Adam Thomson gets 1 week ban

[smartcooky]

And now the IRB is "reviewing it's decision" after consultation with british journos...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10849154

Pardon my language, but this is a 4ucken joke.

Whinging 4uckwit journos b!tch and moan about an AB not getting pinged for what is a MINOR incident, and the IRB drop to their knees and assume the position.

Its funny; I Didn't hear Jones, Moore etc moaning that Greyling and Higginbotham (or Hartley, or Powell) only got two weeks for blatant thuggery (and far, far worse incidents of foul play that Thomson committed)

[textarea]"As custodians of rugby worldwide, the IRB has a duty to protect its image, values and integrity together with the welfare of players at all levels in order that the sport can continue its unprecedented growth and welcome more men, women and children to the rugby family,"[/textarea]


So, I ask, where were the custodians of the game's image, values, integrity and player welfare when Richie McCaw was being stomped, head butted, eye-gouged, spear tackled, punched, and kneed, kicked and elbowed in the head?

The answer... nowhere to be seen.

However, when a New Zealander commits one of these acts of foul play, only then do the gin-swilling, two-faced tossers come out of the Dublin woodwork wringing their hands as fast as they can, spouting hollow, puerile rhetoric about the image of the game.

The iRB is composed of a group of incompetent, fools. They are now a laughing stock in this part of the world (indeed, if they weren't already), a pathetic group of sock-puppets with the hands of the British Media firmly stuck up their collective arseholes. It sets a bad precedent; the British Media now know that they can influence iRB policy and decision making by using public pressure.

Most people here are over this issue anyway, and they really couldn't give a toss what happens. I certainly don't, because this just confirms for me what bunch of tossers we have running the game world wide. The double-standards of this organisation are appalling, and clearly there for all to see.... or at least by those who don't have their Northern Hemisphere eye-patches firmly in place.


Anyway, I reckon its all payback for Steve Tew ganging up with the other SANZAR partners threatening to pull out of RWC 2015 unless the financial model was changed. :cheers:

 

[FlukeArtist]

Yeah, the tabloid Kiwi media have no history for hyperbole or poetic licence in their "balanced" reporting. My mistake...

What is your point?
And what does the NZ media have to do with what has happened with Thomson's judicial hearing and now the IRB's review???

Where is it that the NZ media is scaremongering?? That is exactly what has happened.
Read Gosper's tweets.

 

[nickdnz]

:lol: The utter paranoia, proporganda and outright scare-mongering of the Kiwi media beggars belief. And I thought the left wing media here was bad.

Don't see what the NZ media has to do with anything. The Herald isn't anyones favourite 'newspaper', but unless you're contesting the facts in the paper then I don't see what point you're trying to make.

Yeah, the tabloid Kiwi media have no history for hyperbole or poetic licence in their "balanced" reporting. My mistake...

The Herald is a terrible rag of a paper - but I formed my own opinion of this (indeed I haven't read the Herald article). If you want to dispute the fact then by all means, but let's not just make base attacks on the NZ media for making valid points.

[textarea]"As custodians of rugby worldwide, the IRB has a duty to protect its image, values and integrity together with the welfare of players at all levels in order that the sport can continue its unprecedented growth and welcome more men, women and children to the rugby family,"[/textarea]
So, I ask, where were the custodians of the game's image, values, integrity and player welfare when Richie McCaw was being stomped, head butted, eye-gouged, spear tackled, punched, and kneed, kicked and elbowed in the head?
The answer... nowhere to be seen.
However, when a New Zealander commits one of these acts of foul play, only then do the gin-swilling, two-faced tossers come out of the Dublin woodwork wringing their hands as fast as they can, spouting hollow, puerile rhetoric about the image of the game.
The iRB is composed of a group of incompetent, fools. They are now a laughing stock in this part of the world (indeed, if they weren't already), a pathetic group of sock-puppets with the hands of the British Media firmly stuck up their collective arseholes. It sets a bad precedent; the British Media now know that they can influence iRB policy and decision making by using public pressure.
Most people here are over this issue anyway, and they really couldn't give a toss what happens. I certainly don't, because this just confirms for me what bunch of tossers we have running the game world wide. The double-standards of this organisation are appalling, and clearly there for all to see.... or at least by those who don't have their Northern Hemisphere eye-patches firmly in place.
Anyway, I reckon its all payback for Steve Tew ganging up with the other SANZAR partners threatening to pull out of RWC 2015 unless the financial model was changed. :cheers:

