who’ve played in big games, played in pressure games, so it makes a huge difference.”
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter byclicking here!
Paul Green’s life in pictures: From Sharks prodigy to premiership-winning coach
McLaren boss Zak Brown is copping backlash from his own network of reserve drivers as the Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri contract saga rages.
Australian F1 driver Ricciardo became embroiled in F1’s mid-year silly season following reports he will be replaced by young compatriot Piastri at McLaren in 2023.
The news erupted last week after Fernando Alonso blindsided the F1 world and jumped into Sebastian Vettel’s vacated seat at Aston Martin.
Watch Every Practice, Qualifying & Race of the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship™ Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Alpine then announced Piastri would be the man to replace Alonso, only for the Melburnian to reject the seat — a bold move for a man who is yet to drive in F1.
Now Ricciardo has asked for a $21 million payout from McLaren for the early termination of his contract, according to Speedcafe.com.
But as the drama unfolds, the fallout has extended all the way to the United States.
IndyCar drivers Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta and Alex Palou were each targeting the vacant Alpine seat, but the trio have seemingly been sidelined by Brown.
According to leading IndyCar driver O’Ward, Brown dangled the F1 carrot in front of the Americans before going all in on Piastri.
“It’s not good for me to have that illusion. It’s a dream that’s very far away, because although I’m racing at a very high level, it’s still not enough to convince them,” O’Ward told ESPN.
“There are many things that come into play that are beyond me.
“I found it laughable. I saw it and I laughed.
“The same prize has been put in front of many other drivers by Brown. In the end, there is only one seat and not five.”
If Piastri does indeed take his place at McLaren, Ricciardo’s most likely landing spot would be Alpine, the French team formerly known as Renault where he spent two seasons in 2019 and 2020.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer slammed Piastri for his apparent betrayal in a blistering spray over the weekend.
“I expected more loyalty from Oscar than he is showing,” the Alpine team principal told Spanish publication The confidential.
“I started in 1989 in Formula 1 and I’ve never seen anything like this. And it’s not about Formula 1, it’s about integrity as a human being.
“It could happen in ice hockey or soccer, it doesn’t matter. But you don’t do that. He signed a piece of paper, a document, saying he would do something different.
“For me, the way I grew up, I don’t need to sign a piece of paper and then have someone say, ‘You’re lying, because you signed this.’ For me, if you say, ‘Hey, help me, I’ll help you tomorrow,’ there’s no way I would go back on my word. No way.”
“He should (drive with the) team that has taken care of him, that has taken him to the world championship and, above all, that during the last year has put him in a Formula 1 car so that he would be ready, so that he would know the circuits,” Szafnauer added.
“You did everything I asked you to do (from Alpine to Piastri) and now I promise you that if you do this, I will do this. I don’t need a piece of paper where it says, ‘With a clause, I can get out of here’.
“There should be some loyalty to the fact that we have invested literally millions and millions of euros to prepare him. So I don’t understand it either, you should ask him.”
Ian Foster’s future as All Blacks coach will be on the line when the men in black tackle the Springboks at Emirates Airlines Park in Johannesburg in round two of the Rugby Championship.
Foster is under enormous pressure to keep his job after suffering five defeats in six test matches, a sweep run that has seen the All Blacks plummet to fifth on the World Rugby rankings, their lowest-ever ranking.
New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson had previously refused to endorse Foster beyond the first two games in South Africa, which means the ax could fall unless he can inspire a dramatic turnaround.
It would be a monumental bounce-back if the All Blacks were to pick up a much-needed victory in Johannesburg. They are coming off their worst defeat to the Springboks in 94 years after losing the opening game 26-10.
The All Blacks have not dropped their first two games of the Rugby Championship, or the Tri-Nations as it was previously known, since 1998.
Foster has resisted wholesale changes, making just four alterations to his starting XV for the second encounter against the Boks.
Props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax bulk up the scrum, Shannon Frizell subs in for Akira Ioane at blindside flanker and Richie Mo’unga gets his first start of the year at first-five with Beauden Barrett dropping to the bench.
South Africa have been forced into a late front-row reshuffle after starting hooker Bongi Mbonambi went down with a knee injury at training. He has been replaced by the inexperienced Joseph Dweba.
