Blues lose Luke Braid
20 Mar 2012
Blues flank Luke Braid has pleaded guilty to hitting a Stormers opponent and has been suspended for three weeks.
Sanzar’s judicial officer Mike Heron said the citing commissioner had pinned Braid for striking an opponent twice – to the back of the neck and head.
Heron’s report read: ‘The footage showed Braid struck the Stormers player twice, the first with his forearm to the back of the neck, the second with a part-open hand to the head. The Stormers player was lying on the ground and not able to avoid the blows. I find the striking [on both occasions] to be deliberate and dangerous.
‘I accept, however, the submission for Braid that the force was not severe and the impact in the circumstances was not significant. The player accepted the conduct was intentional, but explained it resulted from his frustration with the Stormers player and his belief that the player was infringing at a critical time [and place] in the match. Braid accepted, however, that the conduct was inappropriate and he was remorseful. His explanation [of frustration and trying to get the opposition player to stop impeding the ball] does have some support from the footage.’
Braid will, however, only miss two matches as the Blues have a bye during the course of his suspension.
15 Comments
20 Mar 2012, 10:41 am
Stupid Hot-Headed Dragon.
He should have tried that with Etzebeth, he would have been out for considerably longer than just three weeks.
20 Mar 2012, 11:01 am
wow seems like Lyndon Bray being in the country last week did some wonders for the whole citing process. Two major findings for Nz and Aus. Great stuff.
20 Mar 2012, 11:23 am
I have two problems with this ruling.
First, the fact that they consider the impact of his actions. If you punch a player and he barely feels it you should not be given a lighter sentence than if you broke his nose. The outcome is not what is punishable, it is the mindset and the willingness to act on impulse.
Secondly that despite the 3 week ban, only 2 games will be missed. If a player is given a 6 week ban on the last weekend before the international break will he not miss any games? Punishments are only punishments if they have a negative effect. A 3 week ban shows the intention of the board to appear harsher than they are actually willing to be. A ban sounding in weeks and not games is a mockery of the rules.
20 Mar 2012, 11:24 am
dirty kiwis.
20 Mar 2012, 11:30 am
@Tarlo(Tarlo)-3: I 100% agree with both your statments> I saw the incident and I felt it is times like these that the TV ref may point out foul play.
20 Mar 2012, 11:36 am
Braid wasn’t just frustrated at that ruck. He walked around with a stupid scowl for the entire game. Every time the ref pinged him or spoke to him, he looked like he was going to turn down his lip and shout “Not fair!”
I see this sometimes in my own son, but he’s 3 and a half years old.
20 Mar 2012, 12:25 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-6:
I think that was Daniel Braid. He’s the fetcher and was getting irritated at being blown up the whole time.
Luke Braid is the younger of the two. Played blindside.
20 Mar 2012, 12:32 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-7: Ah, my bad. Yes I was talking about Daniel. Looked like he was going to biff the ref at one point.
20 Mar 2012, 13:06 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-7: They are both genuine fetchers.
20 Mar 2012, 15:37 pm
The Kiwi’s are getting ratty cause of the shortage of marmite.
Marmageddon!!!
20 Mar 2012, 18:29 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-6:
Haha, ja, you had the wrong Braid, but bigger Braid was talking so much to the ref he wouldn’t have seemed out of place holding a flag by the touchline.
Anyway, the Blues do themselves no favours there, another player out that they could have done with having available.
21 Mar 2012, 06:57 am
Dirty kiwi, thug should be banned for life!
21 Mar 2012, 07:54 am
@whatever(whatever)-12:
LOL! Thats irony for ya!
21 Mar 2012, 08:34 am
Both Braid’s are over-rated and neither rocket-scientists… poor-man’s Tiaan Strauss…
21 Mar 2012, 08:44 am
Filthyfuckingkiwiscum.
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