Back 
1
Sin-binned Ardie Savea could be in hot-water over ugly gesture
By Ian Cameron
All Blacks forward Ardie Savea could face further sanction after making an ugly gesture to a Rebels player in the Super Round in Melbourne.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Hurricanes came away 39-33 in their clash at AAMI Park but Savea was the major talking point after the game.
The Hurricane Hurricanes No.8 Ardie Savea made a throat-slitting gesture towards a Melbourne Rebels scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens, which has sparked outrage among many rugby fans. The incident occurred during a physical match, with tensions high on the field, but Savea’s actions were seen as crossing a line.
Rebels captain Reece Hodge then made a complaint to referee James Doleman, saying ‘he’s threatening to kill him’.
The gesture was caught on camera and quickly spread on social media, with many fans expressing their disappointment and concern over Savea’s actions. It’s likely that SANZAAR will be investigating the incident and that Savea will likely face a disciplinary panel at the very least.
Bit of push and shove and Ardie Savea is NOT happy ?
? Rebels v Hurricanes, LIVE NOW. Every Match. Ad-free. Live & On Demand on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport.#StanSportAU #SuperRugbyPacific #REBvHUR pic.twitter.com/JuPeY5Nlr7
— Stan Sport Rugby (@StanSportRugby) March 3, 2023
In the post-match flash interview, Savea apologised for the gesture.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I can understand the fans are furious around the gesture that I made,” Savea told Stan Sport.
“It was a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing, that’s footy but I understand, kids are watching us.
“That’s out of character for me so I put my hand up and I apologise for that … I’ve got to be better.”
While some fans have defended Savea’s actions as simply part of the aggressive nature of rugby, the overwhelming consensus seems to be that the throat-slitting gesture is not acceptable on the field or anywhere else.
ADVERTISEMENT
Many people on social media were appalled by the incident, with some calling for Savea to issue an apology and others questioning his sportsmanship and leadership. Overall, it is clear that Savea’s actions have caused a significant amount of controversy and will likely have consequences for him in the next few weeks.
On a Stan Rugby poll, 62 per cent of respondents said they thought Savea would face sanction over the gesture.
Comments
Join free and tell us what you really think!
Join Free
Latest Comments
G'day, Nick. Sorry to see you've gone from the other place. It will be a poorer experience for many because of it. As others mentioned, your detailed analysis and commitment to engaging with every person commenting on your articles stood out and was the main reason I ended up joining 5 years ago. I'll be spending a bit more time over here now I think.
Go to commentsThink you boys forgot that Graham Henry coached the 2011 All Blacks and that Hansen/ Smith were assistants. The cross was shouldered by Henry. Erasmus' point here is that he and Nienaber are looking to win back to back WC's as head coaching combos. A bit of a reach because he is now the DoR and not the coach with the title anymore, but we all know who the real brain behind this Bok squad/strategy is.
Go to comments