IRB & James Horwill

[jargan83]

More of a History lesson than a Science lesson

[UNCLE BOOG]

couldnt find a good history lesson meme.

[The InnFORCEr]

Wallabies officials want review of 'unfair' appeal

AFP
July 3, 2013,
10:25 am


SYDNEY (AFP) - Wallabies officials are demanding a review of the legal process that left captain James Horwill "in complete and utter mental disarray", disrupting Australia's preparations for the series-deciding third Lions Test.

Australia Rugby Union (ARU) chief executive Bill Pulver accused the International Rugby Board (IRB) of overseeing a lengthy procedure that was at the very least "problematic".

"I simply have a problem with the double-jeopardy concept of being tried twice for essentially the same issue," Pulver said Wednesday.

"I'll be writing the IRB -- in fairness to the IRB they've operated well within the laws as defined -- I just think it needs to be reviewed and I would like to see it changed."

Horwill was Tuesday cleared of foul play for allegedly stamping on the head of Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones, which would have ruled him out of Saturday's series decider against the British and Irish Lions in Sydney.

The skipper, who shed tears after last weekend's 16-15 win over the tourists, had already been cleared once by a judicial officer the day after losing the first Test in Brisbane on June 22.

But he took the field for the second Test in Melbourne under a cloud, with the IRB challenging his acquittal in an unprecedented appeal.

Pulver said he was "uncomfortable with the process around that judicial review", describing the lengthy period between the initial allegation of stamping and Horwill's ultimate acquittal as "unacceptable leading into a Test match".

Independent appeal officer Graeme Mew dismissed the IRB challenge after a two-and-a-half-hour videoconference hearing from Toronto and nearly 12 hours of deliberation.

Canadian arbitrator Mew upheld the original decision, saying there had been "no misapprehension of law or principle" proven and no evidence that the (first) acquittal was unreasonable.

Mew said the IRB appeal had been appropriate to safeguard player welfare and protect rugby's image and reputation.

But Pulver said the "drawn-out saga" had left Horwill "in complete and utter mental disarray".

"Proof of that was the image of James on his knees at the end of the (second Test) match (in Melbourne on Saturday)," he said.

"The process is inappropriate, and the trauma and anxiety it caused the player is completely unfair."

Horwill put on a brave face on Tuesday, saying: "I feel very vindicated by the way that it's gone."

He called both hearings "incredibly fair and thorough".

The ARU noted that the IRB had never before intervened to overturn a not guilty verdict against a player.

Australia's Rugby Union Players' Association (RUPA) welcomed the ruling, saying it had been surprised and disappointed at the IRB's appeal, which it described as a "dangerous precedent" with questionable motives.

A unanimous vote at the IRB council a year ago gave the governing body the right to appeal decisions made by disciplinary hearings.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-...unfair-appeal/

[chibi]

Well played Pulver! Maybe he can drag our cousins from across the Indian Ocean and Tasman back into a cohesive SANZAR bloc to combat this sort of crap in the future.

[PerthGirl]

Just for the record and i will finish it here Dublin is the Capital city of Ireland ,Ireland is a Country. The U.K is made up of England, Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland tfour other countries this is also Known as Britain,Ireland is not part of this hence the British and Irish (as in Ireland) Lions.
You seem to have spent all your time in the history class and missed out on Geography .How was your holiday to Bali this year.
Good luck on Saturday i will be watching the game as a neutral and hope it as as entertaining as the last two matches. If you are in Sydney we should catch up for a pint i will be in the Orient on Friday arvo ,The one with the red shirt ,red beanie and red scarf on.
Again good luck,no hard feelings

Watching the game as a "neutral"? how boring

[hertryk]

what about Western Australians putting atrocities on Poms.

Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh, Terry Alderman, Kim Hughes, Graham Wood, Bruce Yardley,

Real Cricketers - not these over paid muppets that we have today that arent even good enough to look at a baggy green cap. Let alone wear one.

Cadel Evans...but then McQuiggan (probably spelt wrong...sorry!) got us back last year...

[Ex Pat]

Watching the game as a "neutral"? how boring

Morning pg ,the neutral bit was a joke ,the bit with me wearing red shirt beanie and scarf may have given it away
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