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Comments by controversial Springboks coach Peter de Villiers appearing to condone eye-gouging were “crass and pathetic”, according to the British and Irish Lions scrum coach.
De Villiers refused to condemn Schalk Burger after the South African flanker was yellow carded for gouging Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald in the first minute of last Saturday’s second Test, won 28-25 by the home side, and then appeared to condone the act as part of rugby.
Burger received an eight-week ban after the game, while the Bok coach contended he had not even deserved to be sin-binned.
De Villiers and South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins were subsequently forced into issuing a joint statement condemning all acts of foul play.
Lions scrum coach Graham Rowntree on Wednesday dubbed De Villiers’ post-match comments “crass” and “pathetic”.
“They were completely out of order,” said the former Leicester, England and Lions prop.
“I’m glad he’s had to withdraw them. And indeed he’s being investigated a bit further.
“I’ve been gouged,” he added. “There’s no place in the game for gouging. I think it’s ridiculous what he said.
“For any young, aspiring player or parents watching that game, you have the national coach almost saying it’s okay, it’s ridiculous.
“We’re upset by it. You can’t get away with making those comments. The actual thing’s been dealt with now, the incident, Burger’s been banned. We’re quite happy to move on.”
Rowntree said that the issue would not be preying on Lions minds come Saturday’s third and final Test at Ellis Park here, but added that increased bans would probably be the only way for the IRB to go to cut out gouging.
“It’s not something we’ll be going into the game worried about or having in our minds at all.
“How a player can think he can get away with it with so many cameras watching the game is beyond me.
“I’ve never gouged anyone. What would make a guy want to do that, what advantage he thinks he can away with by doing that, and how he thinks he can get away with it is beyond thought for me.
“It is indefensible.”
Rowntree added that he thought the reputation of Burger, the IRB’s world player of the year in 2004, had “probably” gone down among the touring Lions.
“There’s been no official apology,” he said, stressing that it had not been right for De Villiers to defend Burger, “not for acts like that.”
Lions captain Paul O’Connell added that the comments by De Villiers, who has recommended the Lions buy a tutu and take up ballet if they can’t handle the physicality of rugby, were a “big mistake” and were made without thinking.
“It was a bad comment to make,” said the Munster and Ireland lock.
“It was a clumsy comment to make straight after the game. He probably should have thought about it.”
There was also a further twist to claims by De Villiers, who this week described himself as a “God-given talent”, that he had not shaken hands with Lions head coach Ian McGeechan after the Pretoria Test, which had given South Africa an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
Lions spokesman Greg Thomas insisted that the two men had done so twice, adding to the latest controversy surrounding the Springbok coach who got into hot water after the first Test with a player analogy laden with racist undertones.
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van der Merwe said | July 2nd 2009 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
A coach standing up for and defending his player’s character. Oh the ignobility! Perhaps he should have eased his way passed this whole situation with some O’Connell phraseology –
“If it looked bad I am sure there was nothing in it. He is a tough player. It is the one thing he hasn’t got in his record book.”
pothale said | July 2nd 2009 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
There’s a number of differences VdM that you may not be aware of.
Quinlan wasn’t penalised during the match. The offence wasn’t spotted by the officials. Burger was.
O’Connell didn’t know directly what had occurred because he hadn’t seen the incident when he made those comments on the pitch directly after the match. PdV had looked at the footage and said it wasn’t even a penalty.
Quinlan went to Cullen during the match and afterwards to apologise. Burger did no such thing. Nor has he still done so.
When Quinlan was cited and banned, no-one backed him. Because he was picked for Lions squad, Quinlan tried to appeal but was turned down. Despite PdV’s continued fervour in asserting that Burger is innocent and/or it was accidental, it’s notable that they are not appealing the ban. It’s more likely that someone else will appeal the ban.
All PdV had to say on Day 1 was that gouging has not part in the game of rugby. And that players deserve censure if they are found guilty of it. And that he’ll have to wait to see what the citing officer says.
Except he couldn’t keep his trap shut – he figured he could handle the media, and get his point across. Whatever point he was trying to make. He didn’t.
ShakaZulu said | July 2nd 2009 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
If allegations about comments made by Lions Players to Burger about his raped sister in the tunnel are true, then it is hardly surprising that he has not apologised.
Justin said | July 2nd 2009 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
Are you starting the rumours SZ? Havent seen it mentioned anywhere. Please let us know where you heard or read about them…
van der Merwe said | July 2nd 2009 @ 5:43pm | Report comment
Pothale, admittedly he’s done a poor job in getting his case across, but the point is that there is nothing “sick” or out of the ordinary about a coach (or player for that matter) backing his player or teammate.
Considering that Burger came through the tunnel alone, that sounds like kak, Shaka.
Hemjay said | July 2nd 2009 @ 6:06pm | Report comment
Shaka it sure sounds like kaka to me, amazing how fanciful stuff comes up well after the fact. If there was any truth in the matter I’m sure the SARU would’ve been all over it already to back their man. However Shak I’m gathering that it is only something that you are writing and that it has no credible substance. As Justin says show us the money so to speak.
Pothale I don’t think there’s much more to say about the incident. Everyone seems to be on the same wavelength re Burger and PDV, it seems everyone keeps going round and round in cirlcles. Quinlan, Burger and Parise have all mudded their names and will be known as eye gougers for a long time to come. Quinlans will be the eye gouge that cost him a Lions spot and Burgers will be the gouge that won SA the series, how elese could we see it he really should have been red carded.
Parise well he was playing for Italy and they just don’t really rate no matter who they’re playing. Plus Issac Ross is a hard bugger who doesn’t cry into his weet-bix, well he is in training so a bitch about being gouged would’ve opened up for criticism after henry said he needed to harden up.
PDV is a right idiot and he needs to be held accountable for his words, surely he should be fined or himself given a ban for outright stupidity
Jerry said | July 2nd 2009 @ 6:28pm | Report comment
VDM – there’s backing your player and there’s trying to justify his actions. I don’t think anyone would have minded if PDV said “Well, it was a nasty looking incident, but I know Schalk and I don’t think it was deliberate” rather than “I saw it, there’s nothing wrong with it, part of the game.”