Mujati escapes hefty ban
Brian Mujati received a reduced six-week ban after being found guilty for an act contrary to good sportsmanship in a disciplinary hearing on Monday.
Mujati was cited for pushing match referee Nigel Owens in the back in Northampton’s European Cup defeat to Perpignan last month.
The ban could have been heavier, but judicial officer Rod McKenzie said the offence was not a serious one because of ‘compelling and exceptional mitigating factors’ as the prop was suffering a concussion at the time.
Mujati is suspended until 2 December and will miss four matches for Northampton.
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 am
Die arme ou het aan geheue verlies gely, hy het gedink dis ‘n speler wat voor hom staan
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:32 am
I saw the incident and it definately looked like he was out of it.
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:35 am
The other mitigating circumstance not mentioned here is that Nigel Owens is a big, floral pink girl’s blouse.
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:54 am
if he was concussed then surely he should have been found not guilty… and been let off…
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:31 am
#3 katman: LOL! Exactly.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
#4 ufo:
perhaps, but as soon as he produced his RSA Passport then the law of ‘Guilty until proven innocent’ usually applies. Its outrageous that he’s only received 6 weeks when a Lifetime Ban would have been far more appropriate, concussion or not.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:19 am
#6 WakaNathan:
Did you even see the incident? He pushed the ref out the way so he could get into a ruck. The ref was pretty much in his way.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:29 am
These refs in their little ivory towers! They need to start realizing that they officiate the game, they are not the game. The only guy that more or less has my respect is Mark Lawrence. One of these days a ref is going to get bliksemed and will only have himself to blame.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Yeah and whoever bliksems him gets a lifetime ban. Player or supporter. Don’t be stupid
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:05 am
#7 Sonito: The ref was standing in the first receiver’s channel, where some brick sh!thouse prop or hooker normally collects the ball and then withstands a collision similar to a Sherman Tank hit and run. Mujati was doing Owens a favour in removing him from the impact zone.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:12 am
Jus a few things.
1) Never push a ref in the back, even if he is a Welsh *** and you are proud straight South African. Hell, do not even push opposition player while he is not looking at you, this is coward act.
2) If you have done so, be nice and apologize thereafter when opportunity arises.
Of course, Mujati did not deserve life ban but he behaved like … erm … what is the US ex-vice President’s Cheney’s name?
Please, do not tell me, if, say, Nonu or Tequila boy will push Jonker in the back (and, boy, how many times this fellow deserved that), you will not screaming in unison.
Justice 4
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
Deserved much more, concussion my foot.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
#12 Big Hit: How come your online nic is so tough sounding and yet you come across as such a girl?
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:21 am
what a lame excuse. that was a deliberate action. he should have been banned for at least 6 months and more for such a lame excuse.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 am
#14 fish out of water: Dude, he’s one of our own?
Mujati is looking biiiiiiig. Unless I’m mistaken Big Hit(I can’t hold in the laugh)?
I’m sure he’ll move back. He what 24-25 now? Could be a very impressive tighthead come 2010.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:35 am
I mean 2011.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
You Saffa’s are running the Authorities ragged:
-Zimbo Land-grabber (a bona fide Saffa), now Guilty of assaulting a Referee.
-Percy dispensing some Tough Love.
-A Man Hunt to find and bring to Justice, Lucky Bounce Enrico.
-Joost staring in a Porn Video and doing a line or two.
All inside a week or two!
Step forth Lote…………and give them the finger.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
#17 cane: BUT WE’RE STILL NUMBER ONE?
YES?
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:55 pm
#17 cane: LOL Never a dull moment in the republic.
#18 Bagel: That’s true.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
#15 Bagel: He is a Zimbabwean qualified to play for SA through residency. He is not South African.
Mujati is a mercenary.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
#20 fish out of water:
Oh, so when a foreigner plays for the Boks it is they that is the ‘mercenary’ ?
How strange. When Polynesians, born and/or bred in NZ, play for the ABs it is the team that are mercenaries.
These double-standards are truly shocking and come as a complete surprise to us all.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:09 pm
#21 WakaNathan: no the mercenary part has got diddly squat to do with the Boks and who plays for the Boks, I have no problems with the Beast or Chavanga or anyone else who wasn’t born in the country and wanting to play for the Boks.
It is about him leaving the Lions in a huge uproar to go to WP for more money and then turning around and leaving WP the first chance he gets to go and play overseas for a lot more money including giving up rights to play for the Boks as he is an overseas player.
By calling him a mercenary I was referring to him having absolutely no loyalty.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
#22 fish out of water:
Then you are truly a ‘fish out of water’. The word ‘loyalty’ in a rugby context failed to exist circa 1995.