Yeah, it's annoying but it's something I predicted. I'm not a fan of Thomson by any means, and for that silly ruck or stamp or w/e it was, I would have been happy with him getting a bigger ban (as I'm sure many kiwi's would). What I don't like is the IRB getting outside influence to increase their punishments. No matter what is said, this was certainly on the lower end of punishments, and no where near as bad as what Greyling did in which he recieved a very pitiful ban, however the British media didn't give a toss about that. It's very disconcerting that they can demand their pound of flesh and just recieve it. It does ask questions as to whether the IRB should even be in the home nations if they cannot be balanced.

 

[FlukeArtist]

It's very disconcerting that they can demand their pound of flesh and just recieve it. It does ask questions as to whether the IRB should even be in the home nations if they cannot be balanced.

Well said.

 

[psychic duck]

Also in my opinion, the IRB have more important things to worry about than this issue.

The success of the RWC and the growth of the game globally should be their priorities and the things they are judged on.

Those things will leave a legacy for decades, this incident is just a storm in a teacup that will soon be forgotten in a year's time, and it is only getting bigger now because the IRB have meddled in it. It wasn't that bad anyway, 1 week ban sounds fine to me. And as you said most aren't that bothered how long he's banned for anyway, other than a few who hacks want to jump on the opportunity to criticise the All Blacks.

This is surely just as bad, and Parra didn't get a ban at all and his side won a penalty ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqWskdHPB-s&feature=youtu.be

Talking of stamping recently there was an incident in a Turkey vs Azerbaijan match sparked by stamping which turned into a fight (showed on video) which then turned nasty as the match was ended after Azerbaijan got into conflict with the very small crowd as one of them shouted a racial insult and the match had to be abandoned in the end.

Surely it should be higher on the IRB's priorities to sort an important situation like this out, ahead of this Thompson situation.

 

[smartcooky]

Here's some more from Gregor Paul, who, unusually for him, hits every nail firmly and squarely on the head...

[TEXTAREA]The Adam Thomson saga refuses to die with confirmation the IRB are appealing the All Black flanker's suspension - arguing that the two-week ban reduced to one was an "unduly lenient sanction".
The All Blacks are legally bound to say little while the appeal is being conducted but it is believed they are unhappy with the way the IRB has handled itself. Thomson, who was yellow carded and then cited at Murrayfield for standing on the head of Scottish flanker Alasdair Strokosch, has become a pawn in a much bigger power struggle.


The All Blacks have suspected for several years now that when they play in the Northern Hemisphere they are victimised by a judicial system that feels pressured by a rabid media and high-powered administrators. There is ample evidence to support their belief - none more convincing than the direct involvement of IRB chief executive Mike Miller in 2009 over a high tackle committed by Daniel Carter in Cardiff.
The All Blacks understand that Carter wasn't originally going to be pursued by the citing officer until Miller intervened. Their dismay grew in 2010 when England hooker Dylan Hartley wasn't cited for a rash, off-the-ball attack on Richie McCaw while Keven Mealamu was for a lesser incident on England's captain Lewis Moody.



The latest episode with Thomson has enraged the situation further as the initial judgement was barely released before new IRB chief executive Brett Gosper had used social media site, Twitter, to claim the case would need to be reviewed.
He appeared to be responding to earlier Tweets from Daily Telegraph columnists Mick Cleary and Brian Moore who both admonished the sentence as too lenient. It didn't help that a few days later, another prominent writer, Stephen Jones, tweeted that he'd just finished an excellent luncheon with Gosper.


