9 out of character on-field moments when rugby players lost control
They say nobody is perfect, and that is certainly put to the test in the heat of battle on the rugby pitch. Whether it’s the seasoned veteran or the reliable team captain, the pressure of a big game can get to anybody.
Here, we take a look at nine times where players who wouldn’t usually be associated with foul play let their frustration get the better of them.
Schalk Burger’s eye gouge
During the second Test of the 2009 Lions tour, South Africa flanker Schalk Burger somehow avoided a red card after an eye gouge on Luke Fitzgerald with only 30 seconds on the clock.
Burger escaped with a yellow card, and the Boks went on to win a heated encounter 28-25 at Loftus Versfeld, with Bakkies Botha subsequently banned for two weeks for a dangerous charge on Adam Jones.
Unsurprisingly, Burger was later handed an eight-week ban. He apologised to supporters and his team-mates at the time, but stopped short of apologising to Fitzgerald for an incident which was picked up clearly by the television cameras.
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers also came in for criticism after defending the player, claiming the incident was “part of sport” and shouldn’t have even warranted a yellow card. Not many people agreed with him.
Brian O’Driscoll’s stamp in Rome
O’Driscoll was not a player associated with dirty or reckless play, but he uncharacteristically lost his cool during Ireland’s Six Nations game against Italy in 2014.
The centre stamped on the chest of Italy’s Simone Favaro during the 22-15 defeat, but only received a yellow card from referee Wayne Barnes.
The Leinster star was cited after the game and was handed a three-week ban.
Hazell loses it
Perhaps the most shocking incident on this list, as it is more than a simple moment of frustration.
In 2012 Challenge Cup game, Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell delivered a flurry of punches on Mont-de-Marsan’s Sebastien Ormaechea. Clearly enraged, Hazell also drove his knee into the prop as he lay defenceless on the ground.
Hazell said his actions came in retaliation to being eye-gouged, but the disciplinary panel refused to excuse his behaviour, and banned him for 14 weeks. He was probably lucky that it wasn’t more.
Jamie Heaslip’s red card against New Zealand
Leinster’s Jamie Heaslip became only the second Irish player to be red-carded in a Test match when he was sent to the line in the early stages of a 66-28 defeat to New Zealand in 2010.
Only ten minutes had been played in New Plymouth when Heaslip twice forced his knee into Richie McCaw at a ruck, with 14-man Ireland slumping to what was at the time a record defeat to the All Blacks.
Heaslip admitted it was a rush of blood to the head and apologised, but in the immediate aftermath of the incident he found himself at the centre of intense media scrutiny in New Zealand before being handed a five-week ban.
David Pocock’s MMA neck crank
Another rush of blood to the head moment. During a 2016 Super Rugby game between the Brumbies and the Chiefs, David Pocock appeared to grab Michael Leitch in an MMA-style choke.
Leitch could be seen hitting Pocock in an effort to get released, but Pocock kept the Japan captain locked in his grip.
While Pocock avoided a red card, he was cited and handed a three-week ban which was reduced to just two games on account of the player’s early guilty plea and otherwise spotless disciplinary record.
Pocock himself seemed genuinely remorseful for his actions, calling Leitch to personally apologise and releasing a statement in which he admitted he was “incredibly disappointed” in himself.
David Pocock's apology for neck grab choke reached out to literally everyone https://t.co/On3GlkQQnX pic.twitter.com/MArGadlIwa
— Rugbydump.com (@Rugbydump) April 6, 2016
Tempers flare between South Africa and Argentina
An ill-tempered game which saw accusations of eye-gouging and biting levelled at Argentina.
The Boks won this 2013 Rugby Championship game 22-17, but their players were incensed after a number of controversial incidents went unpunished.
Flanker Francois Louw told referee Steve Walsh that his eye had been gouged by Argentina’s Pablo Matera, while Eben Etzebeth claimed to have been bitten by Leonardo Senatore in a ruck.
Both players were citied. Senatore was banned for seven matches, but Matera was found not guilty.
Rees red-carded for stamp on Easter
Matthew Rees was sent-off and banned for seven weeks for this nasty stamp on Harlequins’ Nick Easter during Cardiff Blues Challenge Cup defeat in 2015.
The former British and Irish Lion admitted he deserved to be sent-off for a wreckless stamp which could have inflicted serious damage.
Lewis Moody fights a team-mate
The standout moment from England’s 40-3 thrashing of Samoa in 2005.
After Alesana Tuilagi took England’s Mark Cueto out in mid-air late in the second half, a mini-brawl ensued.
Cueto was quick to pick himself up after crashing to the ground head first, and went straight for Tuilagi, but it was the actions of Lewis Moody which caused most shock.
An enraged Moody took exception with Tuilagi’s dangerous tackle, and repeatedly punched his Leicester team-mate. He was far from the only guilty culprit in the brawl, but became the first England player to be sent-off at Twickenham, with Tuilagi also sent to the line.
Moody was later banned for nine weeks while Tuilagi was banned for two.
Lovotti’s tip-tackle
One of the clearest red cards in recent memory. Andrea Lovotti was sent off for a tip-tackle on South Africa’s Duane Vermeulen during their Pool B clash at last year’s World Cup.
The incident was widely compared to the infamous Tama Umaga and Keven Mealamu’s tip-tackle on Brian O’Driscoll during the 2005 Lions tour. Referee Wayne Barnes was quick to show Lovotti red, and his team-mate Nicola Quaglio was perhaps lucky to avoid the same sanction.
The red card arrived early in the second half with Italy 17-3 down. They went on to lose 49-3.
It was, in the words of Italy head coach Conor O’Shea, “crass stupidity.”
BONUS: John Hayes sees red
John Hayes was known as something of a gentle giant, and enjoyed a largely clean disciplinary record during his time in the red of Munster and green of Ireland. There was one significant blot on the copy book however.
In 2009, Munster were on the end of a hammering at the hands of bitter rivals Leinster, and when Leinster loosehead Cian Healy got caught under a maul, Hayes used the opportunity to deliver a nasty head stamp to the then young lion of Irish rugby. He was banned for six weeks.
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
21 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
12 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
12 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
5 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
5 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
37 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
37 Go to comments