Joe Allison/Getty Images
Richie Mo’unga has been named to start at first-five as one of four changed to the All Blacks’ starting XV.
The game
Rugby Championship Round 2: Springboks v All Blacks
Where: Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg
When: Sunday, August 14, 3.05am (NZ time)
Live coverage: Sky Sport 1, live updates on stuff from 2.50am
The teams
All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Tyrel Lomax, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Codie Taylor, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Akira Ioane, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Quinn Tupaea.
Springboks: Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse; Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Joseph Dweba, Ox Nche. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Hershel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.
Nick Kyrgios’ winning streak came to an end with defeat by Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals of the National Bank Open in Montreal. The Australian had built on his run to the Wimbledon final by winning an ATP title in Washington last week and went into the meeting with Hurkacz having won 15 of his last 16 matches.
Kyrgios looked weary but recovered from losing the opening set on a tie-break to turn the tables in the second. The deciding set was one-sided, though, with Kyrgios ranting at the umpire about a lengthy bathroom break taken by Hurkacz and struggling physically as he fell to a 7-6 (4), 6-7, (5) 6-1 defeat .
Kyrgios said afterwards: “My body hasn’t been feeling great the last week. When you stop playing for five, 10 minutes, it doesn’t help your body. My body was so stiff after that I couldn’t move properly. My abdominal was hurting. It’s within the rules so I’m not going to complain, I just completely stiffened up.”
Hurkacz, from Poland, who is the only player left to have previously won an ATP Masters title, will take on the fourth seed Casper Ruud in the semi-finals. The Norwegian made it a miserable day for the home hope Felix Auger-Aliassime, handing the young Canadian the heaviest defeat of his career as he slumped to a 6-1, 6-2 loss.
In the women’s event in Toronto, Simona Halep continued her resurgence by overcoming Coco Gauff 6-4, 7-6 (2), maintaining her record of not having dropped a set in four meetings with the American teenager.
It was more than a century ago that the then all-male NSW parliament first became known as the Bear Pit. So aggressive and unruly was the behavior of MPs on the floor of parliament in the early 1900s that the lower house could have been a blood-sport arena hosting bear-baiting.
Disturbingly, little has changed in Macquarie Street. The Bear Pit nickname remains and so does a toxic culture.
NSW Parliament House is the country’s oldest parliament.Credit:louise kennerley
The first woman was elected to Australia’s oldest parliament in 1925, but still it has not shaken its moniker. Perhaps it is little wonder, then, that the bad behavior that has long been tolerated in the chamber has spilled outside into the halls of power.
Former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick’s long-awaited report into the workplace culture in NSW parliament is a shocking indictment on the people who seek to represent us and the institution where laws are made.
NSW parliament is still a male-dominated workplace, where sexual harassment is rife and people are fearful to speak up in case they lose their job, Broderick says. Three men and two women disclosed to her de ella review their experiences of attempted or actual assault and almost half of sexual harassment incidents in the past five years were carried out by elected members of parliament.
A series of anonymous first-person accounts makes for uncomfortable reading. One described the parliamentary precinct as feeling “like the 1970s”, with “old rich white men employing these beautiful young women in their 20s. People would come to the office and joke ‘[this member] always employs the lookers’ ”.
loading
Another said: “MPs make lewd comments, especially at drinks. It’s a bit of a boys’ club, there’s sexting in the Parliament.” And this: “It’s a completely predatory environment. People use their position to influence and manipulate young adults to get what they want. It’s the nature of the relationship in those offices, I saw it happen in my office.”
Broderick’s report, which was based on the response of almost 500 people, found that most people who took part identified the “unequal distribution of power”. Women are still grossly underrepresented.
Cricket faces a real challenge dealing with the rapidly evolving T20 landscape, according to former Australian skipper Ian Chappell.
The last month alone has seen Ben Stokes retire from 50-over cricket due to the demands three formats of the game place on his body, suggestions Chris Lynn wants to ditch the BBL to play in the UAE, and Trent Boult being released from his New Zealand central contract to allow him to play in more domestic leagues around the world.
The boss of IPL giants Kolkota Knight Riders recently revealed that in an “ideal world” players would be contracted to their franchises for 12 months a year, potentially leading cricket down the ‘club vs country’ path that rules football. IPL franchises recently purchased all six teams in South Africa’s new T20 competition, which will also run in competition to the BBL.
