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Uproar after Bourgarit's eye-gouging gets ban just two weeks worse than Addison's badly-timed tackle
By Josh Raisey
La Rochelle’s Pierre Bourgarit, Ulster’s Will Addison and Montpellier’s Jacques du Plessis were all handed various bans on Wednesday after last weekend’s round two of the Champions Cup, punishments that have caused yet more contention.
Du Plessis received a five-week ban for a Sebastien Vahaamahina-esque strike to Gloucester’s Gerbrandt Grobler face in a maul, but the bans for the France and Ireland internationals have proven more controversial.
Addison was suspended for a tackle on Clermont lock Paul Jedrasiak in their Champions Cup encounter. It was a dangerous tackle and worthy of punishment, but it was simply down to poor technique and timing which led to a clash of heads and the second row leaving the field. He was given a six-week ban reduced to four due to his disciplinary record.
Four weeks would seem fair for what happened, but it is the fact that Bourgarit only received six for eye-gouging Tom Curry that has caused an uproar. The hooker flagrantly committed one of the worst offences conceivable in rugby and his ban has caused a great deal of confusion.
The offence was adjudicated to be at the top end of World Rugby’s sanctions for contact with the eye area, which carries a minimum twelve-week ban. However, that was reduced to six due to the 23-year-old’s disciplinary record and his expression of remorse, which seems to be the popular thing to do if a player wants their ban reduced.
The way in which bans for a mistimed tackle and eye-gouging only carry a two-week difference has left many people questioning the citing process.
While it is not the worst case of gouging seen on a pitch, the prevailing majority of fans felt this was worthy of a far longer ban as Bourgarit will return to rugby in early January.
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Hi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
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