As we all know the key thing about rules in sport is that they’re applied consistently. However, the bans resulting from the citings of CJ Van Der Linde (4 weeks) and Rocky Elsom (1 week) last Saturday open up some inconsistencies that you could drive a bus through.
First off, the head-butt from CJ. In case you missed it, here’s a little replay for you.
As you can see, this idiot uses a ruck as an excuse to put a cheap shot on a guy who wasn’t even looking at him. As Cordingly understated himself,
“The first time he had come at me I had seen him coming, and before the second occasion I started to back away because the referee told me to release the ball, so luckily it was more of a glancing blow than a direct strike.”
In my mind 4 weeks is a minimum, especially when Epi Tione got 8 weeks on a sighted opponent.
However I can think of a recent game, in Perth just last month, where another Springbok forward – Bakkies Botha – took a running leap at an unsighted opponent in a ruck, the only difference being that Botha succeeded in concussing Stirling Mortlock, literally knocking him out of the next game.
There was no way this was an accident either, you can see Botha check his handiwork afterwards, and even try the same thing in a previous ruck. For all that’s holy – how did this not get cited as well?
And then you’ve got Rocky Elsom, competing in the air directly opposite Matfield during a line-out. As you can see, Rocky does grab Matfields arm, de-stabilising him, a fair enough penalty, which it received.
However, we’ve all seen this game in game out, but never cited. It’s not like Rocky barrelled Matfield’s legs out from under him – he was in the air with him. You can see that the Aussie 6 actually falls on his arse under Matfield, which is probably why he pulled so hard on the Saffa’s arm.
As has been noted around the place, if this was a citing, what about Steyn’s hit on Mitchell in the air (below)? Sure, Napoleon Dynamite only managed to injure himself by head-butting Mitchells knee, but this was far more reckless and dangerous than Elsom’s tangle in the air.
To cap it all off, this SANZAR shower took three days to get the the shabby job done, stifling any chances of appeal (verdict not available till Wednesday) or replacement – Elsom’s been fully involved in training this week.
If it wasn’t supposedly a professional sport worth billions, you’d think it was a joke.
Tags: bakkies botha, cj van der linde, judiciary, rocky elsom, sanzar, stirling mortlock, video highlights, youtube
About bloody time someone brought this up. Couldn’t agree more with what you’ve just said, particularly regarding Botha’s cheap shot. Bad enough that it didn’t get cited, but for Rocky to get done for a pretty minor infringement is senseless. Sure, apparently Matfield strained his hammy from falling awkwardly but he played a full 80 minutes – can’t have been that bad. Stirling could barely walk off the paddock.
Much respect to Cordingley for keeping his cool too…
How does the Tuqiri spear on McCaw from a couple of years ago fit into this raft of inconsistencies?
Just curious
Jason – I smell a pong over the alleged Matfield groin strain; gives a consequence to the nothing that actually happened. Like you said, he played on fine. Let’s see who runs out this week.
LB – No footage, no event.
Anyway, McCaw deserves whatever he gets. He should get cited for never actually being onside.
No footage? You can’t get through a Bledisloe build-up in this country without it being shown 5 times. For a match as important as the Brisbane one it’ll probably reach double figures.
And the O’Driscoll ‘counter-ruck’….?
The counter-ruck was really dangerous. Don’t worry about that.
Not sure if you heard, but O’Driscoll could have almost died then.
I have to agree with the lack of citing on Steyn, click here for a pic of that “tackle” and try to claim it was safe..
Elsom has appealed his suspension, I’m guessing more due to not wanting to have a record than actually caring about missing the Joburg test.
Would be funny if the suspension is overturned then we rest him…
Not as funny as if the appeal is rejected, and it gets pushed out to 2 games…
Whichever way, Elsom will not play at Ellis Park.
Yes – we can all cite previous examples where, in our opinion, someone has been treated too lightly or too severely. What does that prove?
We’re all saying the same thing in the end: Let’s try to eradicate the perceived inconsistencies. And personally I think some better visibility on how/why decisions were made would go a long way towards doing this.
We never seem to hear about the rationale behind the decisions… which makes me suspect there isn’t any. I think they’ve just got a big SANZAR WHEEL OF FORTUNE stuck on a wall somewhere.
Thanks for pikky Moses – yet another I’ve ‘borrowed’ from you!
WOW…surprise surprise…It didn’t take me too much digging to find out that Jonathan Stone is not only the CEO of SANZAR but yes you guessed it he also the MD of SA Rugby…Mayby that would explain the disgraceful decision of Elsom getting banned for a week for a slight infringement in the lineout…something SA has done in every game. Funny enoughI also saw on Mr Stones web site he has studied Applied Ethics from the University of Stellenbosch…What a joke…For those Wallaby fans who are as equally as pissed as I am please feel free to call Mr Stone on his direct line at SARU and leave him a message +27 21 659 6728 or email him at sarfu@mweb.co.za…Please pass these details to your friends as well to share their thoughts with Mr Stone…
No wuckas Gagger,
should we be slightly concerned with some of the techniques coming out of Perth? I mean in that pic Mitchell has kicked the ball and in the process jumped 4 foot in the air?
Then there’s Giteau’s head on hip tackle that he seems to have trademarked..
Oh PLEASE!!!! Get over yourselves!! This sort of thing happens ALL the time in rugby…and not only to Aussie Sides!!
http://sportblogs.24.com/ViewComments.aspx?blogid=fdbfeafe-2a13-4be0-9c78-2bd92108de10&mid=5fd491da-e1a6-4bd8-b661-a9f3c08dcbe4
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22437926-5003411,00.html
http://sportblogs.24.com/ViewComments.aspx?blogid=5c9c7c8d-f6eb-4343-a5c0-b96758f5fa84&mid=4cf4bd75-3940-4c18-b277-da6d409a0ac1
And to really throw the cat amongst the pigeons, check this one out:
http://sportblogs.24.com/ViewComments.aspx?blogid=fdbfeafe-2a13-4be0-9c78-2bd92108de10&mid=300c94fd-5aaa-4f5c-bc61-f2937fe63481
Cheers
Hey Russell, perhaps a quote from John Smit will lighten the mood:
“One almost gets the idea that anyone who is not from New Zealand does not have the same rights as someone who plays for the All Blacks,”
“Just imagine Bakkies Botha doing something similar to Richie McCaw. World rugby would have come to a standstill,”
Russell – as the other Matt said, it’s not about the nationality, but rather the inconsistency, sometimes even within the same match. So I think we’re making the same point?
As for the last link you mentioned, very funnily written, but a bit flawed. How does an Australian official cheat for Aus vs RSA when they’re not allowed to officiate those tests?
The funny thing is I reckon most Aussie fans feel uncomfortable by our lack of mongrel!
Anonymous – good detective work!
I also had a chuckle at the Courier Mail story which has a link next to it entitled:
‘Steve Larkham says knee is “better than ever”‘
That tackle on Mccaw was sweet. If it makes NZ feel any better I reckon Tiquiri hasn’t dominated at international rugby since that suspension. At least it was roughly on the ball.
I more concerned about there being two matts contributing, if this blog was run by a saffa you would only be allowed one (by doctrine).
Russell, what did you think people would comment about on this blog?
Green and gold rugby is a thinly veiled blog with a pro wallabies bias. Furthermore, if it happens to everyone why wouldn’t we complain, suspensions are generally bollocks.
ps I’m pretty sure “getting gover yourself” is a suspendable offense.