Wales vs England - 16/03/2013

[TrueSlawter]

Its more the psychological aspect of being spat on more than it getting an advantage imo. But to be fair I hope he didnt do anything tbh

 

[admartian]

As much as that does look like he's spitting, I doubt he actually was. What the hell does he gain by spitting on Halfpenny's scrumcap/His own hands?

Well wtF was he doing then? He certainly wasn't blowing air kisses....

 

[ratsapprentice]

Yeah, but if you're looking in that much detail at what he's doing that you notice he might have spat, look at what he would be spitting at; his own hands or a scrum cap or the ground.
I highly doubt Halfpenny would have known he was being spat at considering the monumental noise and the scrumcap. Just seems unlikely to me.

 

[admartian]

Yeah, but if you're looking in that much detain at what he's doing that you notice he might have spat, look at what he would be spitting at; his own hands or a scrum cap or the ground.
I highly doubt Halfpenny would have known he was being spat at considering the monumental noise and the scrumcap. Just seems unlikely to me.

Spitting at the ground (or even at Halfpenny - scrum cap or not) as some sort of intimidating gesture makes much more sense than blowing air kisses (which is what it looks like if the magic "no spit" theory is to be believed)...

 

[Aristodemus]

Just based off his personality I doubt Croft was spitting then, and if he was he would also go down in my estimations too. As I say though, I doubt he was.

 

[bushytop]

Yeah... maybe its the big 15 he's sporting on his back.

 

[admartian]

Just based off his personality I doubt Croft was spitting then, and if he was he would also go down in my estimations too. As I say though, I doubt he was.

So you're basing it off personality rather than the evidence in front of you? Not having a go.

Just find it weird. Thorn wasn't known to be a 'dirty' player (well as far as lock reputations go) - yet it would be damn funny of me to think "based off his personality" that he didn't dump tackle John Smit. Or the normally incident free Andrew Hore (seals not-permitting), not clothes lining that player.

 

[dullonien]

It's Halfpenny.

Considering Biggar doesn't wear a scrum cap, I really should have not confused the two. Where Croft's leg is placed, it looks like the number on the back is a 10.

 

[Peat]

Having looked closely, I really doubt he's spat on Halfpenny. Halfpenny's head is directly below. When Croft's lips make the spitting movement, his head is tilted back and a straight line from his lips to the turf would miss Halfpenny. And, if nothing else, while I am always prepared to countenance the possibility that rugby players do reprehensible things, I'd like to believe he's clever enough not to put his hand in the way if he was going to spit on someone's head.

And the most sensible reason for spitting is comfort. I frequently find myself needing to spit when playing rugby.

 

[ratsapprentice]

To be perfectly honest it looks like he's spitting (as you do when physically exerting yourself) at the ground.
It's a massive assumption that he's spitting at Halfpenny. You're talking about it as if it's the most definite black and white incident in the history of poorly captured incidents.

 

[admartian]

Considering Biggar doesn't wear a scrum cap, I really should have not confused the two. Where Croft's leg is placed, it looks like the number on the back is a 10.

lol yeah that's what I thought too. Didn't see the scrum cap initially.

Having looked closely, I really doubt he's spat on Halfpenny. Halfpenny's head is directly below. When Croft's lips make the spitting movement, his head is tilted back and a straight line from his lips to the turf would miss Halfpenny. And, if nothing else, while I am always prepared to countenance the possibility that rugby players do reprehensible things, I'd like to believe he's clever enough not to put his hand in the way if he was going to spit on someone's head.

And the most sensible reason for spitting is comfort. I frequently find myself needing to spit when playing rugby.

Like I said, hitting or missing Halfpenny is not the point. No one is trying to crucify Croft.

It's just funny to see Croft fans try and defend him, by saying he's not spitting, he's a saint or whatever. When he's clearly spitting. Whether it's at Halfpenny or not, whether it's intimidation (like shooting at the feet of bad guys in western movies) or what have you, it's pretty effing clear....

And blowing air kisses makes even less sense when he's holding Leigh's head down and to the side - thus if he were trying to taunt him by blowing air kisses (as if to say - "do you like that luv?" - he's not making eye contact with him to see, thus rendering the 'taunt' useless).

Like I said, logic is being ignored for the sake of being apologists...

 

[ratsapprentice]

Like I said, logic is being ignored for the sake of being apologists...

Not really, I'd be glad to never see him in an England shirt ever again.

 

[psychic duck]

Tom Croft has said on Twitter that he didn't (https://twitter.com/tomcroft6). I don't see any reason why not to just take his word unless Halfpenny himself complains and says otherwise. Let's not burn Croft and judge him on something that we don't know happened for sure, and probably didn't happen at all.

 

[admartian]

Tom Croft has said on Twitter that he didn't (https://twitter.com/tomcroft6). I don't see any reason why not to just take his word unless Halfpenny himself complains and says otherwise. Let's not burn Croft and judge him on something that we don't know happened for sure, and probably didn't happen at all.

Sure - that's assuming I was posting with the knowledge of his denial.

Still - back to the "air kisses" theory then? Hail St. Croft.

 

[Peat]

Tom Croft has said on Twitter that he didn't (https://twitter.com/tomcroft6). I don't see any reason why not to just take his word unless Halfpenny himself complains and says otherwise. Let's not burn Croft and judge him on something that we don't know happened for sure, and probably didn't happen at all.

Because we are British and trial by media demands that he is guilty until proven innocent.

I hereby sentence him to spend 2 years in a room with a Welsh version of Jeremy Kyle.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Still - back to the "air kisses" theory then?

You're literally the only person to have mentioned this.

 

[Draggs]

Why do players push opposition players heads into the pitch?
Seen it quite a few times.

 

[ratsapprentice]

To annoy them.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

To annoy them.

Yup.
Hate seeing it, to be honest, purely because it'd annoy the ever living hell out of me if it happened to me
Especially when players are getting up from the ruck and push themselves up on an opposition player's head/face.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yup.
Hate seeing it, to be honest, purely because it'd annoy the ever living hell out of me if it happened to me
Especially when players are getting up from the ruck and push themselves up on an opposition player's head/face.

You probably wouldn't want to play against me Olyy. How could I possibly get up with out the support of someone's head?