Premiership Semi: Leicester Tigers vs Northampton Saints

[kovana]

Chris Ashton aggressively shoved him in the back of the head, which when it comes unexpectedly can lead to spinal chord injuries, I'm sure Manu was just trying to say "I say old bean, that push may have endangered my ability to walk so therefore I must retaliate with physical violence seeing as you have already thrown your gloves off. So tally-ho Mr. Ashton!" with his punches.

"Queensberry rules dear chap."

 

[Teh Mite]

If someone would point this knee out, that's be just super. Completely missed that one. Looks more like a little shove saying thanks for the diving clothesline "attempt" at a tackle.

Nobody would be shoving their oar in saying it was perfectly legit if Manu wasn't a south sea islander anyway.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

If someone would point this knee out, that's be just super. Completely missed that one. Looks more like a little shove saying thanks for the diving clothesline "attempt" at a tackle.

Nobody would be shoving their oar in saying it was perfectly legit if Manu wasn't a south sea islander anyway.

It was off the ball but wasn't dangerous he hit him in the chest, as a Reds supporter I got to see Lloyd Johansson put on a real dangerous hit and Manu's was nowhere near what Lloyd did to Mortlock.

 

[DariusLovehall]

Rubbish. As i said. Have you come to play Rugby or Boxing?



WTF? You call those jabs? He was trying to block Tuilagis Punches.

You are deluded if you think Tuilagi had some right to throw punches. This isnt a bloody playground Darius. "He pushed me.. So i should get to punch him!"

Pathetic mentality.

As for the Video.. Ashton shoved... His wrong.. If he had taken offense to the hit, he should of just gotten back up and play the game like a real professional.

Tuilagi Retaliated with Punches.. Which connected.. Definitely wrong... If he was a real pro... he should of just continued with playing the game.

Jeez. Cannot believe you are condoning his actions. Do you play Rugby?

Yah know Kovina i think we are just on different wavelengths.
Im sure you have played and watched as much rugby as i have maybe even more so im not downplaying your viewpoint.
I just call it how i see it and i saw that Ashton started it - how was Manu supposed to know that Ashton wasn't starting a fight?
He got up and protected himself because for all he knew a kick or punch was coming along with the Knee and the Shove, you saw how fast it happened.
Manu threw a combination and then stopped ... because he saw that Ashton wasn't fighting back.
I've been shoved and thrown a punch in retaliation to it because its a challenge to fight, when you get shoved in Porirua it means your about to get hit so you gotta protect yourself.

I think Ashton getting away with that is wrong - if he had of shoved him and ran back into position it wouldn't have gone that way but he shoved him and stood over him like it was ON and Manu whooped him but stopped after 3 punches - he could have easily carried on as there was noone near them.

If someone who didnt know how to throw a combo was in Manu's shoes and got up and threw handbags at Ashton no-one would care.
Anyway i have said my piece - i don't believe my mentality is pathetic at all ... i just see things as we do here.

 

[best_fullback]

If someone would point this knee out, that's be just super. Completely missed that one. Looks more like a little shove saying thanks for the diving clothesline "attempt" at a tackle.

Nobody would be shoving their oar in saying it was perfectly legit if Manu wasn't a south sea islander anyway.

This is literally just as Ashton is about to push Tuilagi in the neck. His knee makes contact with the top of his back, but whether it is malicious or just an accidental result of him pushing Tuilagi I'm not sure.

TBH by 2 cents on the matter are that anyone who says that someone pushing someone else is enough cause to repeatedly punch them back is stupid. Pushing and general grappling happens all the time in games off the ball, and if every time it happened the player on the receiving end was allowed to punch the other player then then there would be endless fights throughout games. This would have been shown by the fact that if after Chris Ashton pushed Tuilagi, and then Manu got up and pushed him back, then they both turned and went back to their sides absolutely nothing would be said about it - its part of the game.

Punching is not something that anyone wants as part of the game. Yes, it happens, but it is totally undesirable. It paints a bad image for the sport and is very dangerous considering the power these players have. Tuilagi could have broken his jaw if that last punch was lower for gods sake. Its completely reckless and IMO he deserves to be banned for a lot longer than the 4 weeks being mooted. People saying Ashton deserves it for his swan-dive celebrations are completely missing the point.

