30 Mar 2017

French lock fined for criticising Wayne Barnes

9:46 am on 30 March 2017

France's vice-captain, Yoann Maestri, has been hit with a $45,000 fine for criticising English referee Wayne Barnes following his side's dramatic Six Nations win over Wales.

French lock Yoann Maestri.

French lock Yoann Maestri. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Maestri commented on Barnes' officiating following the controversial match that ran for almost 100 minutes.

France won the game after scoring a converted try that put the score at 20-18 but Maestri believed his side should've been awarded a penalty try before it during scrum time.

"He (Barnes) told us we were not dominant enough," Maestri said.

"Anglo-Saxon referees always talk about fair play but the reality is that they think we're cheats. When you are repeatedly crushed in a five-metre scrum, you concede defeat.

"There's a complicity between Anglo Saxons and it is in these moments that you realise it. It was unbelievable."

Referee Wayne Barnes discusses the scrum with French and Welsh players 2017.

Referee Wayne Barnes discusses the scrum with French and Welsh players 2017. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

At the independent Six Nations Disciplinary Committe hearing, Maestri accepted that he had committed an act of misconduct and apologised for making the comments.

The Disciplinary Committee fined Maestri 30 thousand Euros, with one half to be paid within the next 30 days and the other half was suspended until the end of the 2017/18 season.

The 29-year-old was also orded to pay Six Nations' legal costs.