Schalk Burger got dragged into the “Bloodgate” scandal at Harlequins club this weekend. Harlequins Director of Rugby was slapped with a three-year ban for his involvement in the faking of blood.
Richard’s lawyer Mark Gay argued on Sunday that his punishment was “disproportionate.” He cited the eight-week ban given Burger following an eye-gouging citing in June.
“I think it is excessive in the context,” Gay told BBC Radio 5.
“You have to look at what the offense was. What the player was involved with was feigning injury and, to my mind, feigning injury is less serious than causing injury and Schalk Burger got eight weeks for gouging.
“To my mind, it’s a very savage sanction, disproportionate, and really is one which in all conscience, ERC (European Rjg by Club) should not have imposed,” Gay said.
“He has taken full responsibility for what has happened,” Gay said. “I really do think the committee should have taken account of that.
“Of course the cover up really hurts you more than the offense itself, but even in the context of that it’s a savage ban to impose – a ban which could in all intents and purposes have been a life ban on a person like Dean, who has given his life to the game.”
Some of you may not know the exact details of the scandal as we don’t always follow Northern Hemisphere rugby as we do when our local teams are involved. Below is an article on what happened that day.
Fake Blood Used In Harlequins Rugby
Total Pro Sports – It is amazing how far some will go to help lead their team to victory. While some would be willing to take a few punches in order to change the momentum, others have shown that they have no problem with cheating. Look no further than Boston’s beloved franchises.
In England, the notion of cheating was taken to a whole new level.
It was all part of a plan put together by Harlequins’ director of rugby Dean Richards, and club physio Steph Brennan. Richards ordered Brennan to purchase a pack of blood capsules from a Clapham joke shop. The capsules were to be used by players in order to fake injuries during a Heineken Cup match against Leinster.
The player they used as their subject was Quins full-back Tom Williams, a young but promising player who obliged when asked to commit the act.
Willliams admits that when he was handed the fake blood capsule on the pitch by Brennan he put it in his sock and then pulled it out after a contact situation and tried to bite on it. The capsule fell out of his mouth, forcing him to pick it up and and try the whole process again in full view of the sold-out stadium and television cameras. [ThisIsLondon.co.uk]
When officials of Leinster began yelling that the blood was not real, Williams asked the club doctor Wendy Chapman to cut the inside of his lip with a scalpel.
The pantomime nature of the incident continued in the medical rooms under the stand with Williams and Dr Chapman initially having to avoid the gaze of doubting officials and find a room where they could cut his lip. A picture was taken of the cut which was neatly done and did not require any stitches.
In a hearing on the incident, Williams claimed that he was given a lucrative offer of compensation by club chairman Charles Jillings, and chief executive Mark Evans if he agreed to hide the complete details of the situation by making a “limited” appeal. The offer included compensation for a 12-month ban, a new four-year contract, and an offer of employment with the team following his retirement. This move was made in a effort to prevent the team from receiving a Heineken Cup ban and relegation.
Williams had refused such offers and has come forth with the complete details, which were uncovered during the hearing. He was given a 4-month ban for his involvement in Bloodgate, while Richards has received a 3-year ban, Brennan got a 2-year ban, and the club was fined £259,000.
What may have initially seemed like a good idea for the Harlequins rugby club has turned into a costly one. Next time Harlequins are looking for blood, they should consider just asking their players to bite his tongue during the game, rather than later on at the hearing.
Cheating like this is unacceptable and I am sure we all agree. But what punishment is really fair? Was Schalk lucky to get only 8 weeks? Is a three year ban too much? Do other teams also cheat, with Quins just stupid enough to be caught? Is faking a blood injury to get a kicker on the field different than faking an “injury” to a prop to force uncontested scrums?
What are your thoughts?
Puma , it is really heavily tilted towards the All Blacks, last game , we normally want to go home , our momentum lost , their home ground… but wait Ricky is there 😆
@Supa Die Bloubul – 260
Same here not a cat fan either. My neigbour in Joburg has 4 of those sausage dogs and now my neighbour here in Umhlanga has just got two. So no getting away from those little okes either..haha.
They are very loyal I am told.
