This weeks suspension of hooker Andrew Hore couldn't have come at a worst time for the All Blacks. His, shall we say, "ill advised" swinging forearm into the head of a Welsh player saw him banned for the next five matches. With the upcoming match against England this weekend Hore's actions have created a lot more news- to the detriment of the All Blacks. A couple of thoughts on the incident-
- Hore is lucky not to be banned for more games in my opinion. A swinging blind-side hit to the head has no place in the 21st century game of rugby, especially with concussions becoming a huge talking point in contact sports these days. Missing two Super 15 matches is a very light punishment for what he just did. Maybe the ban should have carried over to test matches only. That would be a more effective deterrent for these actions at this level perhaps?
- I think Hore's explanation that he wasn't aiming for the head is laughable. The fact that Davies, a lock, is significantly taller then him, meant he had to visibly reach up to strike him in the head. The only thing which was even more ridiculous was that the judicial panel believed his story!
- Those defending Hore's actions by saying he was provoked is just a condoning the small minded thinking of the yesteryears. He's a professional rugby player and should conduct himself in that manner. He is paid to play rugby within the rules of the game- not be a vigilante.
- If he had done that off the field he could quite easily face time in prison. So why is it acceptable to people on a rugby pitch?
- Hore hasn't had a reputation in the past for being a dirty player so it is even more surprising that at the tail end of his career he would do something like this. If he was just starting out I think this incident would have damaged his reputation in NZ and would have taken years to recover from. See Keith Murdoch.
- The All Blacks management response was disappointing and the lack of conviction in the apology carries a long term tradition of arrogance when it comes to disciplinary incidents. It would be nice to see an All Black player or coach give a genuine apology for a hit for a change.
The response from the media and opponents of the All Blacks has been predictable and disappointing for me. Journalists, pundits and fans of England especially have used this incident as a chance to ridicule the team and to question the moral fibre of the All Blacks. The fact is that every international team commits acts of thuggery on the field- it's not just one team. What has been highlighted again though is the International Rugby Board (IRB) inconsistency of the disciplining of the players guilty of such acts. What is also of note is that the All Blacks are on the receiving end of these acts more times then what they dish. Yet players have escaped with little or no punishment. Here are some examples of players who have acted with malicious intent to injure All Blacks:
South African Victor Matfield received no punishment for this late swinging arm to the head to Byron Kelleher in 2005
Englishman Dylan Hartley somehow escaped any punishment for this after the whistle forearm to Richie McCaw.(Skip to 2:12 if you just want to see the hit.)
Yet Hartley would receive a eight week ban for an alleged finger biting incident vs Ireland in which video evidence wasn't as clear.
Quade Coopers knee to McCaw's face last year also received no ban despite being blatantly malicious.
It goes both ways thought- the All Blacks have been just as guilty for illegal behaviour and getting away with it. The most famous would be Kevin Mealamu and Tana Umaga taking out Brian O'Driscoll against the Lions in 2004. Both of them didn't receive a single game for an off the ball spear tackle which ended the Irishman's tour in the first minute of the tour. The attitude of the All Blacks was hush hush and it will all go away. No official apology from either player or the team and this tradition carries on to this day. Being subject to that sort of treatment from oppositions can't be given as an excuse to do likewise. The modern sporting world is moving from an eye for an eye mentality which has been so prevalent for so long.
The problem is that the authorities have failed over time to police the game effectively however. The IRB haven't put in a rigid system for how infractions on the field should be punished. The NRL have a effective grading system which make it very clear how many weeks a player is banned for dependent on the foul and the previous history of the player. Rugby Union stills seems to be a potluck of what sorts of bans are given out. It reflects badly on the IRB and will continue to do so until they find a solution. Certainly the current system does not work and is prone to controversy. The more inconsistencies in the game the less credibility it receives unfortunately.
Photo sourced from tv3.co.nz
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