Calum Clark as Saxons Captain

[RagingBull]

yeh the worse thing about clark is watching the videos he doesn't seem sorry it is very cool calm collective manner he knows what he is doing it isn't a hot head moment in time.

[kpb]

The same way in which we moved on from Manus attack on Ashton. At the time of attack who knew what lasting affects it may have had on Ashton?,several blows to the head could have cost him career or worse.....

We forgave him and moved on.

Bull, it wasn't just that one incident though his career is full of incidents head butting in the JWC, he should have goten the full 64 weeks ban but instead was just 32 weeks which meant he only missed a bit of the season.

What are the career littered incidents you are talking about RagingBull?

[Noddy555]

As I have already given my views on this topic I won't dwell on this, only to say that any previous respect I had for Stewart Lancaster has flown out the window struggling manfully but in vain trying to catch up with his common sense
which seems to have disappeared out of sight.

[Bill W (2)]

As I have already given my views on this topic I won't dwell on this, only to say that any previous respect I had for Stewart Lancaster has flown out the window struggling manfully but in vain trying to catch up with his common sense
which seems to have disappeared out of sight.

So your early confidence in Lancater was misplaced?

[TigerLad]

I think a lot of people dislike Lancaster on this forum and I have to admit that I am one of them but this is just plain wrong in my opinion. We all know what he did was disgusting and that Hawkins career prospects have been seriously affected since then, so to give him the honour of captaining his country is awful. I personally can't and won't support a team with a thug like him in. It genuinely astounds me how quickly people have forgotten/refuse to remember what he did. He's a thug, not in the way Bakkies Botha is portrayed but someone who actively goes out of their way to hurt someone else. To me that is what he will always be, a thug. Watching his attack on Hawkins again I can't help but feel disgust, it's almost been two years but I still feel exactly the same way. I have to say that his punishment was handled all wrong, for him as well as in terms if justice. Because he got off with half a punishment after he said sorry he will always be portrayed as the guy who never served his punishment. It would have been better for everyone if he had just accepted his punishment and moved on.

[The Boy Dave]

Truly terrible appointment!
What a poor message this sends out to everyone, we see enough accidental injuries alone without this kind of behaviour.
SL should bow his head in shame in my opinion!

[Skin_and_Muscle]

SL should bow his head in shame in my opinion!

He won't do that, his idea of morality doesn't work like that. This man would select Charles Manson for the captaincy if only he was born up north and coached by him.

Come on, Wolfhounds!

[Noddy555]

It seems so Bill (2) but I shall be glad to be proved wrong.

[Bill W (2)]

It seems so Bill (2) but I shall be glad to be proved wrong.

Alas I fear Lancaster is evidence of the Peter Principle!

[WhitecapTiger]

Peter principle as in promoting someone to the level of their own incompetence....past the point where they can cope.

Although some would say lancaster should be heavily censored.....

[andysaint]

I'm sure everyone of us have done something we regret in our life time and we have all suffered as a consequence but we have been punished, we move on with our lives and try to make the best of it.

I would hope that Callum regrets the incident and has certainly been channelling his efforts into very positive performances for us.

Yes we do have our own forum on sports network but when you hear comments about your own players like thug and people wishing for him to break his own leg then that gets a bit much and I'm sure if we were saying that about Tigers players, someone would be commenting.

I guest why Tigers are upset with him, I made my thoughts about him known on our forum at the time and it was a disgraceful act. But if we all keep dwelling on the past no one would ever get on with anything. Perhaps Clark is a leader amongst the squad and is respected but none of us know as we are not in the squad. I'm sure that if anyone had any big problems about him it was have been raised and dealt with by now.

Sure comment as we all do on players but none of us are holier than thou.

[Smudge]

Thanks for your comment Andy but you are being far too forgiving.
I for one am "holier than thou" when it comes to Clarke.
I commented further back on the thread that his act was cowardly in the extreme
and unworthy of this great game.
I never saw such a wanton,craven, cowardly, sick action from when I picked up a
ball as a schoolboy until I stopped playing vets at 48.

Sorry, chum, I would have no difference with you if it was a one off, heat of the moment
incident but he set out to deliberately maim another player.
He should have been banned for life from the game and few would have objected if
was sent down for six months.

[Tyzot]

Just have to say that in sport as well as other aspects of life - some crimes are so bad as to be unforgivable.

In sport I have rarely seen a less forgiveable act than his, so understandably many are offended by the reward he is now getting.

[G.K]

Well he is named as captain again against Scotland. I have no respect for Clark nor any for Callard or Lancaster anymore.

[GS]

I must admit that at the time I thought Clark should have been chucked out of the game for life, for what he did to the reputation of rugby, to make a statement. I have since read that during his ban he came to his senses and has truly regretted what he did to Hawkins. Fair enough - but captain??!!

I still look at the fairness and the charge of 'bringing the game into disrepute' and look at the penalty that Deanno has had to pay for an issue that threatened nobody's career nor caused anybody actual bodily pain/harm (yes I know that the cover up did involve a doctor cutting a player's gum).

I am fully aware that rugby is a physical game and that there is a fine line between playing hard and downright thuggery. There are those who see Lawes as a hard player fulfilling a role within the team, but I just see a thug out to get a threatening player taken out of the game (Flood at Twickers). A good example of how it should be is Johnno. A hard, intimidating man who took no messing, but not a malicious thug. Fine line yes.

Oh yes, and Lancaster is another example of somebody being promoted beyond his ability.