 

[nickdnz]

Hmm. I'm of two minds about this. Does a shove warrent punches? Probably not. I've been shoved many times, and most of them lead to nothing, maybe grabbing his shirt or what ever. But there are times when a players does do things to you, that warren you decking him. If a player stomps on me, gouges me or punches me, I'll almost always have a go, for the simple reason that you came to play a game of rugby, and not to get stomped, gouged or punched. Ashton should not have shoved Tuilagi, and if he did he should have known what he was getting in to. No point in acting like a victim if you end up getting hurt after starting something.

 

[Logorrhea]

Have to say I'm surprised with the amount of people defending and trying to justify what was to my eyes an unprovoked assault.

If players are justified in launching a series of punches everytime an opponent pushes them well we'd get nowhere. I'm not a fan of Ashton, I'm delighted it was him taking the pounding but you cant justify what Tuilagi did.

 

[gingergenius]

wasn't unprovoked, and i'd suggest a few little words of banter were said too... that's part of Ashton's game. Nonetheless, the retaliation was well out of hand, a shove back or a dig in the ribs would have sufficed - not 3 bangs to the face. Simples.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

A wise boxer once said "Body shots do more damage than facial shots" well Mark Wahlberg playing a punch drunk boxer said that, but Tuilagi was in my view justified for a retaliation of some sort.

 

[Logorrhea]

Tuilagi was in my view justified for a retaliation of some sort.

Of course. But the question is, was he entitled to push back, or roll in with three punches to the face?

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Of course. But the question is, was he entitled to push back, or roll in with three punches to the face?

You ever been pushed by an Islander? If he was that angry at Ashton a push from Tuilagi would have thrown Ashton through the space-time continuum and then Northampton would have to hire Dr. Who to get him back.

 

[Teh Mite]

Would it have been "justified" (********!) had it been a non-England winger who showboats when scoring?

E.G. Williams or Rocokoco?

I doubt it.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Would it have been "justified" (********!) had it been a non-England winger who showboats when scoring?

E.G. Williams or Rocokoco?

I doubt it.

Race or country does not come into it, Just as long as they don't punch Digby.

 

[Teh Mite]

Why is Ashton routinely singled out as being someone "who deserves a slap" apart from being English and scoring tries?

Nobody ever said the same of Habana (for example) who was equally as bad for the showboating and gobbing off a while back.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Why is Ashton routinely singled out as being someone "who deserves a slap" apart from being English and scoring tries?

Nobody ever said the same of Habana (for example) who was equally as bad for the showboating and gobbing off a while back.

TBH I've only seen Ashton play once (England vs Samoa) because I missed the Aus vs England game on the end of year tour last year. so I don't think he deserved a slap for no reason, I just think what he did was completely uncalled for, if Rod Davies did that to Manu Tuilagi and Tuilagi went Rocky Balboa on him I'd say the same thing. Simply don't start a fight and expect nothing back.

 

[Teh Mite]

Anyone who goes onto a pitch with the attitude of swinging punches (lets remember this wasn't a single tap and a grapple, this was a repeated attack after a bit of hows your father following an off the ball Hit, not tackle, anyway) should f off and find a new sport.

This wasn't like Fleck punching Cohen in 2002, a bit of roughing to get in his head, it was what would on the street be called a sustained assault completely above necessary force. Following something HE started in the first place.

We've all given and taken a little shove off the ball in the past. If Tuilagi can't take that without resorting to actions such as those he shouldn't be playing rugby, he's clearly going into a game with the wrong mentality.

Same goes for any player in any team.

 

[Sam Owen]

Like I said before and I'll say it again, if Ashton didnt go in at all and START the whole thing by doing a behind the back "assault" on a man while hes down then Ashton wouldnt have got himself hurt.

 

[Teh Mite]

So how is a little shove to say "f off" assault when a swinging arm hit isn't?

Pull another one.

 

[Gavin]

Like I said before and I'll say it again, if Ashton didnt go in at all and START the whole thing by doing a behind the back "assault" on a man while hes down then Ashton wouldnt have got himself hurt.

Surely Manu started it by taking out Ashton off the ball and with a swinging arm.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Maybe Tuilagi was yawning and Ashton ran into his outstretched arm.