WATCH: The last great NZ rugby fight
Punch ups. Scraps. A bit of ‘how’s your father’. They may have a few names the world over, but one thing is for certain: fights in rugby really aren’t what they used to be.
It’s a bit of a shame that ever since the advent of professionalism, players have had to act, well, more professional. There’s are still flare ups, usually as a result of a couple of front rowers getting upset at each other after a scrum penalty.
Players seem intent on grabbing each others’ collars and exchanging threats these days. Even on the odd occasion that someone does throw a punch, they rarely connect.
Except in 2012, at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. Some genius decided to stage of a rebirth of the North vs South Island match, despite there being little public interest. To make matters worse, the event was supposed to be a fundraiser for the Otago Rugby Union, who had racked up debts of around half a million dollars.
The game was played without any current All Blacks, and the day after a test. Barely anyone showed up, but the ones who did got to see this:
There’s a lot to enjoy here.
- The dump-tackle by little Willi Heinz on his larger doppelgänger Jason Rutledge
- Dane Coles and Kenny Lynn immediately using it as an opportunity to settle some old score
- The fact that everyone comes in swinging and it turns into a brawl
- That the lack of crowd noise meaning you can hear some lady telling the players off for fighting in front of her kids
- Tom Donnelly getting up with blood everywhere and shrugging it off
- The ref deciding that there’ll be no action taken other than penalising Heinz for his tackle, despite the fact that we’ve just seen the most wild brawl in years
Without this flurry of violence, the one off North/South match would’ve quickly faded into obscurity. It is tempting to think that the powers-that-be subtly encouraged the aggression, given that it was exactly the reason that rugby league’s State of Origin series got so popular.
However, the only lasting legacy of this failed regeneration of an ancient relic was a lengthy ban for North Island lock Filo Paulo for his culpability in Donnelly’s rearranged facial features. The North/South match quickly disappeared off the NZ rugby calendar, probably for good this time.
Otago didn’t make any money off the failed venture, but stayed in business eventually. Paulo moved to banished himself to UK rugby indefinitely, his old team the Blues ironically signed Donnelly the next season. Referee Mike Fraser escaped any ramifications for his decision to shrug his shoulders and declare the fight a draw, going on the officiate at test match level.
Will we ever see anything like this again? It was a bit of a perfect storm: a nothing match, being played by guys whose test aspirations for the year were gone. So probably not, but it’s always nice to look back with some fondness at a time when the fists flew freely.
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks 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?
11 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.
9 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.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 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.
22 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
4 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.
9 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to comments