http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh6zf0NcCgA
Wayne Barnes will tell you that a ref runs the risk of getting whacked with the ball in the face in any game, but it’s pretty unfortunate when it happens a couple seconds after the first whistle.
That is the fate which befell an unlucky ref in a club game in New Zealand recently, after he eagerly ran into position after blowing the whistle only to be immediately caught flush in the face with the ball, with the power of the strike knocking him onto the ground.
What we weren’t aware of until now is that (thanks to the New Zealand Herald for bringing us up to speed) is that the act of being smacked in the head ,at least in the Southern Hemisphere, is known as a ‘falcon’.
It is a term that originated on The Footy Show in Australia, where a weekly segment presented by Mario Fenech began with him being smacked with a ball on the head. Being from Malta, Fenech’s nickname was the Maltese Falcon and well, you can see where this one is going.
Speaking of falcons and having mentioned Wayne Barnes above, who wants to see him feel the force of an Ian Keatley whack to the face during Munster’s clash with Racing Metro at Thomond last season one more time?
Oh go on then… (via RugbyDump)
Main video via YouTube/NZAUTV8
