Horwill a lucky boy says Lions great

Thin edge of the wedge, Tana and Keven are probably watching on nervously...

Is there a precedent for the IRB doing this sort of thing before? We've all seen the incident on the video. We've all read Horwill's explanation. We've all heard the Judiciary Officer's ruling. I doubt if the IRB have any more information to add. Sounds like a lynching party is being formed.

Agree jutsie. We all know who really controls the IRB. It's never the 3 nations that constantly fill the top 3 rankings, it's the try hards underneath.

when you say 'again' - wasn't the last (only) one a result of CEO Brett Gosper making a decision without any consultation from IRB board members and sending out a variously reported as being drunken (or: 'alcohol was being served at the function') tweet saying the Thompson 1 week suspension was going to be reviewed. Who he was with we'll never know - but at least this one has come from IRB itself through the formal process: 'The IRB received the full written decision on Monday, June 24 and following a detailed review of the evidence and the written decision (as it does for all Tests under its jurisdiction) has notified the ARU within the 72 permissible hours that it will appeal the case. '

Loe - boy that's a long time ago -and he got a good penalty - on that basis I fail to see the point of your comment? 1992 - he got a 9mth suspension for eye gouging Greg Cooper in an NPC match; earlier that year he'd hit Australian Paul Carozza across the nose. Don't know that he was ever charged with stomping though

I can recall Loe stomping a fair few people, don't remember him getting a ban for any of them. Different era, he also didn't get a ban for his forearm shot on Carozza. The only ban I remember him getting was for his horrible eye gouge on Greg Cooper - was supposed to be 6 months but ended up being more because he asked to have it only kick in at the start of the next NZ season so he could play in France in the off season, but the French union objected to that and banned him there too.

So once again the IRB has stepped in due to the crys of the British teams, and they wonder why their called whingeing poms. The brits control the IRB like the BCCI controls ICC

Well well well Boys seems the IRB hsve had someone pull masonic rank and are putting aside the previous judgement and want a retrial of Mr Horwill I agree with Mania that although i previously admired Mr Horwill there is never an excuse for stomping on someones hesd no matter which side of the ruck they are on and come to think of that didnt Richard Loe get a ban for doing that ?

The International Rugby Board has confirmed to the Australian Rugby Union that it will appeal the James Horwill disciplinary decision following an extensive review of the case. The appeal will be heard by Graeme Mew (Canada) following the second Test between Australia and the British & Irish Lions. Horwill is free to play pending the outcome of the appeal. http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/pressrelease/newsid=2068083.html

Hey mania, besides the Petone teams (in the era when rucking was legit/Legal) , the Froggies were classics for targetting the head !! Moncla comes readily to mind (and I was just a pup then :) ) Only played Stokes Valley once during all my years of playing club rugby, but a few strange people have been known to come out of that cold hole :)

Billy Bob: I am sure as the greatest centre in the modern era, he is allowed an opinion. His carry on with the ref was warranted as he did nothing wrong whatsoever. The Lion's were screwed over big time at the breakdown on Saturday.

I couldn'tr see it as intentional He was leaning foreward over bent bodies, wiorth no vsion of his feet. The head isto the left of his left foot but his right fott crosses in front of his left and hits the face sideways. Can't see how it was a stomp or deliberate

He just lost his balance and stumbled into them.

And cheated in the process by running a clear obstruction on the third try (I think). From memory he was well ahead of the ball carrier, running away from him and staring right at two defenders who he collected.

So where is the Gosper now very quiet as its his own countryman in the dog box. Disgraceful and shows an appalling double standard.

Gold

The 'lucky boy' in this whole saga is sanctimonious former rugby genius Odriscol. He was one of the lucky twenty three who played against sixteen uninjured wallabies and but for the luck of boots, soggy earth, 3rd choice kicker and countless side ruck entries, still almost lost. Brian, YOU are a very lucky boy

Horwill is a dirty player, and by clearing him of what is clearing an dangerous use of the boot suggests the panel approves of thuggish play. Different rules for different players and different teams? I guess that's rugby.

Yeah I find it annoying when a sweeping statement is made (it was unintentional - I mean even the QC didnt say that, just that it could not be proven whether it was intentional or not) is then followed up with "grow up". I think O'Driscoll's comments are fair enough, especially when he is probably being asked a direct question. I think Horwill is lucky, and I agree that probably only Horwill knows how intentional it was. Other players have had different sanctions for similar events. I think the Lions have been pretty good about it, their media, well thats a different story.

I am with you there, I am a Horwill fan as well, one of my favorite Wallabies