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A weekend protest by players resulted in the South Africa Rugby Union being charged on Monday for alleged breaches of the International Rugby Board Code of Conduct.
The Springboks wore armbands during their defeat by the British and Irish Lions on Saturday as a symbol of solidarity for suspended team-mate Bakkies Botha, out for two weeks for dangerously charging into a ruck in the previous match.
The IRB decided the protest demonstrates “a clear disregard of the disciplinary process and does so in a manner which brings, or has the potential to bring, the game into disrepute”.
The IRB will refer the matter to the independent judicial panel chairman who will appoint a judicial officer or committee.
Botha was banned for two weeks for a charge on Adam Jones that left the Welsh prop needing corrective surgery to right a dislocated shoulder.
The Springbok and Lions coaching staff, as well as Jones, insisted that they saw nothing untoward in the second-rower’s charge, arguing he had merely been clearing a ruck.
“As a sign of solidarity the Springbok players decided to wear white arm bands during the Test match,” said Piet Heymans, head of the South African Rugby Players Association (SARPA).
“At the same time the players want to send a clear message that they require the IRB to have an urgent and serious relook at Law 10.4 (j).”
South Africa won the sereis 2-1.
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Yikes said | July 7th 2009 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Excellent. The SARFU should get a hefty and crippling fine.
Armbands for Bakkies? You wear armbands for Mandela, or an oppressed people, or for a charity cause that has had something horriffic happen to it.
But Bakkies? Personally I don’t think that he deserved the 2 week ban for the particular clean out he performed. BUT I can tell you that there have been plenty of other times in his career where he got off lightly or got off at all such that he can’t complain about a measly 2 weeks when the decision goes against him.
It’s the same swings and roundabouts you see in rugby with the referee’s decisions, in cricket with the umpire etc etc.
For the Boks to treat this as some huge miscarriage of justice, when it was in reality a feckless thug getting two weeks more than he probably deserved, deserves significant censure from the IRB.
Harry said | July 7th 2009 @ 9:01am | Report comment
The armbands were the funniest thing to come out of SA rugby since the nude training camp pre RWC 2003.
Brett McKay said | July 7th 2009 @ 9:02am | Report comment
No doubt Yikes, they deserve everything coming to them for this open and public display of dissent, and you can only hope that they get the book thrown at them. However, just as I’ve said about SANZAR over time, this is the IRB we’re talking about and the sanction imposed could just as easily fail to move a fly as it could fund rugby in several developing countries…
Arky said | July 7th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
And what armband are they wearing for Schalk? Can’t have it both ways boys!
Jacks Dad said | July 7th 2009 @ 11:53am | Report comment
The Coach has to go……..he is a nutter
Wally James said | July 7th 2009 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
Yikes
Well said
Jameswm said | July 7th 2009 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
In the third test – must check replay – a Lions player did the exact same thing Botha did. this sort of thing happens in every match and is rarely, if ever, penalised.
The suspension was a disgrace. Good on the players for sticking up for their mate.
Nird99 said | July 7th 2009 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
Well done SA, by wearing the armbands you have taken the focus away from the real issue, the charge from Botha! whether or not he deserved the ban, You have now made a public political statement that players or coaches should not make. These issues need to be left with the administrators.
sheek said | July 7th 2009 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Yikes… ditto Wally James… well said… very well said!
sheek said | July 7th 2009 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
James,
We all agree the penalty may have been undeserved, or unnecessarily harsh, but there is a right way & wrong way to go about things.
And Gawd, if I should be the one saying this??? (I’m usually the first to get stuck into any snooty, full-of-themselves establishment).