IRB doubles Thomson ban
24 Nov 2012
The IRB’s appeal against the lenient citing on All Blacks Adam Thomson has seen his suspension increase to just two weeks.
Thomson received a one-week ban for standing on flank Alasdair Strokosch’s head in the All Blacks’ Test win over Scotland in Edinburgh a fortnight ago.
This received mass protest from pundits and critics on social media, who believed the ban was far too lenient. On the same day, Wallabies lock Rob Simmons received an eight-week ban for a tip tackle on France flank Yannick Nyanga.
The IRB confirmed earlier this week that they would relook the citing. An independent appeal board of Jeff Blackett (England), Pat Barriscale (Ireland) and Jeremy Summers (England), did not agree the initial two-week ban was lenient but opposed the one-week reduction.
Their call was to add one week to the ban, ruling Thomson out of the Test against Wales. He already missed the clash against Italy last weekend.
This means Thomson will be available for selection against England.
NZRU CEO Steve Tew told Radio Sport: ‘We are very happy with the outcome. We think it is fair and appropriate.’
100 Comments
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24 Nov 2012, 09:40 am
Adamn Dragon?
Have actually not seen either incident so can only presume that Simmons’s was far more serious. Hoever, if Thomson was indeed (as suggested by some bloggers) literally doing the haka on the oke’s head, then the disparity in sentences is laughable.
24 Nov 2012, 09:44 am
well well well
some small act of justice in a small instance finally served…
even though it is just symbolic it at least shines a light on the darkness which modern rugby has become, thanks to nz rugby
and hopefully will lead to greater control and oversight of that countrys judicial rugby affairs as they clearly are incapable of doing so themselves
though the nz’s will feel they have lost in truth, rugby is the winner here
well done
he’s a dirty dragon who’s been rightly punished
24 Nov 2012, 09:46 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-2:
though the nz’s will feel they have lost, in truth, rugby is the winner here
24 Nov 2012, 10:02 am
I have no problems with the decision.
1 week was off the wall, 2 weeks is the minimum stipulated in the IRB rules so the question has to be asked why wasn’t it imposed in the first place.
The big issue here is the God almighty bureaucracy.
Why exactly did it take the time it has to 1st make the idiot decision, and then overturn it.
As it is, I doubt very much that he would have been selected for todays game anyway.
24 Nov 2012, 10:28 am
Bakkies
fck off you ansolute droplick
you’re a fcken joke and no real rugby supporter
just a sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad loser
24 Nov 2012, 10:33 am
The incident is water under the bridge as far as I’m concerned.
Yesterday’s news shouldn’t be rehashed
24 Nov 2012, 10:47 am
@nortierd-6:
I agree, the final penalty is totally academic.
The issue here is the whole judiciary process.
24 Nov 2012, 10:49 am
i really dont understand why this influences you enough for you to respond to me with insults, pops.
is it sensitive to you because its a nz problem, and you’re a nz’er?
there is nothing untrue in what i am saying, dont you understand. why cant you see this? there is a serious problem in nz rugby and it needs fixing. at the end of the day it stands to benefit you as much as it does the rest of the international rugby community.
24 Nov 2012, 11:04 am
@Brads-7:
Yep, the judiciary process has been a farce from day one.
There has never been any consistency and we have definitely been on the wrong end too many times.
Yet, having said that, some of our players have not helped themselves or the others by getting totally carried away and it basically started with the Roux ear bite incident.
It is unfair that the future players are already tarred with the same brush even before running on the field.
I believe many refs are prejudicedagainst some of our players, but each country’s supporters probably feel the same, so we must accept it and take it on the chin and play well enough not to allow some dodgy decisions to determine outcomes.
24 Nov 2012, 11:05 am
And in other (sad) news I’ve just been informed that Larry Hagman of Dallas has passed away.
Sorry, but I just can’t resist this one…I wonder who shot him this time?
24 Nov 2012, 11:06 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-8:
I support you the whole way mate – in fact think you were way too diplomatic in highlighting the corruption at administrative and refereeing that favours New Zealand so blatantly – Brad Thorne got one week for his spear tackle on John Smit because he was a Kiwi – if he had been any other race he would have got eight weeks. Even this reversal of theThomson stamp-on-face is a farce – how can you reverse a judgement upwards? (Keep in mind Etzebeth got two weeks for a head butt gesture that did no damage), etc. etc. etc.
24 Nov 2012, 11:07 am
@BrumbiesBoy-10: Sorry read “of Dallas fame”.