Maybe it is All Black paranoia, but it doesn't feel much like it after reading the IRB's statement justifying the appeal. "After careful consideration and having reviewed the full written decision in the Thomson case well within the permitted 72 hours of receipt, the IRB strongly believes that the sanction of one week is unduly lenient for this particular act of foul play and not aligned with the sanctions handed down in similar cases.
"The IRB firmly believes it is in the best interests of the game and its integrity to exercise its ability to appeal the Thomson decision."


The All Blacks withdrew Thomson from selection for the Wales test and are waiting now to hear when the appeal will take place.

The appeal decision will be final and binding, denying the All Blacks the opportunity to reiterate that the IRB's own recommendation for the foul play committed by Thomson is a two-week suspension when deemed to be at the lowest level of the scale - which they argue it was.


That suspension can be cut in half depending on mitigating circumstances such as previous good behaviour and intent. The All Blacks are adamant that due process has been followed and that there are previous cases in law this year which are in line with the punishment handed down to Thomson.[/TEXTAREA]

 

[psychic duck]

[TEXTAREA]The latest episode with Thomson has enraged the situation further as the initial judgement was barely released before new IRB chief executive Brett Gosper had used social media site, Twitter, to claim the case would need to be reviewed.
He appeared to be responding to earlier Tweets from Daily Telegraph columnists Mick Cleary and Brian Moore who both admonished the sentence as too lenient. It didn't help that a few days later, another prominent writer, Stephen Jones, tweeted that he'd just finished an excellent luncheon with Gosper.[/TEXTAREA]

I really really hope that idiot Stephen Jones gets any influence on IRB.

He's been writing absolute sh*t for years and is a WUM to New Zealanders in particular, constantly criticising them about various stuff including the Pacific poaching myth (surely anybody paid to research that could actually find out the facts rather than buying into a fake belief that the All Blacks are evil and steal from the poor Pacific, when actually the Pacific Islanders benefit x10 from the players New Zealand develop and then play for them when they can't play for the All Blacks). His Twitter feed also makes him look the buffoon he is.

This is why global rugby will continue to struggle to grow with foundation nations appointing the IRB staff for their own interests. There are some people like UsaUsa who posts on this forum and knows an awful lot about Tier 2 rugby and the rest of teams in the globe. But instead the IRB gets run by people who probably haven't watched a Tier 2 match (outside the RWC) in their life. Local experts, who know what's best for an area like say Eastern Europe or Asia don't get enough say in their development.

 

[smartcooky]

He's been writing absolute sh*t for years and is a WUM to New Zealanders in particular, constantly criticising them about various stuff including the Pacific poaching myth (surely anybody paid to research that could actually find out the facts rather than buying into a fake belief that the All Blacks are evil and steal from the poor Pacific, when actually the Pacific Islanders benefit x10 from the players New Zealand develop and then play for them when they can't play for the All Blacks). His Twitter feed also makes him look the buffoon he is.

This is why global rugby will continue to struggle to grow with foundation nations appointing the IRB staff for their own interests. There are some people like UsaUsa who posts on this forum and knows an awful lot about Tier 2 rugby and the rest of teams in the globe. But instead the IRB gets run by people who probably haven't watched a Tier 2 match (outside the RWC) in their life. Local experts, who know what's best for an area like say Eastern Europe or Asia don't get enough say in their development.

Stephen Jones, (like any other disreputable journalist I suppose) would never let the truth get in the way of a story. And really, he doesn't know **** about rugby either. There were two great examples of his a few years ago.

In the early days of Sky TV in NZ, the Sports channel used to have a rugby panel discussion programme called "The Tight Five". Sometimes, he was a guest on that programme (along with that other luminary Welsh rugby scribe, Eddie Butler).

On the eve of an England v New Zealand match, he said words to the effect that ......Jonah Lomu was not that good a player. He was "just a one trick pony", and all you had to do to stop him was to tackle him. "England would have no trouble dealing with him" he said.

That match was the 1995 RWC semi-final, the match which Lomu ran over Mike Katt like an express train would run carton of eggs, on his way to scoring four tries.

