The culprit was never ‘fingered’ and the citing was subsequently not upheld, but visual evidence has emerged that the face of Springbok flank Heinrich Brüssow was indeed attacked during his team’s 10-15 loss to Ireland last Saturday.
Scottish citing commissioner Douglas Hunter declined to cite any Irish player after the match, despite having the same evidence at his disposal as this website – the picture that proves that Brüssow did indeed suffer damage around his eye area.
However, after spending a substantial part of Monday watching the match video at length, Hunter was unable to pinpoint the possible culprit – who will now escape in anonymity for eternity.
The Irish Rugby Football Union, not to mention the Irish media, were at pains to put out the view that no eye-gouging took place, but this evidence could possibly suggest otherwise.
In a statement issued this week the IRFU spoke of a “number of referrals” made by South Africa against Ireland players – none of which were upheld by the independent citing commissioner, Hunter, who was present at the game at Croke Park.
“The Ireland management is, however, very disappointed that the name of an Ireland player was subsequently associated with eye gouging in the media as a result of one of these unsubstantiated referrals,” read the statement.
The IRFU also suggested the Boks’ referrals were not “material”.
The Springbok camp did not name any Irish player in the alleged eye-gouging saga, but merely asked the citing commissioner to look at the match video for evidence, as they are entitled to do.
That is what Hunter did, but he was unable to identify the culprit.
But Hunter, who had at his disposal the same picture attached to this article, would not have spent such a large part of the day looking for evidence if he did not believe there was reason to try and identify a possible culprit.
And the manner in which the Irish media tried to dismiss the case, and Brüssow’s claims that he had possibly been gouged, should be seen in the light of the outcry after Schalk Burger’s eight-week ban for ‘reckless’ behaviour in putting his hand in the face of Ireland’s British and Irish wing Luke Fitzgerald in the first minute of the second Test in June.
Burger, his team’s only try-scorer on Saturday, was roundly booed at Croke Park – before the match when the team line-ups were announced and after scoring his first-half try.
At the time of Burger’s incident in the Lions Series, Judicial Officer Alan Hudson specifically cleared the Bok flank of eye-gouging, but found him guilty of “committing an act contrary to good sportsmanship by making contact with the face in the eye area” of Fitzgerald.
“I do not find this to be an intentional act on the part of Burger. In my view his actions were clearly reckless,” said Hudson at the time of the incident
(as published on rugby 365)
It is alleged that Irish fingers do not do their walking on the yellow pages
Maybe Schalk though Brussow was an Irish player, the rucks and mauls can be a mess sometimes 🙂
I stumbled upon a comment from someone that is quite interesting.
“Am I right in saying that the Springboks didn’t lose a match this season when FS started at fullback? They lost all the tests which he didn’t start, except for Italy. I think.”
I think this guy might be right.
Daai lyk niks lekker nie.
Surely moet Brussow weet wie dit gedoen het en ten minste waar op die veld. As ‘n ou my so krap sal ek eers ‘n klein oorloggie begin het voor ek wegstap.
Ek glo Brussow moes dit gedoen het. Sou meer aandag en substance gegee het tot die claim.
Ek stem Isigidi hy moes ‘n moerse scene gemaak het
After this year I officially hate the Irish team more than the Aussies! The international teams I hate most are now as follow…
Irish (eye-rash!)
Aussies
English
Honestly, I don’t care about the rest.
The events of the past year, coupled with the give-away try in 2004 is a joke. And then they complain about Thierry Henry’s bad sportsmanship. FFS, Henry admitted he handled the ball, but it was the ref and the linesman, no one else, who is to blame. Suddenly the entire French nation are public enemy nr. 1 in Ireland. BAD FOOKING LOSERS!!!! thats all I’m gonna say!
What a bunch of NOBS!
Vuilgatte!! Ons Saffas byt en eye gouge nooit nie! 😳
6@ Supa – At least not us Bulls, we win fair and square 🙂
@5 Greenpoint-Gunner – hate is a strong word – if we always believe the press, we would surely be fools. Few here are complaining about the Irish not making the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Any country would try their luck to get their team there, but calling us bad loosers is really fickle. The referee was in charge and we accept his calls. We will not lower ourselves and blame the ref. Sorry mate – take the loss and get over it. Next time you may win. Congrats mate on the successful season your team has had.
