The All Blacks can be hypocrites at times and the outrageous claims of injustice around the Keven Mealamu Twickenham headbutt are a further example of that.
Mark Hinton – Stuff
They certainly haven’t done their reputation any good with some of the comments that have floated about in the aftermath of Mealamu’s attack on England’s Lewis Moody last Saturday.
No one but Mealamu can truly know the intent of his actions, but viewed dispassionately, the hooker’s low, driving butt into the back of a prone Lewis Moody’s head did not look good by any stretch of the imagination.
If we didn’t know Mealamu better – and he is a genuinely decent bloke, that’s beyond debate – we would even describe it as thuggish.
It was hard to know what Mealamu was intending to do if not cause some harm to Moody given the manner he drove in low and hard, like a missile, well after the play had broken down.
Steve Hansen’s claim that the hooker was just “cleaning out” is almost laughable. If that’s how the All Blacks clean out at rucks then we’ll soon see rugby players wearing helmets like their mates in the NFL.
Look at the video clip (see below) and make your own decision. And do not take into account the sort of bloke Mealamu is – loving family man, good Christian, top bloke, etc etc – that’s irrelevant. If that wasn’t malicious, then Graham Henry doesn’t need the World Cup to complete his legacy.
Who knows? Something may have provoked Mealamu to seek his retribution. There were whispers that Moody may have chipped him with a personal comment. Maybe even something around family which the Auckland hooker regards as pretty sacred territory.
We’ll never know unless either of the players concerned decide to break the long-held code of what happens on the field stays on the field. That’s not likely, even in this age of tell-all books.
But even if Mealamu was sledged, that certainly doesn’t justify his actions. A verbal joust in the heat of sporting battle should never illicit a physical response of the nature that Mealamu uncorked.
And if indeed he was just “cleaning out” then Mealamu’s technique is so reckless and dangerous that there can be no qualms about his suspension.
But this is where the All Blacks’ hand-wringing in the wake of Mealamu’s four-week ban bothers me.
This is the same group who were happy just a few short months ago to preach a trifle condescendingly on the brutality of Bok “enforcer” Bakkies Botha when he performed a similar act on Jimmy Cowan at Eden Park.
They were right then to condemn Botha.
But they‘re wrong now to allege injustice in Mealamu’s penalty. If anything he appears to have gotten off lightly with just the month to cool his heels.
My goodness, how do you defend the indefensible? Trust the All Blacks to give it a go.
What I find particularly offensive is Steve “We’re All In This Together” Hansen’s lecture on Mealamu’s innocence. These were the All Blacks assistant coach’s assertions:
“What we are talking about here is a guy whose character is being questioned and it shouldn’t be. Everyone is disappointed and gutted for Kevvy, everyone knows it is not in his nature to do that,” Hansen said.
Irrelevant and inaccurate. Melamu’s character isn’t being questioned, just his actions. Plus, who cares if it’s not in his nature, it still happened.
“Everyone knows that if Kevvy said he didn’t do it, he didn’t do it,” added Hansen who said Mealamu was a “special” person who “hasn’t got a dirty bone in his body”.
“This is a case we’ll go to the death on,” continued the All Blacks assistant coach. “His reputation, which he is very, very proud of has been put under the spotlight and we believe wrongly so.”
It’s not surprising to me to hear Hansen backing his man. That’s the sort of siege mentality that the All Blacks thrive on. They will back each other to the hilt, and fair enough.
But in an age when the camera reveals all, surely Hansen’s words are nothing more than platitudes. And maybe an apology to Moody amidst all the comment might have shown a bit of class.
I had more sympathy for Richie McCaw who for the second week in a row copped a bit of a cheap shot, and found his tormentor excused penalty.
Quade Cooper’s childish slap in Hong Kong was just a puerile act that will be stored in All Blacks’ memories, and needed no more action.
But Dylan Hartley’s shoulder to McCaw’s head on the fringe of a ruck was somewhat more malicious.
In this case the All Blacks are right to question inconsistencies in the citing system, but they also should note that these type of things don’t always go against them.
Earlier this year Tony Woodcock appeared to be most fortunate to escape penalty for a dangerous clearout of a Wallaby player in Christchurch. That one went New Zealand’s way, the weekend’s didn’t.