READMORE:Cripps ‘farce’ under fire after latest bump furore
READMORE:‘Sore’ Kyrgios erupts as win streak comes to end
READMORE:The ‘horrible’ toll of ‘weak dog’ slur on Panther
Lynn seemingly wants to play the first half of the BBL before taking up a big money offer in the new UAE T20 league in January, with former national coach Darren Lehmann one of those who supports the 32-year-old being allowed to do so.
Lynn is the BBL’s all-time leading run-scorer and a fan favorite, particularly with younger demographics that the competition targets.
Cricket Australia would need to provide Lynn with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to allow him to take up the UAE deal, to date no such application has been made.
According to Chappell, Lynn could be the first of many Australian players faced with this dilemma, given the riches on offer overseas.
Chris Lynn in action for Brisbane. (Getty)
“I think a lot of the older players will get offers from that area, and that will be a real challenge for nations like Australia who have a lot of good players, and also for nations that can’t afford to pay their players the best rates,” Chappell told Wide World of Sports.
“Then you’ve got the problem of the IPL franchises owning teams in different leagues around the world.
“If you’ve got a decent IPL contract and the choice is between Australia and your IPL franchise’s UAE team, well are you going to put your IPL contract at risk?”
Privatizing the BBL teams has been floated, with Chappell indicating the IPL franchises would be “off their rocker” not to buy the Australian outfits if given the chance.
That then raises the question of development of younger players, a role that has traditionally fallen to the state associations.
“Who’s going to do it?” Chappell pondered.
Senior players, such as David Warner, could be tempted to finish their careers in overseas T20 leagues. (Getty)
“To me, the administrators had to make a decision years ago on how many forms of the game they wanted. Once you’ve decided that, how do you run those forms of the game so they’re not cannibalizing each other.
“This is one reason why it should have been sorted out. But the administrators have no foresight.
“That’s now coming back to haunt them.”
While Lynn is yet to formally apply for a NOC to play in the UAE, all eyes will be on Cricket Australia’s response. There’s no precedent to allow an Australian player to compete in a league in direct competition to the BBL, although the fact Lynn does not currently hold a CA or Cricket Queensland contract muddies the waters.
“To me, you then go back to the World Series Cricket days, where they took the board to court over restraint of trade,” Chappell said.
“Is it a restraint of trade? In Chris Lynn’s case, if he hasn’t got a contract with Cricket Australia or Cricket Queensland, what’s to stop him?
“If I was Chris Lynn and I wanted to play in the UAE I’d take them to court. I don’t think Cricket Australia would have a hope in hell. It’s got to be a restraint of trade. You’re not contracting him, but you’re not letting him play either.”
The riches on offer in the IPL dwarf the money available elsewhere. (Getty)
Chappell noted that the explosion of T20 leagues is likely to damage Test cricket, pointing out that if BBL sides are privatized the owners will expect the best Australian players to be available, placing iconic matches such as the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and New Year’s Test in Sydney in danger.
“Cricket Australia has got a big decision to make, they’re going to have to do a lot of thinking” he said.
“Who’s going to be deciding who can play and when and where they play?
“If they open it up to private ownership, and there’s a clash between Test cricket and T20, well, guess who’ll miss out?”
The 75-Test veteran said the whole scenario spells trouble for the longer form of the game.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” I explained.
“For starters, if you’re being realistic you can only play Test cricket between about eight teams.
“West Indies have got a problem because they can’t afford to pay their players. Sri Lanka have a reasonable infrastructure but big political problems, and South Africa is similar.
“Whoever thought of giving Afghanistan and Ireland Test status is off their rocker. But you know why it’s been done, it’s so those countries get a vote.
“To me this whole issue has been coming for quite a while, and I have no sympathy for the administrators.”
“[Test cricket] won’t die in my lifetime,” he added.
“But who’ll be playing it? That’s the big question.
“If you haven’t got your best players, is Test cricket worth watching? The answer is probably no. Test cricket is a good game, but it’s got to be well played.”
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter byclicking here!
Australian cricket’s highest earners – Pat Cummins tops contract list for third straight year
