Twitter roasts Phil Kearns for Jaguares comments
REACTION: Commentator and former Wallabies hooker Phil Kearns has come under some heavy criticism on Twitter after saying that the Jaguares should be axed from Super Rugby.
The 67-cap dual World Cup winner said that the Argentinian side have an unfair advantage due to the number of internationals in their side. This came after they had beaten the Waratahs, his former club, to put them into second place in the Super Rugby standings.
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The Buenos Aires club have now won five of their past six matches, and look to be the form team in the tournament alongside the reigning champions the Crusaders.
While Kearns is right in pointing out that a high proportion of the squad are internationals, that has not stopped fans laying into him on Twitter, branding him a "moron".
Many fans have been quick to point out how many other teams in the competition are littered with internationals, namely the Waratahs team that won the title in 2014, and the current Crusaders team. Many have said that these recent statements are just sour grapes by Kearns, who has not been complaining over the past three years when the Jaguares have been losing.
This is what has been said:
What is clear is that many fans are welcoming the improved competition from the Jaguares this season. Super Rugby has come under close scrutiny lately for the discernible drop in standard compared to previous years. While this may have been a contributing factor in the Japanese outfit the Sunwolves losing their place in the tournament, the quality that the Jaguares bring should be appreciated.
Furthermore, in terms of the development of the game, it is imperative that the Jaguares remain, particularly after what many perceived as a backwards step in axing the Sunwolves.
Whether Kearns regrets his comments now is unknown, but they did appear to be a reaction to his side’s loss, and the Twittersphere has not let him get away with this lightly.