Cheers JR
24 Nov 2012, 11:13 am
I think that many correspondents have got the wrong end of the stick. When was the last player from the Bleatingish Isles cited when playing in November? They can spit, bite, kick, trip and goose without punishment. Most of them are constantly offside, flop in the rucks and collapse scrums. The SH countries are hard done by. The latest nonsense is the crazy sentence for an alleged spear tackle by a Wannabe. My mother in law hits harder than he did. And, if Thompson was stomping my m-i-law is a virgin.
The Maori were murdered by incompetent, or partial referees. The yellow card for a guy who did not move was insane, and they were beaten by a club side. The Tongans and Samoans were also badly treated by referees, except in the Wales match.
The IRB, one must remember, is a racially based Gerrymander that gives more votes to the English Poppies and their Celtic colonies than the entire SH.
PS If the Bokke had the courage of Kallis and the Proteas, they would get a ton tonight. I watched the match here in Oz and was spell bound by the struggle. The Proteas have given themselves a fine chance of overcoming the Aussies, who must also play with a depleted attack.
So tonight I will be rooting for victories for the RSA, Wobblies, Kiwis, Samoans, Pumas and Tonga. I like the French but if the results go as I wish (dream), then I think that France will be the only NH team in the top eight. That would be something to savour.
24 Nov 2012, 11:17 am
@nortierd-9:
I disagree.
Ref’s by and large blow what the see. Some simply freeze and forget what their job is.
I do not accept the notion they go into a match with multiple agendas of;
- Watch this player in rucks
- Watch that player being off side
- Watch these players being morons
24 Nov 2012, 11:23 am
@J.B. Cowper-11: @J.B. Cowper-11:
‘Even this reversal of theThomson stamp-on-face’
Clearly you are a one of those farktards that get all you knowledge from blogs.
24 Nov 2012, 11:25 am
@J.B. Cowper-11:
yip.
the thing kiwis and the rest of the rugby community need to learn is that with a fair set of rules equally applied for all participating nations, the game of rugby as a spectacle stands to benefit more than any one nation would/could.
how much more apreciatable and satisfied would we not be if we could walk away from these thouroughly enjoyable contests with the sure and certain knowledge that the outcomes were well and trully deserved for the winners or losers.
to be able to look back in time and say that on such and such a day in history, that team and those players were the best, undoubtedly. i would give anything for such an ideal, even if it means accepting that at times my favourite teams were not the best, nor good enough.
all we have now is a festering scandal on slow brew, bubbling away until it boils over periodically, like it did with this incident, and forces due scrutiny on what is a dishonesty campaign organised at a seemingly ‘mark armstrong like level’.
we the loyal fans and supporters deserve more.
24 Nov 2012, 11:26 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-16:
‘mark armstrong like level’. = lance armstrong
24 Nov 2012, 11:28 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-16:
hahaha
What a load of bollox
24 Nov 2012, 11:33 am
@AiDoc-13: “I like the French but if the results go as I wish (dream), then I think that France will be the only NH team in the top eight. That would be something to savour.”
It would be a Houdini act to squeeze Fiji in.
24 Nov 2012, 11:36 am
@Brads-14:
I suggest that we agree to disagree.
I do however agree with you that the majority of refs might not be prejudiced and may have a poor match and miss things or as you said freeze ( Bryce Lawrence in our WC semi comes to mind, but even there he had preconceived ideas of not being the one to give a penalty that will determine the outcome, so he let it all slide to our detriment)
I will disagree that our players are treated equally once reaching the judiciary process, history has shown that we are more hard done by and treated more harshly.
24 Nov 2012, 11:38 am
@AiDoc-13:
Saw those incidents on Reunion and it was a disgrace.
That was blatant cheating from the ref and one idiot touch judge with a trigger finger.
24 Nov 2012, 11:39 am
@Brads-18:
listen boet, while i dont mind and in fact welcome comment on and replies in the form of criticisms or otherwise to my posts, i feel we need to establish a clearer set of ‘rules for our engagement’.
you cannot unilaterally decide when and how you will respond to me or if you will respond at all, when you feel like it. you asked that i not direct my posts to you personally and stated that you would not be engaging with me.
lets both establish some clarity, for each others sake, ok. now then, do you want to talk to me or not? i just do not like it when you choose to talk at me, as opposed to speaking to me, when you feel like it yet also are rude enough to tell me not to talk to you at all, or when you feel like it.
what gives..?..
24 Nov 2012, 11:41 am
This IRB witch-hunt is friggin OUTRAGOUS.
How many times can you hang a man.
Adam is a Top Bloke……………………………………………even Katman acknowledges this fact.
