Rougerie eye gouging

[Tiglon]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... McCaw.html

Pretty sad that the French get fined for the Haka nonsense, but the authorities seem unconcerned about a case of blatant eye gouging.

IRB need to get their priorities in order.

[Ze Stade Fan]

I don't find the footage "damning". Anyway, the citation had to be made 36 hours after the game, it is now to late.

[Tiglon]

Rougerie's fingers clearly being raked across McCaw's eyes. No legitimate reason for his hands to be anywhere near there.

I'm sorry, but for an incident as serious as this, which amounts to attempted GBH, the citing period shouldn't mean anything.

I know this kind of thing is pretty common in France, but in the rest of the rugby world it's viewed as totally unacceptable.

[BJ.]

Can't we arrange for a small ban for him? I was thinking of possibly the second and third weekends in December.

[bluntiger]

Can't we arrange for a small ban for him? I was thinking of possibly the second and third weekends in December.

Definitely should be completely banned from all rugby activities from 11th - 17th December for such a deplorable crime.

[kingol22]

Looks pretty bad from that footage. How he has not been cited i dont know

[fleabane]

It is a pity it was not exposed earlier, a citing would surely have followed, as long as the citing chap wasn't the same man who couldn't spot a spear tackle on BOD in a previous WC!

[bluntiger]

It is a pity it was not exposed earlier, a citing would surely have followed, as long as the citing chap wasn't the same man who couldn't spot a spear tackle on BOD in a previous WC!

It did happen in NZ, but not at a previous WC. It was the 2005 Lions tour I think you are referring to.

[fleabane]

Thanks bluntiger, quite correct!

[Tiglon]

I'm not surprised it wasn't cited - these things are difficult to spot straight away.

The problem, as I see it, is that after just 3 days such a serious offence is seemingly completely immune to punishment.

I think there should be an extended citing window for offences that are both:
A) Difficult to spot
and
B) Very serious