Wales v South Africa

[dirty harry]

Give it a couple of years and they probably will be able to compete on those fronts. It’ll just be me, Harry and @dullonien watching.

I dont know why your signing me up to a lifetime of misery, ive already swapped my Cardiff season ticket for a box ofnpopcorn down at Cardiff city stadium...

Come on the Bluebirds, lets get promoted!!!

 

[Welsh Exile]

I dont know why your signing me up to a lifetime of misery, ive already swapped my Cardiff season ticket for a box ofnpopcorn down at Cardiff city stadium...

Come on the Bluebirds, lets get promoted!!!

Just when I thought you couldn’t stoop any lower in my estimation.

 

[saguy]

The way rugby's laws are currently I don't think intention should be considered at all. Ryan's hit on Marx was deemed not deliberate and reduced by a week and that's stupid as ****, it was so reckless and dangerous that the chances of injury were identical to what it would have been if intentional.

Like we're talking about intention here when Etzebeth could have blinded Mann, had that happened WR would have less work because the justicecsystem would be taking over...

Genuinely asking, has civil/criminal charges ever been opened against a rugby player for on field incidents?
I wonder what would happen, is the case opened in the country it happened, or the offended player's home country? What a mess

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Genuinely asking, has civil/criminal charges ever been opened against a rugby player for on field incidents?
I wonder what would happen, is the case opened in the country it happened, or the offended player's home country? What a mess

There's definitely been criminal charges for actions playing sport before. I'm not sure at a professional level but as dirty as pros can be at times, it's not the same level as some psychos you get out there who play a sport for an excuse to fight lads.

I think gouging an eye out and blinding would reach the threshold, it being GBH. Fortunately we haven't seen this sort of thing at a pro level.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Llanelli's Gavin Quinnell eye injury: No police charge

A man arrested after Llanelli's Gavin Quinnell lost the sight in his left eye due to an injury in a rugby match will not face criminal charges.

www.bbc.co.uk

No explanation for why no charges were filed - wouldn't have thought it being on a sports pitch would've stretched to blinding, maybe a question of being able to prove intent?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Llanelli's Gavin Quinnell eye injury: No police charge

A man arrested after Llanelli's Gavin Quinnell lost the sight in his left eye due to an injury in a rugby match will not face criminal charges.

www.bbc.co.uk

No explanation for why no charges were filed - wouldn't have thought it being on a sports pitch would've stretched to blinding, maybe a question of being able to prove intent?

Could be as simple as lack of evidence.

 

[SéniorHuevo]

Can Spain or Georgia show they can compete on revenue, attendances, eyes on TV screens and adverts. It's not just about if they can compete on field. It's about the other unions agreeing after seeing where the money is

Well that's chicken and egg. How would any nation get the same crowds or TV interest when playing Romania and Belgium. What would Wales' crowds be? But on your hypothetical if Spain were in the six Nations absolutely. Georgia no because of it's population and geographic isolation. Which is why the Six Nations love Georgia because they are the perfect blocker.

 

[SéniorHuevo]

Spain might be the only nation that can do it but they'd need to build a bigger market than Wales currently have. South Sfrica is probably more likely though.

I'd prefer that the 6n is replaced with a 5 match, 8 or 12 team European championship on even years or once every 4 years in the Lions year.

I think an entire overhaul of the competition is more likely than Wales going unless it gets to a point where Wales can't even maintain clubs at a URC and domestic level. And again, at that point the Boks are going to swoop in.

Again no, the expectation of getting 60,000 when playing Romania and Belgium whilst Wales get England and Ireland is either very dense or disengenuous. SA joining is the death of any growth of Int Rugby in Europe (basically telling everyone else not to bother) and also could just hasten the transfer of any remaining talent in Aus and NZ to the NRL of they don't even have meaningful internationals.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Again no, the expectation of getting 60,000 when playing Romania and Belgium whilst Wales get England and Ireland is either very dense or disengenuous. SA joining is the death of any growth of Int Rugby in Europe (basically telling everyone else not to bother) and also could just hasten the transfer of any remaining talent in Aus and NZ to the NRL of they don't even have meaningful internationals.