24 Nov 2012, 11:43 am
@nortierd-20:
Separate issue about on field and off field decisions.
I have no opinion on how players from SA or any country for that matter are dealt with. If you believe you have been hard done by, then fair enough.
Take it up with the IRB or SANZA or who ever is the body that pis_ses you off most.
My beef is with the process itself.
24 Nov 2012, 11:46 am
@cane-23:
caner old friend, there you are… i was hoping you’d stop by cos i was hoping to here what you’ve got say now that the appeals process is done.
didn’t quite go the way you said it would (please, expand on that).
24 Nov 2012, 11:49 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-25:
my english and spelling is atrocious:
‘i was hoping you’d stop by cos i was hoping to here what you’ve got say’
should read:
i was hoping you’d stop by cos i wanted to hear what you’ve got say
24 Nov 2012, 11:50 am
jeezuz!
i was hoping you’d stop by cos i wanted to hear what you’ve got TO say
24 Nov 2012, 11:51 am
@AiDoc-13: Re the cricket.Thanks
24 Nov 2012, 11:54 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-22:
Fark off
You broke the treaty, thus deal is ended.
Don’t get on your high horse as if you are being hard done by.
By God, if anything it explains your expectations on why you feel the Bokke are not fairly treated.
You totally ignore, forget or dismiss your own transgressions but accumulate any offenses, both real or perceived, so they become a mental blob of mindless indignation.
24 Nov 2012, 11:56 am
@ryecatcher-28:
Cricket looks very interesting ryeman.
Oz now 111 for 5.
Lead 273.
24 Nov 2012, 11:59 am
This incident is was/is being blown way out of proportion… sure Thomson was very foolish to use his boot on the head… but there is simply no way it was with any malice or intent to do bodily harm… Looked to me he was tapping the guy on the the head as if to say, “Oi… outta the way mate!”
He was excluded from the final game of the yeah whether he was selected or not… so increasing his ban means very little.
I dont believe this was part of any conspiracy at all… He had to be cited for using his boot on another players head. But anyone viewing the incident can see no intent so the commission saw no need to throw the book at him and as it is the end of the season a one week ban was as effective as an 8 week ban.
People just using this (and other incidents) to push agendas.
What does need looking at perhaps is banning players for a number of games instead of a number of weeks.that would be more meaningful… IMO…
yeah… and I like Thomson… a hard honest grafting player putting in the often unheralded effort in the same mould of Danie Roussouw…
Happy it’s finally over.
24 Nov 2012, 12:01 pm
@Brads-29:
Don’t take bakkies too seriously Brads.
His reason for being is to bait us.
Just go with the flow.
jab, weave and jab.
24 Nov 2012, 12:04 pm
@ufo-31:
Nice post UFO.
Says it all really.
Now if we could get you a Position in the IRB.
24 Nov 2012, 12:05 pm
@cane-30: It all depends on the Clarke & Hussey show. If they put on a good stand for the 6th wicket, SA is stuffed. It was a good come back by SA though.
During the week I read an unpublished piece written by Marais Erasmus, who is one of the umpires in the Sri Lanka / NZ series. He said that Mihaela Jayawardena (spelling ?) walked when he gloved the ball: he was on 91 at the time – something that happens seldom at test level.
Cane, to get back to the Thomson incident: I’m with you on this one – if Thompson really wanted to stomp on his head, he would have done a lot of damage. Having said that, it was a stupid thing to do !
24 Nov 2012, 12:07 pm
@CharlesM-34:
Stupid……………………………..You bet.
24 Nov 2012, 12:11 pm
@cane-33:
get a facebook petition going bud…
24 Nov 2012, 12:12 pm
@cane-32:
I know exactly what he is.
My version of weaving was a mutual agreement of ignoring each others posts.
Which we did for 2 or 3 weeks, but Bakkies decided to put in the slipper and then accuses me of being the offender.
As I hinted at in my earlier post. His actions and reaction explains everything.
24 Nov 2012, 12:13 pm
@Brads-29:
huh..?.. what treaty?
i was never party to any agreement of any sort with you. i was however at one point instructed by you not to engage with you and informed that you would not be engaging with me.
i subsequenlty replied to a post you directed at another blogger and you then chided me for directing a post at you, this after you had instructed me not to interact with you.
there is no treaty, there never was a treaty.
now, do you wish to interact with me or not? i for my part have no problem or issue wrt interacting wit you, but i will not accept being spoken too when and where you feel like it (i mean this in the nicest way).
and on the subject of springbok transgressions, i disagree that i do not point out or condemn such occurences when it happens. i often call out foul and dangerous play involving the boks. the problem is most always the boks get their just desserts for illegal play, yet other nations do not.
i dont want to go into 2010 i really dont.
