Heaslip cleared
Ireland No 8 Jamie Heaslip has been cleared of an allegation of eye-gouging brought by the Springboks.
Independent citing commissioner Douglas Hunt made the decision on Monday evening, after South Africa asked for special investigation into an incident involving Heaslip and flank Heinrich Brüssow in the first half of the Croke Park Test on Saturday. South Africa reportedly had no concrete evidence for Hunt to work with in his investigation.
The Irish Rugby Football Union [IRFU] said they were ‘very disappointed’ with the saga and lamented Heaslip’s name being mentioned in the media.
‘The Six Nations has confirmed to the Irish Rugby Football Union that none of a number of referrals made by South Africa against Ireland players has been upheld by the independent citing commissioner that was present at the game between Ireland and South Africa in Croke Park on Saturday 28 November,’ they said in a statement.
‘The Ireland management is, however, very disappointed that the name of an Ireland player was subsequently associated with eye-gouging in the media as a result of one of these unsubstantiated referrals.’
The IRFU also questioned the validity of the claims brought against Heaslip and others.
‘The Ireland management fully support and believe in the integrity of the citing process in place, but believe that any referrals in this process should be made only when they are material and substantial.’
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:19 am
@Paddylock:
Actually the citing commisioner said, not guilty of eye gouging but guilty of reckless contact with the eye, you thick green ****!
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:33 am
Ha ha …i thought the lions were a pack of whiney, good for nothing sore loser…..didn’t think it was possible but the bok take it to another level altogether….talk about insecure!!! haha losers
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:34 am
@ Whatever Reckless contact with the eye is gouging. It always has been in rugby. If you’re depending on the citing commissioner’s definition of deliberate you’re being more than a little Jesuitical. The IRB doesn’t like to find any player guilty of ‘deliberate eye gouging’ because the player who does would be liable for criminal charges. Do you think Schalk Burger put his hands in FitzGerald’s eye by accident? The reckless finding is the same as has been made against several players recently. Burger got the lightest sentence despite his crime being the worst.
Do you think you could engage in a discussion without a childlish ad hominen accusation by the way?
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:02 am
@tomlk:
Mate, where do you get sore losers from? The Irish played better than the Boks and deserved their win. You don’t see interviews ad nausim from the Bok players whinging about the Irish as the Irish did after the Lions tour. Grow up dooos!
@Paddylock:
Did you even watch the video of the incedent? Go and drink some more of that warm brown slop you call beer cause it sounds like you’ve had a few already. As much as I think the whole citing process is flawed in many respects, you have to live with the decisions. Not guilty of eye gouging. Live with it!
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:16 am
@ Whatever You appear to be confusing us with the English. We don’t drink warm beer. Been in Africa long?
I’ve watched the video several times. I’ve seen many videos of Schalk Burger, including one in which he tried to decapitate Juan Smith (it’s nice to see he’s filthy to his own countrymen as well I suppose). I’ve also watched him play live several times. He’s a very good player but he’s also a thug.
Burger gouged. Have a look at YouTube and look up ‘Alan Quinlan gouge’ my semi-literate friend.
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
An Irish joke:
Paddy has broken his leg and his mate Mick goes round to see him.
Mick says ‘how you doin?’
Paddy says ‘ do us a favour, nip upstairs and get me slippers, me feet are freezing.’
Mick goes upstairs and sees Paddy’s gorgeous 19-year-old twin daughters sitting on the bed . He says ‘your dad’s sent me up here to shag the both of you ‘.
They say ‘get away with ya.. prove it.’
Mick shouts downstairs ‘Paddy, both of em?’
Paddy shouts back ‘of course both of em, what’s the point of fu#king one?’
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
@Greenies: What articles are you taking about?!? They told the Irish to boo?
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:09 pm
@Jozi: Jez, you lose one game and you resort to abusing the entire Irish race!
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:30 pm
The real question we shold be asking is why the IRFU didn’t cite Bekker for Kneeing Wallace in the head
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Bejayzus it’s funny seeing paddies squeal. Almost worse than about Schalk brushing a blade of grass off wee Fitzy’s feece while the lad was in SA. Note that Fitzy didn’t have a mark on him. And remember O’Connell was a grate supporter of Quinlan not being a gouger, regardless of the evidence. Sort of like PdV and SB. It’s just the way it is.
It seems that the Saffers are learning. Next is to get a few of our boyos into the IRB (sensible laddies we hope). Then we can start playing on a level field.
C’mon laddies, acknowledge that rugby has become a total game involving each country’s players, press, coaches, admin staff, officials, referees and the country’s staff in the IRB (Paddy o B where are you?).
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:49 pm
@Gordo: WTF where did I abuse the entire Irish race
If you thought the joke was in bad taste, say so but please man don’t make wild accusations.
Jeez….loosen the hell up will ya!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
@Jozi: You may have a point… But I was amazed at the ignorance and utter misconceptions of some of the past commenters regarding Ireland… and then you followed that with an Irish joke.
@husky: So eye gouging should only be punished when damage is done?
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:45 am
@Paddylock:
haha, did not realise that youtube had become the judge and jury of all rugby citing offences………mate, he was found NOT guilty of eye gouging, but guilty of recklessness……deal with it. I suppose the holocast never happened either?
If Burger is a thug then so is BOD, except BOD can’t back it up cause he is a bit of a fairy.
Jeez, and does BOD know how to whinge? Is he still crying about Tana and co??