Any news on Alex's hearing? Yes - 4 week ban!

[4071]

Also, Cardiff didn't have Will Greenwood baying for him to be cited!

Actually, I believe that is the key to it.

It does seem to me that commentators/media unduly influence the whole disciplinary process.

We certainly saw that in 2002 when - following a media outcry - the RFU overturned their procedures in order to ban Martin Johnson for his punch on Robbie Russell, setting a precedent that entirely changed the way the citing process worked.

And we see it now, where two almost identical incidents are treated completely differently. Both were televised games, so that's not an excuse. But the difference is the reaction of the commentary team.

Tuilagi's incident was replayed with comment about how illegal the hit was. Result? Citing.

Shanklin's was replayed with Jonathan Davies denying the evidence of his own eyes to claim that Shanklin did nothing wrong. Result? No citing.


There is something seriously wrong when the media have such a level of control over the disciplinary process.

[boblucas]

Having watched the tackle on my Sky recording, I believe Alex deserved a yellow card, but not such a lengthy suspension.

Tigers suspended Alex for one week, as soon as the Club became aware of the citing. However, having watched the offence on TV, I believe the one week ban was rather lenient. Consequently, I fear the Club made a tactical error because if we had imposed a longer ban (two weeks, perhaps), the disciplinary panel might have endorsed our in-house punishment.

Tigers' held their hearing on 14th April, so the one week ban would have ended on 21st April. Consequently, the start date of the ERC suspension (23rd April) appears unjust. Following our in-house suspension, Alex did not play in last week's match against Saracens. Even if the ERC panel considered that our one week ban was insufficient, the start and expiry dates of the subsequent suspension should reflect "time already served". Otherwise, the disciplinary action by the Club was pointless.

On a slightly different topic (and with tongue firmly in cheek), perhaps Tigers should follow the example of the French Rugby Union and the Comite National Olympique et Sportif Francais, who decided that Perpignan hooker, Marius Tincu, should not be banned from playing in their domestic league for an offence committed while playing in the Heineken Cup.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

I always thought something funny was going on but this now takes the biscuit!

Where is the Ban for Banahan?

Where is the ban for Sheridan for starting the fuss with Julian then getting involved with the crowd?

Where is the RFU statement advising the Assistant Referee in the above incident is being downgraded due to eyesight problems?

Where was the ban for Haskell after his "assault" on Jordan Crane not so long ago?

What really worries me is the events with Rabeni, lets reverse the whole sitaution with the "Gouging", Rabeni accuses English player of gouging with no evidence to back it up, chance of a ban in these circumstances?

If the club don't appeal for AT they are letting themselves down, personnally though they were rather harsh banning him for a week anyway, the whole citing/banning process is being brought into disrepute now with some of the recent hearings.

[BedfordTigger]

I thought the Shanklin incident was more of a block - standing in the line of the chasing kicker - rather than a tackle without the ball.

What I thought was worse - and more comparable to AT - was Lamb's kick and chase, and then hitting the back of the Cardiff player (Blair?) who absolutely did not have the ball! The 'tackle' looked spiteful and petulant (Glaws already losing by that point). Referee Lewis gave a penalty, but seemingly no further sanction.

What price consistency?? We should definitely appeal...

[WelfordRoadGirl]

I agree that we should appeal. We can't just sit back and accept it this time. Comparing all the other bans that have been dished out recently there is no consistency whatsoever ! I know we don't like to make a fuss and usually take it on the chin but they didn't even take into account the club ban ! Have they ever done that to anyone else !? Why is it that they have it in for us so much?

[ashbash]

I agree that we should appeal. We can't just sit back and accept it this time. Comparing all the other bans that have been dished out recently there is no consistency whatsoever ! I know we don't like to make a fuss and usually take it on the chin but they didn't even take into account the club ban ! Have they ever done that to anyone else !? Why is it that they have it in for us so much?

Maybe they did given that a ban for mid-range offense is 5 weeks. Maybe the took it as 5 weeks if you include the leicester in house ban.

What im surprised at is that an ERC ban bans you from domestic competition as well. In fairyball, if you are banned in the Champions League, you are still allowed to play in the domestic competitions so why not do the same for rugby??

[me2]

For the simple reason that in wendyball, bans are for a set number of games while in rugby it is for a set number of weeks.