24 Nov 2012, 12:21 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-38:
There you go, make up things as you go along and ignore reality as it stares you in the face..
You know what you agreed to and you know you blinked first.
If you are not man enough to be humble about it, I leave it to you to live with.
Personally I couldn’t give a rats.
24 Nov 2012, 12:22 pm
@ufo-31:
disagree, there is a conspiracy of sorts. whether its a conspiracy of silence on the aprt of people standing silently by while sa gets s.crewed over or something more nefarious on the part of the nz’ers… its pretty clear that this incident was not reacted to by people the world over in isolation and on its merits alone.
this was in part a response to the continual and repeat injustice of the all blacks team so often maniplating games and events after the games and getting away with it time and time again. people are just becoming sick of it all and slowly are reacting with nore and more severity.
nz have and do get away with murder and it has to stop. this is a step in that direction.
24 Nov 2012, 12:31 pm
@ufo-31:
oh and while you’re at it, please explain the eight week sentence on wallaby rob simmons for a ‘tip tackle’ as compared to the lame off field yellow handed down to retallick for his same tackle on bekker..
24 Nov 2012, 12:32 pm
@Brads-39:
no i dont, please remind me.
24 Nov 2012, 12:34 pm
@cane-32:
lie to yourself all you want, cane.
24 Nov 2012, 12:35 pm
ABSOLUTELY FARCICAL.
Anybody who thinks this is a fair citing is either a biased kiwi or a troll.
Simmons gets 8 weeks for a tip tackle? Etzebeth gets 2 weeks for mikking and missing?
And the kiwi gets a ridiculously lenient sentence for stomping on a players HEAD.
All this hullabaloo only to uphold the original 2 weeks? He should have seen 8 weeks straight up. Once again the kiwis get away with absolute murder.
24 Nov 2012, 12:36 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-40:
My my my.
Now you are accusing NZ of being telepathic.
Subtly massaging the brains of all rugby decision makers on the planet so they collectively have nudged NZ to where we are at the moment.
24 Nov 2012, 12:40 pm
@Vetkoek-44:
my point exactly.
@Brads-45:
Brads, dont be an idiot, telepathy isn’t real.
24 Nov 2012, 12:40 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-41: yeah I am with you on this one. The tip tackle on Smit by Thorn a few years back is proof enough that the whole process is a shambles.
FYI: SA / Eng game is going to be a wet weather game. Its pissing down here in London.
24 Nov 2012, 12:45 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-46:
It is as real as your conspiracy beliefs.
The difference is, I know telepathy isn’t real.
24 Nov 2012, 12:45 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-40:
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-41:
well i’m sure we can agree to respectfully disagree…
personally i don’t believe there is any conspiracy at all… whether to nail the boks or go easy on the abs…
yes… i think we all agree there is a lack of consistency in both the citing and the penalty process but i feel that has more to do with the weakness of the system as formulated by the irb than a part of any organised conspiracy or proactive cheating…
it may also be compounded by “home town” decisions… but that is human nature and happens in many sports… but is hardly a conspiracy…
there needs to be a reviewing of the whole system and process by which foul play is identified, investigated and punished… with far tighter definitions giving commissioners less leeway for personal interpretation or opinion… most importantly it should be a one-fits-all scenario so that no matter what country or franchise or province or club a player plays for anywhere in the world the process and punishment would be EXACTLY the same…
personally i believe it should be taken out of the hands of rugby people and given to a team of accountants and lawyers who have nothing to do with rugby… so that everything is done by numbers instead of emotion… and all working from the same book wherever in the world they made be operating… it would not need to be a very big team at all at irb/international level overseeing smaller teams in each irb country…
24 Nov 2012, 12:47 pm
@Vetkoek-44:
the problem is we allow them to get away with murder because we do not act on each and every instance of their illegalities by seriously penalising them.
all too often each indivudual nation which plays them just adopts a ‘turn the other cheek’, ‘tigers dont cry’, ‘rugby is not tiddliwinks’ approach and attitude (because this is the prevailnig attitude and culture f the players involved) and allows them to get off by not wanting to pursue it, as this is seen as being unmanly.
they exploit and take advantage of us due it this fact.
heaven forbid one of our players even went anywhere near doing something similar. it would result in an almost immediate suspension wiouth even the option of arguing the case during the hearing (what would be the point).
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