To my way of thinking the All Blacks, who have been hugely impressive on the field this season, would best demonstrate their class off it by copping decisions on the chin and getting back to work.
By the way, anyone want to buy a “Kevvy Is Innocent” badge?
John
Smit
Spear
Tackle
dis al…
This article was published on Rugby Heaven and nothing was added by me, at the moment this is the main article.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/4334547/All-Blacks-hypocrites-over-Keven-Mealamu-ban
Under that article there is already 105+ comments, if anyone ever says to me i am whining i will refer them to this reactions.
H
They will probably wear armbands.
sorry 2 Kevin
Kevin 2 appeal
head 2 head
Lets hope that they increase the ban to 8 weeks.
flokken klein bliksem vuilgat hakker het die elfde gebot oortree,thou shalt not get caught hahahahaha
As a Kiwi & All Black supporter I believe Keven when he says there was no malicious intent, but the result does not reflect his intent & that is what he is being punished for & I do not think ABs should appeal.
That said, I think the team has every right to be p*ssed that Hartley was not also cited & that is what RM expressed his disgust over – the double standard. I have no problem with rules, no matter how ridiculous they are, as long as everyone is held to a single standard.
Instead of being gleeful about ABs being punished & Boks not – ask yourself why on the EOYT Tours, year after year, SH teams are always being cited & NH teams are not.
@ Rugby_Princess:Afternoon RP, You raise a very interesting question there. Why are SH teams always being cited on our eoyt tours? One has to wonder really.
@ Rugby_Princess:
Rugby_Princess wrote:
The fact that i post this was not for that reason, but i wonder where were our friends in NZ when we had the Justice4all thing and being brought to court so to say. Also earlier we moaned about consistency.
It is a real problem.
Players history must only count on the same offence. Dont hold that clean out by Bakkies that led to the j4a , scape it off the book, because almost everyone agreed it was done the right way, even the affected player.
@ Puma:
Would be interesting to see the stats over the last 5 EOYTs do you think ?
@ superBul:
SuperB, I wasnt having a go at you or anyone in particular – ok maybe B-Bek a bit …
However, I do disagree with you on “Players history must only count on the same offence” though – if a ANY player is a frequent visitor to the judiciary (even for a variety of reasons) they must accept that the consequences of being a “regular” are greater than as a one time visitor.
For example & not using ANY particular player – cos I know no one has actually done ALL of this … If your history includes eye gouging, stamping, a spear tackle, head butting, vicious no arms shoulder charges, coat hangers & you are subsequently cited for biting I really don’t think you should get to stand in front of a panel of judges & claim “but it was just the one nibble & I didn’t actually break the skin !”.
As to the result of the clean out by Bakkies that led to the “J4B” I personally think was genuinely accidental damage as the result of hard play, not dirty play. I believe he was judged overly harshly because of his history – but he must also take SOME responsibility for his history, after all it is his own doing.
RM had only one gripe – Keven was cited & Hartley was not.
Keven was disappointed because he swore on a bible that his intent was to clean out & his footing slipped, there was no malice. If I recall correctly has has played 100+ Super games & 82+ tests without a single charge of foul play. I honestly think if it had been regarded as dangerous play as a result of poor judgment & missed footing he would have accepted the ban.
@ Rugby_Princess:
You see RP we felt the same about Schalk Burgers eye gouge story, he is a great guy, a real good guy, some of our bloggers here are personal friends of him, and he also said that it was not intended. These things happen fast. I wont say anything about Bakkies head but accept that it was a stupid little nudge.
Those incidents you mentioned all fall under one category dirty play, so yes they must be relevant in another foul play hearing. But sometimes i guy is found not guilty but it is still mentioned in the trial, maybe not? dont know.
RM is also right , we all hate the inconsistencies. We went through it a lot, if you go back in articles right here on RT you will find some of our rants.
These incidents happen in the heat of the moment , i for one dont think Kevvy is a thug , but it looks ugly. And if Bakkies deserved a ban so do Kevvy. 4 or 8 does not really matter now, the fact is he was punished.
@ superBul:
& we also both agree it should not be challenged.
Personally, I think Poms are just bad sports & so to :”reward” them I hope all 3 SH teams walk away with all Wins & 0 losses 😀
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