Thuggery
Now being a typical macho Kiwi bloke I don't mind the odd bit of biffo in a game of rugby, league or tiddlywinks. Ever since getting smacked in the head as a fourth-former playing prop (yes, I was a prop - one year after playing fullback, which is as impressive as my descent from opening bat to No. 11 in the cricket team - but I digress), I quickly appreciated the value of a bit of bush justice to sort out problems that the ref couldn't or wouldn't.
But there are boundaries that most normal sportsplaying people do not cross. And in this case the line seems to be well and truly overstepped. Even allowing for a bit of exaggeration, to read that a player has been repeatedly punched in the head while having his hands held by another player (supposedly trying to stop the fight) and also possibly having his jersey over his head is a little sickening. But there are a couple of things that really get up my nose.
One, the winger who ran in to stop the fight. Now we all know what wingers look like - usually a skinny white bloke (or possibly a Fijian). The fight was between a Samoan prop (his teammate) and a loose forward who just happens to be the brother of Wallabies prop Matt Dunning, so we'll make the not unrealistic assumption that he too, ate all his breakfast as a youngster.
Now what's a skinny white bloke running in to obstensibly stop a fight between two much bigger fellas and just happens to restrain the person - on the opposing team - who is getting his face punched in? You believe that, look for Santa coming down your chimney come Dec 25.
But what really pisses me off are the comments by the Warringah General Manager (Mark Dickens - take the "ens" off your name, tosser) who reportedly said because the players were sin-binned, "that was as far as the matter should have gone".
And he goes on: "Just because more punches were thrown, does it make it any worse than if one punch was thrown and a bloke goes down?"
Gee, I suppose the bank robber who nicks $100,000 is no worse than my stepson stealing 20 cents out of my wallet. Or the speeding driver doing 150km/h as opposed to 105 down the motorway.
What a fwit. 15 or 16 punches are infinitely worse than 1, especially without seemingly any reply. Not only should the prop and winger be thrown out of rugby for a rather long time, Mr Dickens should naff off until he can learn not to defend the indefensible.
Last word to Mr Dickens:
"Salesi is a gentleman. You will not meet a more nice-natured guy."
Well, if smacking someone in the head 15 or 16 times is the behaviour of a nice-natured gentleman, I'd hate to see his definition of a thug.
But there are boundaries that most normal sportsplaying people do not cross. And in this case the line seems to be well and truly overstepped. Even allowing for a bit of exaggeration, to read that a player has been repeatedly punched in the head while having his hands held by another player (supposedly trying to stop the fight) and also possibly having his jersey over his head is a little sickening. But there are a couple of things that really get up my nose.
One, the winger who ran in to stop the fight. Now we all know what wingers look like - usually a skinny white bloke (or possibly a Fijian). The fight was between a Samoan prop (his teammate) and a loose forward who just happens to be the brother of Wallabies prop Matt Dunning, so we'll make the not unrealistic assumption that he too, ate all his breakfast as a youngster.
Now what's a skinny white bloke running in to obstensibly stop a fight between two much bigger fellas and just happens to restrain the person - on the opposing team - who is getting his face punched in? You believe that, look for Santa coming down your chimney come Dec 25.
But what really pisses me off are the comments by the Warringah General Manager (Mark Dickens - take the "ens" off your name, tosser) who reportedly said because the players were sin-binned, "that was as far as the matter should have gone".
And he goes on: "Just because more punches were thrown, does it make it any worse than if one punch was thrown and a bloke goes down?"
Gee, I suppose the bank robber who nicks $100,000 is no worse than my stepson stealing 20 cents out of my wallet. Or the speeding driver doing 150km/h as opposed to 105 down the motorway.
What a fwit. 15 or 16 punches are infinitely worse than 1, especially without seemingly any reply. Not only should the prop and winger be thrown out of rugby for a rather long time, Mr Dickens should naff off until he can learn not to defend the indefensible.
Last word to Mr Dickens:
"Salesi is a gentleman. You will not meet a more nice-natured guy."
Well, if smacking someone in the head 15 or 16 times is the behaviour of a nice-natured gentleman, I'd hate to see his definition of a thug.
Labels: opinion
posted by Rob Crawford at 11:40 AM
1 Comments:
Ah c'mon Robz, the victim was a Dunning after all....
LB
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