Guys - I think you are making some rather sexist and totally wrong assumptions. If the wind was within the demonstrated limits and remained so all the way down to touch down, he was within his rights to attempt the approach.
The gender of the Baldrick (Co-pilot or First Officer) would have no bearing on the matter.
Most company's have a slightly lower cross wind limit for the First Officer. What often happens after such an event and the subsequent inquiry is that the Airfield's Anemometer gets upgraded and better located to avoid a recurrance. Anemometers are not always located abeam touch down areas which is where they should be.
He was indeed very lucky. I think there might have been a double wing scrape, or at least it came very close on the right side as well.
Everyone survived, a couple of Ailerons and outer fairings didn't.
Better luck next time.
(And maybe he should read up on the secondary effects of rudder. On the B747 there would invariably be crossed control in executing such a flare, but its unecessary to do it because with a Boeing you can land without taking the drift off - it's very easy to scrape a pod on the 747).
