Schalk Burger got dragged into the “Bloodgate” scandal at Harlequins club this weekend. Harlequins Director of Rugby was slapped with a three-year ban for his involvement in the faking of blood.
Richard’s lawyer Mark Gay argued on Sunday that his punishment was “disproportionate.” He cited the eight-week ban given Burger following an eye-gouging citing in June.
“I think it is excessive in the context,” Gay told BBC Radio 5.
“You have to look at what the offense was. What the player was involved with was feigning injury and, to my mind, feigning injury is less serious than causing injury and Schalk Burger got eight weeks for gouging.
“To my mind, it’s a very savage sanction, disproportionate, and really is one which in all conscience, ERC (European Rjg by Club) should not have imposed,” Gay said.
“He has taken full responsibility for what has happened,” Gay said. “I really do think the committee should have taken account of that.
“Of course the cover up really hurts you more than the offense itself, but even in the context of that it’s a savage ban to impose – a ban which could in all intents and purposes have been a life ban on a person like Dean, who has given his life to the game.”
Some of you may not know the exact details of the scandal as we don’t always follow Northern Hemisphere rugby as we do when our local teams are involved. Below is an article on what happened that day.
Fake Blood Used In Harlequins Rugby
Total Pro Sports – It is amazing how far some will go to help lead their team to victory. While some would be willing to take a few punches in order to change the momentum, others have shown that they have no problem with cheating. Look no further than Boston’s beloved franchises.
In England, the notion of cheating was taken to a whole new level.
It was all part of a plan put together by Harlequins’ director of rugby Dean Richards, and club physio Steph Brennan. Richards ordered Brennan to purchase a pack of blood capsules from a Clapham joke shop. The capsules were to be used by players in order to fake injuries during a Heineken Cup match against Leinster.
The player they used as their subject was Quins full-back Tom Williams, a young but promising player who obliged when asked to commit the act.
Willliams admits that when he was handed the fake blood capsule on the pitch by Brennan he put it in his sock and then pulled it out after a contact situation and tried to bite on it. The capsule fell out of his mouth, forcing him to pick it up and and try the whole process again in full view of the sold-out stadium and television cameras. [ThisIsLondon.co.uk]
When officials of Leinster began yelling that the blood was not real, Williams asked the club doctor Wendy Chapman to cut the inside of his lip with a scalpel.
The pantomime nature of the incident continued in the medical rooms under the stand with Williams and Dr Chapman initially having to avoid the gaze of doubting officials and find a room where they could cut his lip. A picture was taken of the cut which was neatly done and did not require any stitches.
In a hearing on the incident, Williams claimed that he was given a lucrative offer of compensation by club chairman Charles Jillings, and chief executive Mark Evans if he agreed to hide the complete details of the situation by making a “limited” appeal. The offer included compensation for a 12-month ban, a new four-year contract, and an offer of employment with the team following his retirement. This move was made in a effort to prevent the team from receiving a Heineken Cup ban and relegation.
Williams had refused such offers and has come forth with the complete details, which were uncovered during the hearing. He was given a 4-month ban for his involvement in Bloodgate, while Richards has received a 3-year ban, Brennan got a 2-year ban, and the club was fined £259,000.
What may have initially seemed like a good idea for the Harlequins rugby club has turned into a costly one. Next time Harlequins are looking for blood, they should consider just asking their players to bite his tongue during the game, rather than later on at the hearing.
Cheating like this is unacceptable and I am sure we all agree. But what punishment is really fair? Was Schalk lucky to get only 8 weeks? Is a three year ban too much? Do other teams also cheat, with Quins just stupid enough to be caught? Is faking a blood injury to get a kicker on the field different than faking an “injury” to a prop to force uncontested scrums?
What are your thoughts?
210@PapnVis – Welcome
Kindly go update your Profile with real name & surname
@superBul –
Middag Super!
@grootblousmile –
Dink ek gaan ook n ietsie gooi hier, jy maak my dors!
Thank you. I have done as requested.
214@PapnVis – Thanks…. blog away… we are quite a happy bunch of farkers here…
Ok…happy bunch is good.
@Supa Die Bloubul – 212
Nou gou eers my hond se bal gaan soek, ek het die mooiste rotweiler en elke middag wag hy vir my met n bal in sy mond, nou sit die bal in n boom vas, maak werk vir myself.
@grootblousmile – Hey GBS, dankie vir die mail vannogend. Jy en Boerboel het mail.
