'You could write a book about Julian White's disciplinary hearings'
Former Leicester CEO Simon Cohen has reminisced about some of the scrapes that ex-Tigers, England and Lions tighthead Julian White got into over the years with disciplinary committees. The now 49-year-old was capped on 51 occasions by his country, becoming a 2003 World Cup winner in the process, while he also played four Tests for the Lions.
Having started out at Saracens and Bristol, it was at Leicester from 2003 through to 2012 where White cemented his reputation as a front-rower who enjoyed indulging in the dark arts and Cohen, who began working at the club in 2005, has now recounted two of the dramas involving the forward.
Firstly, he remembered the episode of White repeatedly punching Leinster’s Malcolm O’Kelly [click here to see the incident], behaviour that was yellow carded, cited and resulted in a five-week suspension that saw him miss three Premiership matches in 2008. He then recalled the red-carded 2009 punch thrown at Andrew Sheridan of Sale that merited a two-week ban [click here to see this incident].
Cohen made his journey down memory lane during an interview on The Big Jim Show, the series hosted by ex-Scotland lock Jim Hamilton, and it was after the rugby administrator mentioned that he was a lawyer prior to joining Leicester that the colourful antics of White were brought into the conversation.
“I did a lot of the disciplinary hearings… Julian White, you could write a book about Julian’s disciplinary hearings and the stories that came out of it, just fantastic stories. He punched Malcolm O’Kelly when we played Leinster at Welford Road. He punched him twice.
“I head referee Joel Jutge going, ‘Stop it, stop it now’. Julian punched him twice more after that. I went into the dressing room afterwards because I knew he was going to get cited, there was going to be a disciplinary hearing. I was right, ‘Julian, we need to get our story sorted for the hearing, it will be in Dublin, it will be Tuesday night, so there must have been some provocation, what did he do to make you punch him four times?’ Julian went, ‘Well, I actually don’t think he did anything’.”
Switching to the White incident with fellow England prop Sheridan the following year, Cohen – who was ousted as Leicester CEO in 2020 and spent two years on gardening leave before a settlement was reached – said: “He punched Andrew Sheridan and got sent off against Sale and it was a one-punch so it was a one-game ban.
“It was pretty standard save for the fact that at the time in the regulations if you were a persistent offender they could ban you for a much longer period. The chairman of the panel was Jeff Blackett, who is one of the country’s senior judges.
“I went in and said, ‘My job today, Mr Chairman, is to persuade you that Julian White is not a persistent offender’. He said, ‘I’ll have to stop you there, Mr Cohen’. He phoned down to his secretary or his PA and said, ‘Can you bring up another pot of tea? It’s going to be a long afternoon’.
“These things are just fantastic stories and made the club what it was, just great people and great characters and I worry that the game is losing some of that character. You still have got people like Coley [Dan Cole], who has got a brilliant sense of humour, Gengey [Ellis Genge] is pretty interesting, Gengey is a character, but they are less so because it has become more of a job I think.”
Comments on RugbyPass
$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
2 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
1 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
10 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
2 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
2 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
10 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
10 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
10 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments“a renewed focus on Scottish-qualified players” Scottish-qualified is another way of saying English. England has development more players for the Scotland national Rugby team in the last 4 years, than Scotland has.
2 Go to commentsThis sounds a lot like the old Welsh rugby proverb “Wales never lose. Other teams just score more points.”
5 Go to commentsFinally,at last, Borthwick has done what the whole of England have been crying out for. Ditch the kick chase and let the players have freedom to attack and run with the ball. It was great to see. Ford played really well and for the first time in ages was 5 yards closer to the gainline which then allowed a more attacking position . Pity it has taken 90 odd caps to do so. However, this has to continue and not be a false dawn . One issue. Marcus. With Ford having one really good game in 5 ,is he the answer long term . Smith puts bums on seats and is terrific to watch . How can you leave him out before he departs for France in disillusion . England are in danger of Simmons , Alex Goode , Cipriani , Mercer and now Smith being unable to get a selection ahead of “favourites” of the management regardless of form . Great to see England play so well .
2 Go to commentsCockerill was an abrasive player in the mould of a Georgian front rower who will have the respect of that pack. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with this exciting team, hopefully they can send a message to unions like Wales that money alone doesn't buy you wins.
2 Go to commentsI like the look of those July matches. Hopefully they'll get some good tests in November too.
2 Go to commentsThis is a poor article, essentially just trolling six nations teams
22 Go to comments