Personally Id rather revert to ‘Born in’ as the sole criteria across the board. As it stands, only France & England will continue to strengthen in the future as their economies enable them to buy the best players, and therefore qualify for their National team. Oh yipee, the Americas Cup played with an oval ball.
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:43 pm
#23 WakaNathan: at the end of the day cash is king but there is a certain loyalty – Mujati has shown himself to be a man of very few scruples by his disgraceful exit from the Lions. He made such a big hoo ha about going to play in the Cape and then buggers off after a short while. I just don’t respect the guy.
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:30 pm
#13 katman: ever heard of respect for the referee? it’s paramount in our sport, no ref no game, and the **** didn’t even apologise.
#23 WakaNathan: I think you forget Aus with their poaching of SA/Zimbo players and the huge no. of ‘born elsewhere’ players who have played for NZ. The rules are ok as they are, residency period should perhaps be doubled, or even tripled.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:08 am
#25 Big Hit: Here we go again. Poached at the age of 2? Parents chained into the slave ships?
“Huge no.” – Sivi, Roco, Mils, Toeiava. That’s 4 from 30 or something current squad players.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:08 am
#25 Big Hit: And Rodney. Five.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:11 am
#25 Big Hit: No one come as an adult, in fact only Sivivatu was older than 5 years. Poached my foot.
And then (incidentally, of course) I recall the likes of Vainikolo and Flutley. FULLY GROWN ADULTS, mind you.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:21 am
#28 Nils: I was actually talking about Aus and the poaching but if you read carefully, the likes of Pocock and others. Flutey reckons he has an English grandfather so who am I to argue
November 4th, 2009 at 12:27 am
#29 Big Hit: Mind you if you used Waka’s ‘born in’ criteria NZ would lose a fair few players.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:17 am
#30 Big Hit:
and gain substantially more.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:27 am
#28 Nils:
Sivivatu still travels on a Fijian passport. Would have thought 20 odd years was enough time to learn the anthem and become a citizen??
November 4th, 2009 at 2:47 am
#30 Big Hit: See, what you and half the people on this site seem to forget is, that NZ props up (Financially ) with many millions of dollars the economies, of Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Raratonga, and several other small pacific islands, what you need to understand is, that a) there are more PI’s living in NZ than in the islands, so what you all need to understand is that NZ is like the major city of the PI’s and therefore attracts players, and no if they hadn’t come to NZ and been given the coaching, and the rugby schools to go, they would not have prospered in the islands, we are a pacific island and so are they, so we can’t poach our own, can we??
November 4th, 2009 at 3:00 am
#32 whatever:
Do you know the NZ anthem?
You been here long enough
November 4th, 2009 at 3:01 am
not in defense of mujati for his pushing of nige owens. in the context of brian being a rugby mercenary. perhaps his ambitions were to make a career from rugby, and was/is not particularly interested in representing a country. there are stacks of players from all over the world who are looking to make a name for themselves and land a good contract that can set themselves up financially.
in mujati’s case, he is from zim. why would he be fixated on representing and serving another nations sporting interests when he might not be all that passionate about playing for SA. he was selected for his abilities, got some test experience and that helped his cause on the international club contract circuit. this scenario plays out in other big professional sports every day.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:03 am
#34 Hurricane: good luck to your wellington team for the weekend. im expecting blanket fog for this game
November 4th, 2009 at 3:07 am
Bear with me on that moment gentlemen and let me draw breath…….
But imagine, as per above, that the only that the IRB actually got their sh*t together, for once, and passed a Resolution to introduce the 2 simple Rules for International Rugby Union Tests.:-
1. The player must be born in the country of Qualification.
and
2. The player must be released by his Club for all Tests.
Obviously no2 is the clincher and, mostly for the Players benefit not the thieving Rugby Unions/Clubs and Sponsors, that would be limited to a Maximum (12 ?) Tests per year. For eg (but open to suggestions).
Then no1 comes in to play. Oh sweet Rugby Gods, allow it now.
The Boks, will start with Frans, JdV and Big Joe et al. Lose Beast, Changa and others (who ?). They also get countless others from Aus, France, UK, Japan etc.
The Fijians will call in their 270 wingers posted around the World, incl that idiot from WP (or is he a converted-prop ?).
The Samoans will get back so many from NZ, Aus, France, Japan, UK and will instantly and probably paste everyone from here to Apia and become RWChampions. Jerry Collins, R.Soaiolo get chucked in for good measure. But not Tana tho fellas, he’s still ours.
The Tongans get lots of hidden Giants that have been posted around the Rugby Planet speaking Kiwi. Not Jonah tho fellas, he’s still ours.
France. Well…theyll lose Benazzi, he’s still probably playing somewhere. They will lose a few other Moroccans, Algerians, Tahitians and Whateverans. And they wont get all the Argies, Kiwis, Romainans, Bokke, Poms, Aussies, Polys etcetra, that they might be tempted by.