If ERC had worked on the same basis as the football & banned Tuilagi for 4 games, not 4 weeks, he'd have missed the HC Semi, the HC Final (if we get there) and either the first 2 or 3 HC pool games next season.


Rugby have always worked on a fixed number of weeks though, regardless of competitions (except Tincu of course!)

[TTRITH]

Maybe they did given that a ban for mid-range offense is 5 weeks. Maybe the took it as 5 weeks if you include the leicester in house ban.

If that was a mid-range offence, then how on earth can Cueto's off the ball spear be a low-range offence?

Has Tuilagi been given an unfair crack of the whip due to the fact that pacific islanders are known for their reckless tackles?

[AidanMcDowell]

OK so we've all vented our spleen; now what are we going to do about it? One of the posts above mentioned having sent Emails to the club. I'm planning on doing the same. The more the better I say. Let the club know that there is a lot of anger about this. After all, can we really rely on the key people reading the forum?

[Rykard]

What club email address should we use for this ? and do we want a 'sample' statement from us all?

[AidanMcDowell]

[quote="Tom Tom"][quote="g"]Why don't all of us who feel this is an injustice write to the board of directors and explain to them how disgusted we all are with this decision and to let them know that we all now feel enough is enough and that we think that the club should appeal. If enough of us do it then they may just listen. Then again when have people in power ever listened to us mere mortals.quote]


I have sent emails to both Peters offering supprt for an Appeal and have referred them to this message board if they are looking for the strength of feeling from supporters.[/quote]

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Tom Tom seems to have EMail contact details for Peter Tom and Peter Wheeler. My view, for what it is worth, is that they should get as many messages of support for Alesana as possible. Others may prefer a more focused approach.

[Crumblies]

Agreed enough is enough time for some action.
We need to let our management at Tigers know our feelings, and the need to appeal and perhaps reconsider our stance on citing opposition.

Also agree with Bill need to let various authorities know our view on the apparent ad-hoc citing mechanisms and what effectively becomes trial by media.

Bill can you please postup the names and addresses of the various authorities you referred to in an earlier posting.

If some one else could please let us have the confirmed email address of Peter Wheeler and Peter Tom so we know the message gets through.

I'm still fuming over this I see it as totally disproportionate and designed to have maximum impact at a crucial stage of the season. We have had to manage with an excess of injuries, the upeavil caused by Meyers unfortunate (though some may now call it fortunate!) all our international call ups etc etc the team have done brilliantly, in the face of adversity. We really do not need being deprived of probably our number one strike runner in this way, I have seen much worse go unpunished!

Still furious!

[Iain D]

Some of you know that I couldn't believe that this was even cited. Needless to say that I totally baffled by the outcome of the citing commission.

Since, as a Tigers supporter, I realise that I may be a little one-eyed I showed the incident to a number of friends of mine at the rugby club. These were a mixture of expats from around the world. Some Kiwis, Brits and Aussies and even a Canadian or 2 (but they don't count). Every single one of them agreed that it shouldn't have been cited, and that these kind of events happen in every game and most often go totally unpunished.

As I'm unwilling to believe in any deliberate bias inherent in the system, it makes me think one of 2 things. Either the citing commission is totally out of touch with the game and the player base, or that they're playing to their own agenda - trying to play God by sanitizing the game. What they seemingly don't realise is that for every time they make a ruling like this, they put more pressure on officials to blow their whistle and send people off. This in turn makes players more likely to exaggerate their reaction to every marginal contact situation... and before we know it we're playing football.

Incensed does not even begin to describe how I feel about this verdict.

Hopefully DW's daily dose of calm reasoning will calm me somewhat...

P.S. I'd also be interested to hear what other non-tigers supporters are making of this.. Tircoeds, El Guapo, welshy, Ze Stade, the Irish fellas (if you're sober yet following the famous 6N win)... and other sane(ish) minds. (sorry Bill, that disqualifies you )

[Felicity Arkwright]

I can't swear to it, or confirm, but most club email addresses are the name of the person with a dot between first and second names, followed by tigers.co.uk

[Timbo15]

I think we should all make banners stating, 'Justice 4 Tuilagi' on them for the bristol game and get a loud chant going at the start and end of the match.

Any ideas for chants relating to the tuilagi affair?

Something MUST be done.