Yeah I can well imagine that you found Marler’s offence worse than Basteraud’s a_a 🙄

Jesus, here I am kinda defending Marler, and I can’t find any footage of it whereas there’s plenty of Basteraud’s, but Marler’s seemed a lot more heat-of-the-moment – weren’t they at full on handbags pulling at collars when it was said?

(Although to be honest, I don’t think the pages of debate that followed the Marler – Lee incident were our finest hours (days even) 😀 , I think we could deal with the Basteraud incident without fighting over the Marler – Les debacle.)

I do think that Homophobic language should probably be filed elsewhere rather than under “sticks and stones”. How would we have felt if Showtime had been reffing the game?

Can I just add also that I’m not outraged. 🙂

but Marler’s seemed a lot more heat-of-the-moment – weren’t they at full on handbags pulling at collars when it was said?

I recalled it as more a getting up from a scrum collapse kind of a thing. Maybe I’m wrong. In both cases though I’m sure the person insulted was over it in seconds but the bans are for a wider audience. Although Lee actually being a Gypsy makes it worse, was the insulted player gay? I dont know, I just think both cases a bit of window dressing

Also Marler got fined £20k, I don’t see a fine for MB? I know the fine came from World Rugby rather than the six nations committee, but I kind of agree that a fine for verbal abuse is a good thing. Hard hits will always happen and as a result some will go high. Before you tackle like that you know the possibility of a ban if it goes a bit wrong. The verbals are a bit unecessary and so a ban and a fine would help cut it out IMO

I do think that Homophobic language should probably be filed elsewhere rather than under “sticks and stones”. How would we have felt if Showtime had been reffing the game?

Fair point but how many times do we hear swearing over the ref mic even the fing c word and the commentators apologise and we get on with it?
A large fine with the cash going to an appropriate charity applied consistently would cut it out. How much doesnt make it onto tv and is ignored by the ref?
Do or do not, are we saying the ref should have handed out a red card? The results of the ban suggest so, is that what we want to see

It sounds like Basteraud was called something of the same sort slightly off mic and responded in the same way but happened to be caught on mic. Should being recorded be the determinant of punishment or the referee?

The RC Toulon player, Mathieu Bastareaud, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London on Wednesday, 17 January arising from his club’s Champions Cup, Round 5 match against Benetton Rugby at Stade Félix Mayol. Bastareaud was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Dennis Jones (Wales), for verbally abusing the Benetton Rugby flanker, Sebastian Negri Da Oleggio, in the 80th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.12.

Law 9.12 Verbal abuse of a player
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12 carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: 6 weeks; Mid-range: 12 weeks; Top end: 18 to 52 weeks.

An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Rod McKenzie (Scotland), Chairman, Jennifer Donovan (Ireland) and Becky Essex (England) heard evidence and submissions from Bastareaud, who pleaded guilty to the charge, from the player’s legal representative, Philip Fitzgerald, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

Following an adjournment, the Committee upheld the citing complaint as it determined that the nature of the verbal abuse warranted a red card. It found that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

As there were no aggravating factors and taking into account the player’s guilty plea, the Committee then reduced the sanction by the maximum permitted of 50 per cent before imposing a suspension of three weeks.

Bastareaud is free to play on Sunday, 4 February 2018, and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

England have a fair few injury concerns at the moment with the following guys not able to train at the mo:

Robshaw
Brown
Obano
Hepburn
Nowell

Te’o hasn’t played for ages and Underhill once or twice. Looks like a rookie prop with two Quins starts to back Mako up.

I got the feeling The Hask has toned things down lately but the poor boy is back feeling sorry for himself. Some viewers may find the cringe worthy scenes upsetting 😆

[video]https://youtu.be/Wa8HiVlHCDU[/video]

I think he talks a lot of sense there tbh. He’s not a dirty player, he cocked it up, and has taken it on the chin (

rumours that Haskill is going to Glasgow. don’t believe it myself.

onehundredthidiot – Member

SRU a few years ago was happy to ignore and not support the few good 10s we had at schoolboy level in favour of those from farther afield.
Alex Blair carried a few injuries but Fraser gillies was just ignored after u18 level.

Blair was kept on Edinburghs books for years when he was too injured to play. Played for semi pro teams to try to get back to fitness. Given Edinburgh played for 2 or more seasons without a recognised 10 then there was space for a ten any ten to come in. This is the same sort of timespan that Fraser gillies was playing for Cambridge. Edinburgh had space for him. I suspect ( but am not sure) he decided against a pro rugby career a he seems to have carved out a good career in robotics / acedemia

In 2014 / 2015 Edinburgh would have taken any competent 10

Heard Bristol for Haskell myself.

Glasgow / Exter a cracking game again. A bit of everything including a slightly controversial penalty try which turned the game. Well worth a watch on replay for any neutral

Not neutral ??

Bloody hell, Bristol have been busy with the contracts lawyers. 😯

deadlydarcy – Member

Bloody hell, Bristol have been busy with the contracts lawyers.