The ABs get Howlett, Kelleher, Hayman, Jack, Mauger, Evans and all the countless others in Japan, UK, Fr, Aus etc. They lose Sivi, Soaiolo, Roko, Mils. No, not Nonu or Tialata (yipee ?!?).
The Paddys, well they get a few random guys from the Boston Celtics that can win the lineout ball that Paul O’Connell is falsely accused of. And smatterings of Englophiles hiding in London Irish, Bath etc. The fact they lose 1 player, Ronan O’Gara, actually strengthens them immeasurably – the Americans can have that one back (altho probably weakens theres too).
The Argies, well they get half of the Top 14 back, a third of the Italians like Parisse, along with Castrogiovanni, Hernandez, Pichot (come back Gus !), Maradona and Hugo Porta. And hopefully lots of future stars that play in the Super15 (a team based in Rio instead of the undeserving Melbournians and unworthy Kings).
The Poms. Well. Hmmm…..lets ask Big Hit to answer that one, altho he could be here a while on the ‘Lost’ column alone. He does get back John Gallagher (1 of the finest FBs ever). Jamie Salmon u can have, we’re happy to expunge him from our records. Otherwise your ‘Gain’ column will make for interesting reading.
What d’ya say, gentlemen ?
Ruck’n'Rugby Rock’n'Roll Footy Nirvana, Baby !
November 4th, 2009 at 3:16 am
#36 Tomsta:
lol
Thanks Tomsta.
Nothing like a game in Pea soup.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:19 am
#37 WakaNathan:
“The Fijians will call in their 270 wingers posted around the World”
lol
November 4th, 2009 at 4:05 am
Looks like DC is available, so thats great news. Hook at FB could win or lose this game on his own.
So, BH, whats going to happen at HQ ?
November 4th, 2009 at 4:51 am
#35 Tomsta: More or less agree, Mujati’s country is Zimbabwe so I imagine when it came down to choosing the Boks or more money at a NH club the choice wasn’t that difficult, how patriotic can he be for another country?
#40 WakaNathan: we’re going to get beat by 10-15 points
#37 WakaNathan: the players do have to be released for all tests under IRB reg. 9, the problem is the players pull out making up some excuse because of pressure to play for their clubs (see Ratavou this Autumn who has opted to play for Sarries).
The ‘born in’ criteria is too restrictive, I have a mate who was born in Spain, his English parents were on holiday there for a fortnight, should he only be allowed to play for Spain?
I think it’s ok as it is, perhaps shouldn’t be a grandparent rule, parent makes more sense and residency period should be longer, 6 or 9 years.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:34 am
#37 WakaNathan: Interesting points but I strongly disagree.
First of all, you do not choose your country of birth. So, imagine, you have been born to your lovely Kiwi parents while they were on the stopover, say, in Mongolia. Finito, my friend, from now on you are forced Mongolian. No, thanks.
What happens to the unlucky ones, who were born at sea or in the planes? Most of the ships go under the flag of Panama, for example, muchas gracias, amigo, Panama will gladly use your service – no matter, you have never been there and have no intention to go there.
And finally – your family has emigrated maybe even fled your country, searching a new life elswere. They have found it, this is your new country. ****, you were an infant when you have arrived, so you have been disqualified and force to represent your old country.
Many former Ugandians (Idi Amin), North Koreans (Kims), Rwandians (genocide) etc. etc. will be more than happy to represent the country, they have fled from. No?
Ok, residency rules should be made more strict to curb blatant mercenaries offering their service. Not laughable 5 years. Let’s make them 10. Reasonable. Otherwise it is just pure punishing of innocent people.
My former class-mate was born in Cuba and spent there first days of his life. According to your logic, if he would have been a sportsman, he would have been forced to represent Cuba – completely irrelevant country to him.
Nonsense, really.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:36 am
#41 Big Hit: “The ‘born in’ criteria is too restrictive, I have a mate who was born in Spain, his English parents were on holiday there for a fortnight, should he only be allowed to play for Spain?
I think it’s ok as it is, perhaps shouldn’t be a grandparent rule, parent makes more sense and residency period should be longer, 6 or 9 years.”
Sounds very reasonable.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
#41 Big Hit:
#43 Nils:
Then lets agree to ‘tweak’ the Resolution to
1. ‘Born in’ automatically Qualifies. Where Parent (not Grandparent) is a Non-National, then Player can play for the Parents Qualifying Nation-by-birth after a minimum of 5 Years residency and Passport in that country.
I can live with that. No Johnny-come-latelys without any 1st-Generation family connections.
Now, see, mediation can be a Win-Win situation.