Springboks enforcer in trouble over head butt - gets 9 weeks.

[rick boyd]

From the look of that video, I'd really hate to be Bakkies' wife.

If you were his wife, I bet he'd hate it more :-)

[Darren]

There's biff, niggle, dirty play and dangerous play. Headbuts are dangerous. Surely what happened to Matt Butcher is still reasonably fresh in peoples minds?

[jargan83]

9 weeks cop that

Bakkies is a grub and you just have look at his record to confirm it

[James]

If you were his wife, I bet he'd hate it more :-)

I doesn't bear thinking about, does it?

[jazza93]

My opinion and I know there like arseholes and every ones got one is just simply if the ref doesn't see it or the touchies then it stays with the game and there is no video citing after the game.

Give it time we'll be whinging the games got soft.

So if someone takes a knife into the next game and the ref doesn't see it but the camera's do then its ok, he gets to play next week. That will never work, it defeats the point of having a video review panel and it will end up like FIFA's corrupt 19th century system.

And no it wont turn the game soft. I remember watching the test at subiaco last month, and the hits those guys were putting on were massive for the whole 80 minutes. But if you want to call it soft if we outlaw headbutting and eyegouging you may have a point. But if we allow headbutting and eye gouging the players will not feel safe in back play and at the bottom of the ruck, which will mean they have more to worry about and we will see less big hits, less running play, less Up and Unders. It will ruin the game. The rules on foul play are fine right now, letting Botha get away with this would be a stupid statement to send out.

[Hoolly Doolly]

wouldn't you be wondering if he is a liability to even wear a bokke jersey now?

Best thing to happen for the boks. Forces them to use Bekker who deserved to start ahead of bakkies anyway.

Had to LoL that Cowan was on the receiving end of it.......of all the AB's this guy has had something coming to him for a long time.
Id be surprised if he starts next week. He was the only AB that played crap.

Butch james is another one that deserves a bit of a bitch slapping.

[slomo]

good..serious suspension for a repeat offender!..........

[almac]

[QUOTE=jazza93;262443]So if someone takes a knife into the next game and the ref doesn't see it but the camera's do then its ok, he gets to play next week. That will never work, it defeats the point of having a video review panel and it will end up like FIFA's corrupt 19th century system.

now THAT is just a stupid statement...

[welshrugbyfan]

So if someone takes a knife into the next game and the ref doesn't see it but the camera's do then its ok, he gets to play next week. That will never work, it defeats the point of having a video review panel and it will end up like FIFA's corrupt 19th century system.

Yeah I can see that happening. All my point is that I think, meaning in my opinion if its not seen on the day that's the end of the matter.

You've got some knob whose probably never played looking over tapes to tell someone off. I fail to see what the issue here is.

I got squirrel gripped and the ref didn't see it. Too bad then princess.

[James]

Under normal circumstances 9 weeks seems like a lot for what appeared pretty minor. But a headbutt can be dangerous (not this one). If Bakkies had misjudged it or something out of his control (Cowan moving his head upwards towards Bakkies head/another player coming through and increasing the downward pressure of Bakkies' head) had happened you Cowan could have been concussed or worse. One of these days he could do someone some serious damage.

Everyone else who said it is right- Bakkies should learn a lesson from the likes of Thorn and Jerry Collins.

[robyn <3]

It's stupid to even suggest that smashing someone in the back of the head is ok. Referee's are blind, every fool knows that (Sorry Ecky. I'm a ref myself) and just because it goes missed by a referee doesn't mean it should go unpunished. If I wanted to watch that, I'd follow wrestling. Honestly. There is a huge different between brutality of rugby and putting someone's life in serious danger, and Bakkies yet again crossed the line and I don't think 9 weeks is that bad for such a repeat offender.

'Squaring the bloke up later'? Are you serious? Why bother having a ref then, just throw 30 guys on the paddock and just have a giant boxing match. It's not soft - this is these rugby players jobs, and it's 'health and safety' if you like. People can't get away with that sort of thing, in rugby or in normal life

[jono]

just throw 30 guys on the paddock and just have a giant boxing match.

i'd pay to see that

[welshrugbyfan]

'Squaring the bloke up later'? Are you serious?

Never been on the other end of it I take it? Of course you have a square up, as a man you are obligated to do so.

If it happens near to or at the end of the game then you make a mental note of his face for the next time around. If your team mate gets stretchered off then its up to you and your team mates to do the square up for him. Its the honorable thing to do.

Now if Bakkies was allowed to play next week don't you think he'd be seriously wishing he hadn't brought about the attention of the entire NZ forward pack?????

Its called Karma I believe and now the big saffa won't have his coming. OR what goes around comes around is another way of putting it.

[sandgroperrugby]

Never been on the other end of it I take it? Of course you have a square up, as a man you are obligated to do so.

If it happens near to or at the end of the game then you make a mental note of his face for the next time around. If your team mate gets stretchered off then its up to you and your team mates to do the square up for him. Its the honorable thing to do.

Now if Bakkies was allowed to play next week don't you think he'd be seriously wishing he hadn't brought about the attention of the entire NZ forward pack?????

Its called Karma I believe and now the big saffa won't have his coming. OR what goes around comes around is another way of putting it.

My main argument against your position is that you harm the grass roots of rugby. Mums do not want their little darlings playing a dirty nasty game where their kids are going to get seriously hurt. This is the main reason that soccer is the biggest growing sport and not just in Australia.

If you truly love rugby you would not be so concerned with the effort the IRB is putting in to clean up the image that in effect gets mums happy to send their kids onto the ground so that our sport continues to be competitive to other codes in the future.

[slomo]

'Squaring the bloke up later'? Are you serious? Why bother having a ref then, just throw 30 guys on the paddock and just have a giant boxing match.

just like gladiator!...