During the Stormers and Cheetahs clash at Newlands a fight of sorts broke out in the second half. Just prior to this happening, Assistant referee Jonathan Kaplan had his flag out. Steve Walsh was about to walk over to him when the whole fight broke out.
Deon Fourie and Ashley Johnson had a bit of a chat when Adrian Strauss joined in to find out how Deon’s family was doing. This sparked a free for all fight that would have had many a wrestling and boxing fan glad that these guys decided to play rugby. If any punches landed is open for debate, the fact that a couple had been thrown is not.
What transpired however is what had me grabbing for a very stiff drink and clutching at my heart. Walsh and Kaplan had a long chat. Kaplan mentioned that Elstadt, Stormers flanker, had driven a knee into a Cheetahs player. Walsh wanted to go red, but Kaplan suggested a yellow and a white card. Looking at the replay Elstadt got up and in the process the Cheetahs player got up and copped a knee in the head. Hardly deliberate or intentional.
Kaplan then went with Walsh on putting the whole fight on just a white card. It was clear that Johnson had gone in to hit Fourie and that Strauss had joined in. This happened mere meters from Kaplan yet he apparently could’nt see a thing. I believe Jean de Villiers was right in questioning the decision from Walsh not to overturn the penalty. The Cheetahs clearly retaliated and started 2 seperate fights which had both teams involved, with only a player here and there not joining.
Interesting was how quickly the reserves were there to join, as this happened in one of the corners of the field. Yes it is a sad day when two teams start fighting like this. Sadder is when the referees involved just refers it to someone else to look at. Walsh never really had control in this regard and it all started at scrum time where he just could seem to make up his mind who was at fault. It created the tension and eventually it boiled over.
What I can say is that every player that did throw a punch should get a minimum of 6 weeks suspension. And that is after discount for no previous incidents and the like. In my view there just is’nt any place for fighting in rugby. This thing of giving time off from bans and suspensions is just not on. Minimum penalties for each offense should be in place. This can be loaded if a player has had previous bans or suspensions.
If I had to score the fight it would have been a draw or just as close as the game turned out to be.
“What I can say is that every player that did throw a punch should get a minimum of 6 weeks suspension.”
Ag asseblief!! Gaan jy jouself nie verdedig as jy aangeval word nie?
Dawie Kabouter,
I also have to disagree.
Coming from an era where we used the fists well and solid in a rugby game and where we were allowed to ruck with steel studs…
Rugby is still or should still be a gladiatorial sport, that is part of the spectacle, part of the attraction…. part of a game of more than 120 years.
I do not say make it a free-for-all… just don’t freegin overdo the sanctions on a scuffle like this.
“Kaplan then went with Walsh on putting the whole fight on just a white card. It was clear that Johnson had gone in to hit Fourie and that Strauss had joined in. This happened mere meters from Kaplan yet he apparently could’nt see a thing. I believe Jean de Villiers was right in questioning the decision from Walsh not to overturn the penalty. The Cheetahs clearly retaliated and started 2 seperate fights which had both teams involved, with only a player here and there not joining.”
The refs get it wrong all the time….learn to live with it. You are obviously a Stormers supporter and feel hard done by. Funny how you are oblivious to Brok Harris repeated attempt, and very successfully, pulling Coenie down. Suggesting all players throwing a punch should get 6 weeks is ridiculous….have you ever played rugby…? Things happen…the boys sort themselves out….specially when you’re young and ambitious. Not saying it’s acceptable, but it relieves the tension ect ect ect. 6 weeks?…Cummon? Sorry, but not a very objective post imo
Hulle het slegs die verkeerde bolle gespeel, dis al.
I suggest that every player who sat out in this fight must forfeit 50% of his match fee.
Just joking, it was not great
@ superBul:
Post of the month!!!
I agree, those ‘passengers and onlookers’ should cough up!
@ bos_otter:
Harris het met moord weggekom, trek Coenie openlik af en die ref loop en knoop allerhande geselsies aan…
Maar dit was n genotvolle wedstryd, paar ouens moes net harder gemoer gewees het, hehehehe!
Jean de Villiers het gister weer getoon dat hy nie sy gelyke het as Springbokkaptein nie.
Vergeet van Matfield en wie nog, Jean is die man!
n Beter ambassadeur vir SA sport is daar nie, nog een van die Kaap se vele trotse uitvoerprodukte, Jean de Villiers.
Fukken dirty Stormers kneeing the prone Cheeatah in the head and from behind. That is what started the fight. Touchie was righr, it should have been a red.
Haha, nothing like an impartial Breezers point of view. Good idea to give all players that punched six weeks, problem is, t effectively rules out the rest of the Stormers that haven’t been cited yet. Elstadt should have got a red, for his WWF on Strauss’ neck in the 1st 10 minutes. That was really bad, and could have seriously injured Strauss.
Someday Habana is going to cop a Coenie “puthklap” for trying to be funny when a player knocks the ball. He is lucky that Andries Strauss was so dissapointed in himsef, for the knock, or he might have klapped the annoying lil doos himself.
The Cheetahs were so bad, in the 1st half, that I saw a drubbing on the cards.
As soon as Walsh wisened up yo Verbrokkel’s cheating, the game turned. The funniest thing is, Verbrokkel, gives himself a resounding applause as he goes off, after being scrummed into the ground by Coenie.
With Elstadt likely to be banned, for his neck stretch on Strauss, Carr injured, the Stormers will have to import Cool hand Luke lol
Fighting has no place in rugby. A 6 weeks suspenson is fair. But to each his own. Maybe Elstadt did deserve a red card.
Brok pulling down Coenie? Come on Coenie never even got a bind on in half the scrums. And yes I did play rugby as a hooker so I know all about using the fists and getting rucked. But rugby is a game played by gentlemen not hooligans. That is why there is soccer.
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