Tell us more?

Hamishthecat – surely a Glasgow fan with that name? Its tough on Exeter tho to find Glasgow on a good day and that Glasgow played pretty much a full strength side in a dead game for them.

Just realised – thats another hooker broken. FFS. Thats now our top 3 tightheads, our top 3 looseheads and our top four hookers out.

Chiefs had 11 handling errors in thirteen minutes at one point 🙁
That pitch didn’t half hold the iced water – bet they were soaked every time they hit the deck.

Patchel preferred over 1/2p for Scarlets…wonder what Gatland is thinking

Maybe he wants to counter-attack seeing as Scarlets are doing well with a more old skool Wales game that warrenball. Patchel made at least one try and gave one away. 1/2p would have done neither

talking of which – come on Scablets. It would be nice to see a Welsh team thru and Scablets play some lovely rugby. Seeing as Exceter and Glasgow were pathetic this yer in Eurtope I wnt a team thru who play attack attack attack

snaps – Member

Chiefs had 11 handling errors in thirteen minutes at one point

How many of them forced by Glasgow denying them time and space?

AA – just realised I got Patchel and Preistland confused so my post makes no real sense. 😳

It still make sense TBH. Patchel is a real talent

On the subject of Priestland, he’s out of the 6n’s I think.

Not seen any rugby today, looks like Sarries gave Northampton a bit of a smashing!

Great stuff from Scarlets. Thought the Toulon bench was going to win it!!

On the subject of Priestland, he’s out of the 6n’s I think.

Yeah he’s done his hammy

Exciting stuff. My heart rate is 19 to the dozen.

Well done Scarlets. they have deserved that and its so nice to see a team who plays like they do go thru.

Looks like Biggar might be out too…..gives someone a chance I hope its Patchel rather than Anscombe

Edinburgh seem to have reverted to the softies of last year. 12 nil down after 8 mins in a quagmire in France

My first chance to watch the Scarlets play today – very impressed!

Hamishthecat – surely a Glasgow fan with that name?

I have a cat. His name is Hamish. 🙂

Does Dolman ever pass. Chiefs my favorite English team but they’ve got two backs that just never pass (well).

Really enjoyed the Scarlets game today; they played some great rugby and were brilliant at the breakdown. I thought Toulon were going to nick it as it got a bit niggly and Scarlets started to give away penalties.

Shame Exeter blew it. Not looking good for the English teams.

Wales getting hit by injuries.

Scabs are playing the most attractive rugby of any team anywhere at the moment. It’s lovely to watch.

Apart From Glasgow CFH? the tries against Exeter where things of beauty

Its certainly good to see a team playing positive rugby being rewarded. there has definitely been a shift in recent years away from safety first do not lose stick it up your jumper and kick the ball away rugby which is great

So after the PRL tried to make qualification easier for the ap teams and caused huge fuss in doing so the ap teams are still not able to get into the quarters despite budgets way in excess of the pro 14 teams what will be the excuse now? I’ll bet that there is agitating to further handicap the pro 14 teams with cries of ” its not fair” from the prl

Pretty sure that debate has been done to death hadn’t it? AP is arguably the most competitive league in the world. Other than London Irish pretty much every team is capable of beating each other on their day. Top 3 are obviously a bit of a class above, but other than that most of the league are competing for the remaining spots in the champions cup. Pro 14 just isn’t that competitive. I find it interesting that Glasgow (great league form) and Exeter (champions and leaders) have both struggled in Europe….smaller squads maybe so some of the players are just getting flogged? Could also make the case about Sarries…..some of those players played the European final, then lions tour, then autumn internationals….they must be ****!

Sale have the same spend as most of the Pro 14, so when it comes to Europe we have to send out any team we can cobble together as we have a small squad….some of our guys have played about 20 games this season already!

Obviously a GAA fan running the traffic twitter updates today. 😆

Tom B – very arguable that one. Thats what the ap fans say but IMO it ain’t any more true than it is for the pro 14.

Why have Glasgow done so poorly this year? Hard to say. Small squad is no excuse – they have a nice big squad of competent players and last year thrashed some big clubs in the Euro cup. Tough group and not outclassed in any game but lost the first 5 by small amounts. Injuries didn’t help

Why have the aP teams done so poorly this year? My view is twofold. One that the game has moved on in the pro 14 and French leagues so that a more ” nothing venture nothing gain” / “attack from anywhere” style is doing better ie Scarlets, Exeter winning the leagues last season and also the breakdown changes. The AP teams seemed to decide at the beginning of the season that there was no point contesting breakdowns anymore so stopped doing it. Caused no issue when playing another team of the same view but when they got into Europe they came across teams still contesting the breakdown so the english clubs ended up with rubbish ball under pressure on their ball and lost turnovers but at the same time just conceded every defensive ruck to the attacking side. S the AP teams always have rubbish ball to work with, their european opponents good ball