@superBul – Problem was that Steyn’s up and unders were absolutely shit, there was nothing to chase.
272@Puma – We had 2 Sausage dogs…. now we have a stoepkakkertjie…. well BonzaiHandbriekie has the stoepkakkertjie….
Fark
@superBul – 271
You never know Ricky loves playing against the ABs. Seems to get under their skin Ricky does.
Think we need most of our guys to play for the full 80min this week. Especially FdP if he comes off my heart just will sink. He holds that ship together really. Felt as soon as Habs came off last week too that was us done. We don’t have any wing replacements. I would start Frans Steyn at 14 instead of Odwa as well. Especially if there is rain.
@Puma – There is on;y one dog, a Boerboel!!!!
@grootblousmile – 275
😀 What is a stoepkakkertjie? hahaha. A pavement special?
@Boerboel – 276
hahaha. Now you talking Boerboel. Now they are just as scary as the Rotti.
277@Puma – One of these little dogs with the short hair, long legs… looks like a little miniture bokkie…. head looks like a mini racing-bycycle seat… a real yapper…
Going to get a cup of coffee. Visitors went home today and now on a HUGE health diet for the next 4 weeks. Well if we win this weekend will break it and start again Monday 😆
Back in 5 min.
@grootblousmile – 279
Never seen one of those. But if they yap then you can have it….haha. Yapping dogs drive me crazy.
@Puma – 275
i hate playing players out of position, but Jaque scored such beautiful tries this year in the wing position i would move him there, then bring in WO at 12 or Adi at 13.
281@Puma – Me and stoepkakkertjie are’nt friends, if you catch my drift…
@Puma – think they call it a miniature Doberman, my sister had one , real noisy dog, but wide awake.
@grootblousmile – once they hate you you cant win them back, my son was that dogs number1 enemy.
@grootblousmile – I had a Boerboel and a pavement special yapper once. The Boerboel would just put her one paw on the yapper and he’ll be quiet. She was well trained!
285@superBul – I don’t want to win it over…. I want it to play in a busy street….
@grootblousmile – Take your plank and pretend it is a Rotti
I do like JF and JdV at centre though. I too don’t like playing players out of position. Yes, JF can play wing but Frans played there for the Sharks in 2007 and did a great job there. We missed JPP on Sat. Frans Steyn is wasted on the bench and coming on so late really can do nothing much. I really would have him at 14 instead of Odwa this week. We need to go back for what worked for us in SA and play that game again.
284 could be a miniture Dobbie. Think I have seen them now.
288@Boerboel – Ek sal darem nie die fokken hondjie self skade aandoen nie… maar ek sal iemand betaal… hehehe
@grootblousmile – Imagine hoe lank jy dan in die dog box gaan wees.
@Boerboel – 286 lol. I like your Boerboel keeping that yapper quiet. Nothing gets to me more than a yapping dog. Joburg where I live, there seems to be more of them there than here in Umhlanga but they are here too. Send your Boerboel here..lol.
@grootblousmile – 282
I bet not..lol. Would not be mine either..haha
Julle sien selfs in Bloubul land reken hulle die spelers rig hulself af.
`n Vaskop moet bo-oor die loskop se arm bind. Hoekom Werner Kruger sy arm onder die loskop se arm probeer inkry weet net hy en Balie Swart alleen. Kry vir Chris Grobler wat destyds die Pumas afgerig het as niemand in Pta weet hoe `n stut moet bind nie. Dit was presies wat Ryno Gerber ook gedoen het. Ons het die wedstryd in die skrums verloor.Ek begin wonder of Matfield en Kie nie die oefeninge self hanteer as hulle hier is nie.
Good grief, has GBS been walloping savage dogs with planks of wood?
May have to translate that post later!!
Me and my border collie are going for a run(as we are talking dogs) and hope to find some of you guys here later!!
BTW Lukes new team Bath took a thumping yesterday 24 – 5, beaten by Gloucester! He will have his work cut out!
@carol – 295
Hi Carol,
Hurry and walk those dogs.
@Puma – Puma, running shoes on…..!!
wa is almal
@smallies72 – ons wag net vir jou
@superBul – hoesit wat gesels ons
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