The second occasion I recall was prior to a Australia v England match, in which he was slinging off at Stephen Larkham. He said, and I quote "The Australian back-line is nothing special - Larkham is a slow passer and he seriously lacks gas". The match was in 1998 at Lang Park, Brisbane; the back-line was Gregan, Larkham, Horan, Herbert, Roff, Tune and Burke. "Bernie" and his back-line absolutely tore the England midfield apart. Bernie himself scored scoring three of Australia's eleven tries on the way to their 76-0 botty smacking of England.

After that, in this part of the world anyway, Stephen Jones' credibility was zero.

 

[Draggs]

Please don't associate Stephen Jones with Wales.
He only writes about England (well, actually, New Zealand) and has no respect from us.

 

[Seaton]

The colour of England's kit got more coverage than the Thompson incident.

pressure of the British media... :lol: the tabloids hae cried foul much louder over far many more things and not got 'their way'.

 

[FlukeArtist]

The colour of England's kit got more coverage than the Thompson incident.

pressure of the British media... :lol: the tabloids hae cried foul much louder over far many more things and not got 'their way'.

Did they tweet the IRB directly about those ones?

 

[Seaton]

Did they tweet the IRB directly about those ones?

I don't know, nor do I actually care.

However I do sincerely hope that you are not comparing the 'effort' of squabbling 140 characters together and directing it the iRB to the hours, if not days, journalists spend contorting their ********, phoning individuals for quotes, approaching people for reactions, running checks to make sure their ******** is of the highest standard and then printing/ airing it in the hope someone will actually pay money for it as the basis for how much of a 'deal' the media is making out of this?

 

[smartcooky]

...the hours, if not days, journalists spend contorting their ********, phoning individuals for quotes, approaching people for reactions, running checks to make sure their ******** is of the highest standard and then printing/ airing it in the hope someone will actually pay money for it as the basis for how much of a 'deal' the media is making out of this?

I think most of them assemble their ******** by interviewing their own laptops.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

It's stupid by the IRB, but please stop seeing conspiracies everywhere (it annoys me when the french do it as well, just for the record).

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

No one can beat a South African for conspiracy theories though. We get enough practice at paranoia from trying to stay away from our corrupt police and government.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Brian Moore saying on twitter he thought the ban should have been longer won't have changed the IRBs mind, neither will Stephen Jones filling his fat face with one of the IRB guys.

While I agree that NZ do seem to be unfairly targeted, to say that this incident is being so because of two journos and an ex-player ranting on twitter is paranoia of the highest order.

 

[smartcooky]

It's stupid by the IRB, but please stop seeing conspiracies everywhere (it annoys me when the french do it as well, just for the record).

Brian Moore saying on twitter he thought the ban should have been longer won't have changed the IRBs mind, neither will Stephen Jones filling his fat face with one of the IRB guys.

While I agree that NZ do seem to be unfairly targeted, to say that this incident is being so because of two journos and an ex-player ranting on twitter is paranoia of the highest order.

No one can beat a South African for conspiracy theories though. We get enough practice at paranoia from trying to stay away from our corrupt police and government.

No-one is talking conspiracy here.

What IS being suggested is that the British Media are capable of pressuring organisations & individuals within those organisations to act in ways other than they might have without the media pressure. It is a known fact that politicians' decisions are often driven by media generated public perception, so why could it not be the case with the iRB?

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then its a duck!

 

[Seaton]

No-one is talking conspiracy here.

What IS being suggested is that the British Media are capable of pressuring organisations & individuals within those organisations to act in ways other than they might have without the media pressure. It is a known fact that politicians' decisions are often driven by media generated public perception, so why could it not be the case with the iRB?

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then its a duck!

That is a fairly short synonym for conspiracy right there, relative to the ones come up by enraged Saffas and former Old Firm supporters.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

No-one is talking conspiracy here.

What IS being suggested is that the British Media are capable of pressuring organisations & individuals within those organisations to act in ways other than they might have without the media pressure. It is a known fact that politicians' decisions are often driven by media generated public perception, so why could it not be the case with the iRB?

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then its a duck!

1 - IE a conspiracy theory

2 - So are you saying our (SA) perceptions of bias against us is also legit?

 

[TRF_heineken]

1 - IE a conspiracy theory

2 - So are you saying our (SA) perceptions of bias against us is also legit?

It is... Duh!!