We are going to get the draw live on tv tomorrow at 3pm. Saw the hype on the news today. David Beckham there too. I hope the French can turn the negative into a positive and win the World Cup – wouldn’t that be great. I think a lot of people here will be supporting them too. Would also be nice if SA can perform.
Irish, David Beckham’ hair….what is he thinking, looks like a pikey!!
GBS we should start a fining system here, as we surely don’t want this site to get the reputation of the other one. Hate speach surely doesn’t have a place on this site. It is good that people give their views but to vent their anger and insecurities is another thing. I have said my say and have no hard feelings.
@10 Carol – yes I saw it too and the scrub all over his face. Must say I was very impressed by the way he spoke about his passion for the sport.
11@ Oirish – Mmmmm, yes, a fining system could work…….. beer money for me… or make that sletsap money… hehehe
Irish Devil may I just ask what is hate speech on this website? You’re way oversensitive. The way the IRFU handled the whole debacle angered me, I’m no fan of what Schalk Burger did here in South Africa and I’m not going to try and justify it like PDivvy, there’s no place for this type of thing in rugby.
We’ve been getting the shorter end of the deal when it comes to the citings, Matt Giteau got a pat on the back for trying to write off Fourie du Preez, South African rugby fans are tired of the one-eyed manor in which citing commisioners from all of the world fails to do their jobs.
The IRFU needs to be fined, because they made an unnecessary scene, about the whole eye-gouging incident which the Springboks may refer to the citing commissioner. Have many persons have you seen do questionable things and deny it afterwards?
I’m appalled by the IRFU. They should shut-up, like Peter de Villiers should’ve condemned Schalk Burger.
~How not Have
@14 vanStraaten – Don’t know what you aluding to, but totally agree regarding foul play. According to footage there was no evidence of such. I’m not saying it didn’t happen though. I personally hat whinging and actually don’t agree with the citing system and believe the ref and assistants should make decisions on the field.
GBS where have you been?
17@ Karlien – Oi…. earning my keep and making the tills roll…. taking a needed break now… then it’s back to the slog till somewhere near midnight, I suppose.
Boobs and All is on now…
My timing is really ‘farked’, Thursday of course the nation stops for Boobs and All…….
You were up at 5am and now on till midnight….good grief!!
No skyping for you!
Before you go Gunther thinks AB’s by 10 to 15……GBS your call please, you see I need help? 🙁
19@ Carol – I wanted to get up at 5:00am but I never made it this morning, after a late night last night… only got up at 6:30am after farking sister-in-farking-Law phoned to hear whether her fat little son’s school uniform was at our house… after our maid washed it!
Who in their right mind phones anybody at 6:30 in the morning…
20@ Carol – I would say the All Blacks should win…. a good TEAM mostly wins against a team of good STARS.
The key here is, who will do things as a TEAM…
Heheheh, that ‘Fat little son’ is your nephew!!
I would be very hacked off to get a call at 6.30am!!
So far I have got AB’s by 15 from Voldy Boys! Sound right to you, you saw how I slipped last week, my last week to redeem myself!
23@ Carol – It’s the same little fat blob who had to go to hospital because my son, BonzaiGBS, supposedly told him to eat leaves from our garden plants…. horrible little shit!
That little episode cost me R 1000.00 just for the doctor to tell us he’s OK….
Mmmm, nobody to talk to….
You have me falling about here!!! Hahahahahah…… Eating leaves……
Fat kid a sort of human labrador, will eat anything! Priceless R 1000.00. Bet you don’t give the child a Christmas Present now!
GBS *** FB then?
No/Yes ?
What were Tiger Woods and his wife doing out at 2.30 in the morning?
They went clubbing
Tiger Woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree. He couldn’t decide between a
wood and an iron.
Users Online
Total 13 users including 0 member, 13 guests, 0 bot online
Most users ever online were 3735, on 31 August 2022 @ 6:23 pm
No Counter as from 31 October 2009: 39,560,097 Page Impressions
_