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Watch: Agustin Creevy banned for pulling the hair of Eben Etzebeth
London Irish hooker Agustin Creevy has been banned for pulling the hair of Eben Etzebeth, the 2019 Springboks World Cup winner, during the Gallagher Premiership club’s Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat last Sunday at Toulon.
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The one-game ban rules the veteran Argentine front-rower out of his club’s Premiership Cup final next Tuesday versus Worcester. Irish were beaten 19-18 in France and it was Tuesday when it emerged that Creevy had a case to answer, according to match citing commissioner Eugene Ryan (Ireland).
“Creevy is alleged to have pulled the hair of the RC Toulon second row, Eben Etzebeth, in the 35th minute of the match in contravention of law 9.27 – a player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship,” read the EPCR media release in advance of the hearing that took place on Wednesday.
A result has now been handed down and Creevy will sit it out next week at the Brentford Stadium when his club goes in search of silverware versus the Warriors. A statement following the hearing read: “The London Irish hooker, Agustin Creevy, has been suspended for one week following an independent disciplinary hearing arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final match against RC Toulon at Stade Felix Mayol.
“An independent disciplinary committee comprising Simon Thomas (Wales, chair) and Marcello D’Orey (Portugal) heard submissions from Creevy, who accepted the charge, from the London Irish director of rugby, Declan Kidney, from the London Irish team manager, Alex James, and from the EPCR disciplinary officer, Liam McTiernan.
EPCR has received a citing complaint against Agustin Creevy who pulled Eben Etzebeth's hair.
Sanction entry points – Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 4 weeks; Top end: 6 to 52 weeks pic.twitter.com/lpI0y0xMkC
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) May 10, 2022
“The committee upheld the citing complaint, finding that Creevy had intentionally pulled Etzebeth’s hair in a manner that warranted a red card, and it then determined that the offence was at the low-end of World Rugby’s sanctions and two weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point. On the basis that the player accepted that he had committed an act of foul play and had a good disciplinary record, it was decided to grant the full 50 per cent mitigation and the committee reduced the sanction by one week before imposing a one-week suspension. Creevy will miss the Premiership Cup final against Worcester Warriors next Tuesday and will be free to play next Wednesday, May 18.”
The 37-year-old Creevy has been in such impressive form this season for London Irish that he has been tipped to receive a Test squad recall from new Argentina coach Michael Cheika. The hooker hasn’t played for Los Pumas since the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
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In the lead up to the match in Toulon, London Irish head coach Les Kiss said: “If I coached Argentina, I would put him in. To have that type of character, that personality, he is like a quiet force of nature. He just has an impact on the group in such a positive way. He is a precious component of our locker room and it would be a great reward for him. He has been fantastic for us.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
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