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'You've grabbed a player by the testicles' - Double red in bizarre Challenge Cup incident

By Ian Cameron
Referee Ben Blain (Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)

A bizarre testicles grabbing incident in the Challenge Cup match between Stade Francais and Benetton saw two players sent from the field last night in France.

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Scottish referee Ben Blain felt he had no choice but to card two players, one from each team, following the incident at Stade Jean Bouin.

Stade’s 21-year-old Australian blindside Charlie Rorke clearly grabbed the testicles of Italian international Leonardo Sarto in the 42nd minute of the game.

testicles

Benetton wing Sarto, rather understandably, took exception to the uninvited attack on his genitalia and lashed out with his arms and an elbow.

testicles

Sarto also appeared to throw his head towards Rorke, but failed to connect with the half-hearted effort. Referee Blain saw fit to send both off for the incident, which will surely have repercussions for Rorke.

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The referee told Rorke: “You’ve grabbed a player by the testicles. There’s no place for that in the game. Leave the field,” before telling Sarto “Your reaction was not acceptable, you’re having a red card as well. Off you go.”

Rorke was a schoolboy rugby union star in Australia before being picked up by the NRL’s Canberra Raiders. The six foot tall, 102kg back row returned to union with Stade Francais in 2020 and rather remarkably, this was his debut match for his new side.

The blatant grab, reminiscent of Joe Marler’s fondle of Welsh skipper Alun Wyn Jones during the Six Nations, albeit far more violent, could see the flanker spending a long-time on the sidelines.

Marler was banned for ten weeks after appearing before an independent disciplinary committee in Dublin in March over his incident.

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The Challenge Cup this year starts with 14 clubs before moving to an expanded knockout stage. This season’s Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup silverware will be decided in Marseille when the finals are staged at the Stade Vélodrome on 21 and 22 May 2021.

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Bull Shark 37 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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