Aviva Premiership Round 13

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

The citing system continues to baffle. Toby Flood is facing a ban for an accidental tip tackle that only ended up tipping Goode because George Chuter joined in, whilst Matt Smith simply got a warning and a ban of 0 weeks for elbowing Alex Grove in the back of the head off the ball with malicious intent.

Citings continue to be a complete lottery. In my opinion, Smith should be the one being banned.

Poor Tom Varndell as well - not cited, but carded after TMO for a tackle which landed the Bath player essentially horizontally.

For me all these exmplaes raise a huge issue:

Using the TMO for looking at all these other thing besides the scoring of tries, assumes that we all have confidence in the TMO referees to make the correct calls when given the footage and asked to do so. If we can't faith this faith in them, i.e if we disagree with verdicts this often, I can't personally see the point of the new usage of TMO.

Re Wade, its intersting that if you speak to Wasps fans, many currently rate Varndell as the better player, in the sense of he's a more finished product with a rounded game - he's one of the best finishers around, but is also a very intelligent player with good defence and positioning. He's determined and never gives up - he kept Wasps in the premiership with 'That' tackle on Vesty.

This said, he had a shocker on Sunday, particularly with the Abendanon try.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It's the right call on the Flood tackle, however the wrong call on Smith.
I noticed Neil Briggs has been cited for "striking" a Quins player - I bet it's not as bad at Smiths elbow.

 

[psychic duck]

It's the right call on the Flood tackle, however the wrong call on Smith.
I noticed Neil Briggs has been cited for "striking" a Quins player - I bet it's not as bad at Smiths elbow.

Here it is so you can judge for yourself, keep an eye on the left side of this ruck where Briggs took a swing at Sam Smith.

Will be a joke if Briggs cops a long ban when Matt Smith just got "a warning".

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VAQTrnavhZE#t=1177" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, that's absolutely nothing compared to Smith.
While Briggs shouldn't have lashed out his was being held by the shirt and you could argue he was trying to free himself (I think he meant to hit the guy, rather than try and hit his hand away).
Smith deliberately elbowed a guy in the back of the head because he was running in front of him.

 

[Tony Manx]

The citing system continues to baffle. Toby Flood is facing a ban for an accidental tip tackle that only ended up tipping Goode because George Chuter joined in, whilst Matt Smith simply got a warning and a ban of 0 weeks for elbowing Alex Grove in the back of the head off the ball with malicious intent.

Citings continue to be a complete lottery. In my opinion, Smith should be the one being banned.

I wholehearteldy agree that Smith should have been done and done good for his cowardly attack and it is totally wrong that he was not......I also believe refs should take more action against cheap shots on players scoring tries from use of the knee to elbows in the back where there is no chance of dislodging the ball and are also, I believe, cowardly acts of spite!

As regards Flood, I have never seen him as a dirty player and agree that the tip was accidental and assisted by someone BUT the tackler has to be responsible for the safe landing of the tackled player and Flood made no effort to avoid him landing on his shoulder/head. Consequently he should be done.....the French believe it will be a minor ban allowing him to play even in the H Cup but feel also that had he been French, he would have missed that AND the 6N.................

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think Flood will get 6 weeks reduced to 4.
He's not a dirty player, and it was clearly unintentional, however it still happened.

 

[Teh Mite]

What, you mean the ban won't be over before the 6 nations? REALLY???

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Farrell's the new wonder boy - his dad being a coach overrides Flood being a Tiger/Falcon.
As long as one of the two is around then they're not fussed about the other.

 

[Teh Mite]

But first choice 22 EPS players don't get bans. I thought everyone knew that!

 

[psychic duck]

Flood was cleared and isn't banned at all.

This kid has been though for 9 months ...

http://www.rfu.com/thegame/discipli...NE/JUDGMENTS/ANTI DOPING/RIDLER JUDGMENT.ashx

 

[Teh Mite]

Flood was cleared and isn't banned at all.

This kid has been though for 9 months ...

http://www.rfu.com/thegame/discipline/judgements/judgments-2012-2013/judgments-by-offence/~/media/Files/2013/DISCIPLINE/JUDGMENTS/ANTI%20DOPING/RIDLER%20JUDGMENT.ashx

Utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly, utterly... Predictable.

Same old corrupt RFU

 

[cyRil]

****ing joke, with regards to Flood, but what's new?

 

[Teh Mite]

What do you mean you've seen the incident? Oh, here you go then...

<object width="640" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aI89HHfNncE?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aI89HHfNncE?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

It's as if the hanging judges happens to be Leicester-supporting, England Selectors. Justification for it appears to be "well, if it had been just one of them dumping him on his head it's bad, but his mate joint in so it's fine".

Echos to the dismissive defence argument the Kiwis came p with for dumping O'Driscoll on his head.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Briggs banned for 3 weeks.

 

[psychic duck]

In other news, did anybody else see (or hear) this incident where Mathew Tait broke his nose? He kept playing on for the rest of the game after it happened as well despite blood pouring out of it.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zvvwIwBS5H0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

 

[SelimNiai]

That broke his nose? Must have been either a pinpoint collision or Tait must have a weak nose.

Surprised the Wuss player didnt get a large ban from the RFU for the temerity of touching a Leicester player

 

[Teh Mite]

Apparently Callum Clark is up for a 2 year ban because of it...

 

[McTallshort]

Apparently Callum Clark is up for a 2 year ban because of it...

What overextending someones arm? Not quite the same as a tip tackle...

 

[Tony Manx]

Apparently Callum Clark is up for a 2 year ban because of it...

Accidental....

Flood bloody outrageous and the French have a real point about inconsistency.

Briggs - excessive

Dicsiplinary panel - wankers!

 

[Teh Mite]

What overextending someones arm? Not quite the same as a tip tackle...

I hnow. A broken neck is much worse.