@PapnVis – 216 Welkom papvis, hoop jy skree reg, maw blou bulle.
@superBul –
Ek is mal oor rotweilers. Het groot geword met n altyd 3 of 4 van hulle om ons. Goeie, mooi honde!
@PapnVis – Welcome PanVis. It is always great to have more Freestate supporters on this blog.
218@Loosehead – Dankie, gekry…
Sal maar daar kom draai as ek weer innie Kaap is….
Thanks Superbul, but i scream for the Cheetahs
@PapnVis – Good man!
@Supa Die Bloubul – mense is baie bang vir hulle maar ek het al baie jare een en my ma en suster hulle het met hulle geboer.
Jy moet natuurlik die hond se geaardheid respekteer dis n groot hond en kan baie gevaarlik wees. Hulle se hy vorm n pak met sy mense en hou nie van enige bedreiging vir sy uitgekose familie nie. Dus sal hy jou kinders niks doen maar maklik jou kinders se maatjies hap as hulle sy mense(kinders) seer maak , selfs al is dit in n speletjie.
Dan ook moet jy nie te veel van hulle gelyk he nie.Hel maarn goeie en gevreesde waghond.
@PapnVis – Tot so paar jaar terug was die Cheetahs my 2de gunsteling span, seker maar nog. Maar julle het ons bietjie gerol die afgelope dekade, julle is tans die span met die beste rekord in die CB die dekade. Klink lekker ne.
O en dit gaan n moerse stryd wees oor 3 weke tussen ons, n regte maak of breek een. Kan maklik ons twee se spanne se CB lot bepaal.
I say ban the players that use fake-blood to fake a injury. Bloody cheats get rid of them out of our sport.
@superBul –
Jy is 100% reg. Rotweilers is baie lojaal en beserkm jou ten alle koste. Ek kan twee geleenthede as kind onthou. Een keer het ek en my vriend gestoei in die TV kamer as pret. Toe storm die rotweiler by die glasdeur in en wil my vriend net bykom! Hyt gelukkig vinnig in die kombuis in gehardloop.
n Tweede keer het ek my meisie destyds geterg op die tennisbaan. Sy stamp my toe grappenderwys en toe bespring die rotweiler die tennisbaan se draad! Hy kon darem nie inkom nie.
Forgot. Evening all.
Sit ek hier en werk en julle praat lekker kuk eish!
Mirrag mense
Howzit PapnVis and welcome to RT!
@SA Barbarians – @Puma – Naand.
Hier was so paar jaar gelede ‘n rondloper Rottweiler… die ding het met gemak oor ‘n ses-voet muur gespring. Ek corner die hond in ons erf een aand, gewapen met ‘n moosa solid plank van so 1.5m.
Die ding storm my toe… dit was ek of hy…. daar wassie ander keuse nie.
Kyk man, ek swaai daai plank en bliksem hom op sy rug dat die hele plank so shock in my hande… hy het steeds verby my gekom en los oor die 6-voet heining gespring… maar hy is so week later dood, seker van die hou oor sy rug.
@Supa Die Bloubul – 220
Those are scary looking dogs Supa. More and more police are using them now. Especially in Germany.
@grootblousmile –
Ja nee Brakpan is nie n hond se maat nie. 😆
Ons is seker almal se tweede span!
I grew up in the Eastern Cape but the okes here are useless and Gysie Pienaar was my hero growing up – so i always supported the cheetahs.
I wish more of our players had loyalty like Juan – we would have an awesome side, but i guess in the pro age – play where the money is.
@Puma –
Its unbelievable how well they can train dogs. To lead the blind, fight, sniff out drugs. Amazing.
@Puma – 229
Howzit Puma!
A cross between a Puma and a Shark is quite something – are you an amphibious predator? 🙂
@grootblousmile – 232
Jeez, boet that sounded damn scary. Never would like to face a huge Rottie. Jump over a 6 foot wall? Crikey never knew they could jump that high. A Staffie yes but a Rottie? Tough dogs those.
@PapnVis –
As dit jou laat beter voel, julle is nie my tweede span nie.
SAB en Puma naand se,
Hang JS se vel al, almal het die ou geskin die naweek, shame hy sal nou begin wonder hoe lank hy nog met ons lot moet opgeskeep sit. Wanneer om uit te tree is gewoonlik die moeilikste besluit, die kritiek gaan hom binnekort beinvloed. Jammer. Os du Rand het op die regte tyd gestop, ek dink Percy het nie.
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