I'm not being disingenuous, the cards are stacked against Spain. If they want in over another team the only way they could do it is by performing strongly in world cups over a decade or so like Argentina or bringing in more money than a current member. It's a closed shop.

Not the way I want it to be, just how it is.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Bok supporter here, there's no excuse for a deliberate eye gouge. If it was deliberate, lengthy ban deserved.
Whether it was deliberate, or just poor hand placement in the heat of the moment... only Eben and the good Lord will ever know.

Credit to you and not suggesting any of the SA fans here are like that. However you look on Youtube for "Etzebeth gouge" and one of the most viewed videos at 600k is a short trying to prove Mann gouged Etzebeth. I feel sorry saying it as the Bok fans here are fine but others out there are a ******* disgrace.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

If the Boks job the 6n, that would surely then spell death for the rugby championship. Right is dying in Australia and even in decline in New Zealand. I don't think Argentina alone could offset that. Would Japan join in SAs place?

the RC is already dying...not going ahead next year, replaced with the AB's touring SA

 

[Pontefractious]

There's no justification for Etzebeth's eye gouge. If he feels that he was gouged at some point during the game, either with the Mann 'incident' or at some other point, that might go toward explaining why he chose to take the action that he did, but it absolutely doesn't justify it.

When I last played rugby, some 60 years ago, we had no gouging. I wonder why.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

When I last played rugby, some 60 years ago, we had no gouging. I wonder why.

im sure there were dirty stuff going on, we just didnt have ways to discuss like this or 24 hr on line "news"....and so people just moved on and accepted it

 

[Saintjay]

im sure there were dirty stuff going on, we just didnt have ways to discuss like this or 24 hr on line "news"....and so people just moved on and accepted it

Yep heard Chris Ashton on the subject. Weirdly he said he had more incidents of people trying to stick fingers up bums. Which tbh wasn't unheard of back when.

As for people not eye gouging, Wayne Shelfords testicles are evidence to other nasty stuff going on.

 

[Which Tyler]

When I last played rugby, some 60 years ago, we had no gouging. I wonder why.

Lack of TV angles, lack of quality pictures; and a lack of replays (both during and after matches).

Rugby is a hell of a lot cleaner now than when I was playing in the 80s and 90s. Whilst I can't comment on the 60s and 70s, I very much doubt that it was a paragon of virtue unheard of before or since.

 

[Bobinator]

Genuinely asking, has civil/criminal charges ever been opened against a rugby player for on field incidents?
I wonder what would happen, is the case opened in the country it happened, or the offended player's home country? What a mess

This brings John 'Stinkfinger' Hopoate to mind - digital assaults - but I don't think that ever went outside of normal disciplinary authorities.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Decision on ban delayed until Sunday, supposedly because they can't agree on which entrypoint it meets (though it's probably because they don't want it overshadowing the RWC draw)

 

[Scotty]

Decision on ban delayed until Sunday, supposedly because they can't agree on which entrypoint it meets (though it's probably because they don't want it overshadowing the RWC draw)

It's a tough one because maybe he went to grab his face out of anger and didn't consciously intend to gouge, and but the issue his he had full line of site to see what he was doing therefore I can't say it wasn't intentional.

 

[WaterboySA]

I've already given my perspective in this thread of the incident (summary: stupid, deserves a ban, blight on his legacy), but I do want to clear up a misconception. Yes Etzebeth does love the enforcer role and does get in peoples faces in scuffles (loves to grab a collar.. and tbh does too much risky stuff of getting his hands in the face of other players). But what Etzebeth doesn't have is a bad disciplinary record. Since his debut in 2012, he has received a total of 4 yellow cards, and this is first red card. He had one suspension back in his first season in 2012 for an attempted headbutt on Nathan Sharpe.

I agree that he should get a lengthy ban. But do your research before you accuse him of having a bad record.

Thanks for pointing this out Saulan.

 

[Rinkadink]

supposedly because they can't agree on which entrypoint it meets

Well, it can't be low end so I guess between medium and high?

The lack of remorse and apologies will probably count against Eben as well.