we all know that rugby is potentially dangerous, it is a contact sport with no padding and physical domination is part and parcel of the game. dirty and illegal play is to be condemned outright, and sanctioned accordingly, in my opinion the bans for foul play are not long enough, but the nature of the game involves risks and accidents happen, clearly even in training.
so, if in a lineout someone gets tipped upside down and injured through clumsy technique or competing for the ball, what sanction should there be ? i have never seen a yellow card or send off for the offender, penalties aplenty, but never a more serious sanction.
two years ago we all marvelled how the beast was able to lift anton bresler and hold him, what if he had dropped him, who's to blame matewera or bresler for the jump ? and would he have been cited for dangerous play ?
two front rows regularly collapsing, often deliberate, we see warnings, yellow cards for repeat infringements but never a sanction for clumsy or dangerous play.
i think there should be significant difference in the sanctions for intentional and reckless as distinct from accidental, clumsy and dangerous. IMO 2 weeks would have been appropriate for kurindrani. digby ioane, got 5 weeks last year for a much more dangerous tackle and he was a repeat offender.
so the bar is now set at 8 weeks plus one for a "lesson" less time off for good behaviour. so now the IRB have certainly toughened up on this aspect of the game in recent times, just hope they are consistent. deliberate spear tackles will need to get 20 weeks plus, but if they start to penalise all aspects of the game that are potentially dangerous, (lineouts, scrummaging, jumping for the high ball, (izzy could have got a couple for the "screamer" he took over genia) the physical contest will be ruined.
i applaud the efforts to minimise risk in the game but in this instance i thought the sanction too harsh.
