'That was pretty disrespectful' - Wasps hooker's unconventional try celebration raises hackles online

Wasps hooker Tom Cruse took try celebrations to a whole different place against the Dragons today in the Heineken Champions Cup, raising eyebrows by raising his leg.

Cruse scored a fine try in the 19th minute off a well-worked Wasps play. So happy was Cruse with his try, that while on all fours, he crawled to the corner flag and simulated urinating, cocking his leg as if he was a dog. It was pretty ruff stuff.

BT Rugby’s Twitter account was lost for words: “What was that celebration, Tom Cruse? The Wasps hooker with a brilliant finish, then… Eh… Marks his territory near the corner flag”

What was that celebration, Tom Cruse? ?

The @WaspsRugby hooker with a brilliant finish, then… Eh… Marks his territory near the corner flag ?#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/lrs9VeY3Fw

— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 12, 2020

Not everyone was howling though, the celebration giving plenty on social media paws for thought, while others were left barking mad.

“That was pretty disrespectful as a celebration, nothing good about it and he should be sanctioned by his club (and European Rugby if it is possible). Think we need rugby to be better than that,” wrote one Tweeter.

That was pretty disrespectful as a celebration, nothing good about it and he should be sanctioned by his club (and European Rugby if it is possible).

Think we need rugby to be better than that.

— royboy01 (@royboy011) December 12, 2020

“Please, no football-esque, naff try celebrations. Painful” wrote another.

Please, no football-esque, naff try celebrations. Painful.

— Ahchew (@E_bygum) December 12, 2020

There were plenty in that vein. “Wasps hooker try celebration pretending to be a dog and pissing on the floor!? Wtf?”

Wasps hooker try celebration pretending to be a dog and pissing on the floor!? Wtf?

— Robbie Jon Young (@RobbieJon73) December 12, 2020

Like it or loathe it, he deserves marks for originality. He also stopped short of actually urinating on the pitch, which does have a precedent in professional rugby. The late, great Jerry Collins was filmed urinating just prior to kick-off back in an All Blacks match against Australia in Jade Stadium in Christchurch in 2006.

Then All Blacks co-coach Steve Hansen defended the player: “If you’re a male and you’re about to play a Test match and you’re seconds away from kick-off and you get the urge to want to go to the toilet what do you do?”

“Do you rush off and let the game start with 14 men? Or do you try to be as discreet as you can be and hope that cameramen use common sense and don’t go showing it to everyone on the screen?”