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?
@KingPaul –
Hoeveel slapies?
@Supa Die Bloubul – Dis nie vir ‘n slot om ‘n voorry te laat goed lyk nie – as jy te lig gevind word – f@kof huis toe – en gaan werk bietjie in die gym ens.
Dis dieselfde wat ek van Brock gesê het – en hy het dit gedoen.
Ek dink net Werner het nie veel tegniek nie – want op skool ens was hy groot – so het met size, en nie tegniek geskrum nie. Toe kry hy 2 besonderse slotte agter hom – wat hom steeds laat weg kom met min tegniek.
Hy word egter nou bloot gelê – en nou moet julle vrae begin vra.
Goodafternoon all, so from the little bit i have learnt about scrumming so far i would like to know if anyone in the scrum can put a hand on the ground at any stage,because i saw that happening a bit in the Bok game on Saterday and was Robinson always binding because he looked like he wasnt holding all the time.
Be patient with me. 🙂
@Ex Player –
Die engiste vraag wat ek vra is dat BJ of CJ asb Bulle toe kom! Stem saam oor die stutte wat die werk moet doen, nie die slotte nie. Dis hoekom ek nie Werner of Brok rate nie. MAar slotte maak tog n verskil. Werner was goed in die juniors, ek onthou hy het teen Heinke elke jaar geskrum en is nooit ore aangesit nie. Weet nie nou nie, hy verdien regtig nie meer om te begin nie. Die belaglike ding vir my Saterdag was dat Ludeke toe vir Engels vervang en nie vir Werner nie. Daar was n jong vaskop op die bank. ek sou hom n kans gegee het.
@Supa Die Bloubul – @151
Nog vierenfokkenvyftig!!
VetSeun
Wat het van jou goeie vriend Cobus Caldo geword?
@Treehugger – Niope – not allowed. Normally the loosehead (number 1) will put the hand on the ground – which means he is struggeling.
The tighthead hits in the scrum, and the first thing the loosehead must do, is bind on the rib area of the tightheads jersey.
The tightheads first reaction in to turn the upper body of the loosehead (turn and then forward – creating a loosehead to not use his full power from his legs).
Well, the hit takes place – the loosehead grabs firs, and the tighthead binds over the loosheads arm – meaning his bicep will be on the looseheads shoulder.
So – should the tighthead be able to turn the loosehead to much – the natural thing will be to put his hand on the ground – to keep himself from falling.
Does it make any sense?
@Supa Die Bloubul – Supa – dis asof coaches al die Donderdag besluit wie gaan gesub word, ens. Dis asof die coaches deesdae nie meer die game lees – en aanpas soos hulle moet nie.
Weet jy – ek het steeds my bedenkinge oor Heike – en dit het ek gehoor teen ouens wat teen hom gespeel het.
Hy is d@nners sterk as hy langs Willie Wepener sak – maar as Willie af is – is hy baie makliker.
Sal nogals graag wil sien as hy nou terug kom (waneer is dit?)
@Ex Player – Yes, wonderful thankyou.
@Ex Player –
Weet nie, hy is al lank beseer. Heinke is vir my vrek sterk maar hy doen ook nie juis veel iets anders op die veld nie. Ek het hom egter nog nooit sien agteruit gaan nie. Maar prioriteit een bly vir my dat n stut moet kan skrum. Selfs n haker moet kan ordentlik skrum. Nie en van die Bulle voorrye kan op die oomblik nie.
I just had a vision…
Can you just picture the last, and lasting image of Luke Watson we will have could be when he lifts the sacred Currie Cup after clinching the final just before his departure for the UK…
I cannot think of anything funnier!
Mirrag al die werkloses, luigatte, flentergatte…….. daaasy, nou het ek al die aanwesiges gegroet !!
@Morné –
Dit gaan moerse sad wees…
160@Morné – Hey, don’t force me to put toks on to prevent that…. I might tear a foofie valve at my age… but not before I’ve torn someone else some new orifaces….
@Morn̩ Р@160
En dalk het jy nou net al die ander spanne se teamtalks vir die res van die CC vir hulle gedoen!! 😆
@grootblousmile – @KingPaul –
Haha…
Ek reken ons sal paar mense op suicide watch moet sit indien dit gebeur!!!
@KingPaul –
Hehe, verseker!
160@Morné –
I cant think of anything kukker. I hope they make JDV captain when he returns!
@grootblousmile – lol you feeling your oats today
165@Morné – As ek sien dit neig daai kant toe sal ek maar so paar Bankies Vitamin Green moet aanskaf om my te kalmeer en in die ek-voel-fokkol bui te kry….
Flok, praat ek nou so asof ek die goed gereeld misbruik… meantime het ek nog net 2 keer in my lewe (beide laasjaar) die goed geproe… en die goed het my niks gemaak nie… wel ek kon niks voel tussen die drank deur nie…
@Supa Die Bloubul – wouldnt be able to watch the prizegiveing if he picks up the trophy and in any case i would be to busy vomiting
@Supa Die Bloubul –
As ek reg verstaan gaan Jean nie CC rugby speel die jaar nie maar sommer reguit Europa toe na die 3N. En Jacque Fourie se kontrakte is ook nog nie uitgesort nie. Bekker is uit vir 4 weke, so dit wil voorkom of WP net vir Scalla en Die Mechanic terug kry na die 3N. Persoonlik dink ek nie Die Mechanic gaan span haal bo Duvenhage nie…
@grootblousmile – What is vitamin green
172@Treehugger – it’s pappegaaislaai
@KingPaul –
Nie geweet nie, gedink JDV sal eers klaar maak in die CC. Julle kan hom mis. Jack is beter as Bekker so dit oraait. Mossie is eintlik n Leeu nog en De Jong doen goed. Duvenhage is beter as Ricky. Schalk sal weer lus wees vir CC!
170@Treehugger –
I really dont want to see you puke!
@grootblousmile – ok parrot salad means nothing to me 🙄
Al hoe dit sal gebeur dat WP ‘n kans het om die CC te wen is as ons top of the log eindig, met die Sharks 2de en Bulls 3de. ‘n Home semi teen Lions/Vrystaat/Griekwas en dan ‘n finale hopenlik teen die Sharks. As dit ‘n finale teen die Bulls is gaan dit maar sukkel…. Maar nou ja, snaakse goed het al gebeur, soos WP se verloor laasjaar teen die Valke!! En die arme Valke het vanjaar nog nie een tweede liga game kon wen nie!!
176@Treehugger – OK… rondkyktwakkies then
@Supa Die Bloubul – You can hold my hair back for me and blame Lookie
@Supa Die Bloubul –
Klink my Jack waai ook oor so twee weke…..F$@&!*!
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