Slapping opposition players on the head after mistakes.

[welshy3]

Noticed this throughout the game today - Really hate this. There really is something very Matt Dawson about it - and that ain't good.

Should be a penalty and a yellow for provocation.

[Rodderz]

I think thats a bit too far tbh, its all just banter really, it happens down in the scrums to wide each other up and thats just a way of doing it out of the scrum

[Mr. Grumpy]

It’s been overlooked by the authorities for too long. The untold psychological damage on the player giving away the penalty/getting sin binned/knocking on may last at least 2 or 3 minutes. Amongst the many water carriers running on the pitch nowadays most clubs have a trained psychiatrist among them, paying particular attention if it has been a back that is the victim. Especially if their hair has also been messed up.

[watso2c]

close call. Might be between two mates, therefore ok. Might be a windup, therefore ref needs to have a word.

All part of the game.

Well done 'Leinster'.
Foreward the Tigers.........

[jim1918]

Heat of the moment, its fine. Keep it up.

[Hugonaut]

Something that has always irritated me. Strongly agree that there's no place for it in the game, and easily got rid of – simply reverse the penalty. However, felt there was nothing but banter between Castro and Stan Wright, wouldn't like to see either penalised for it.

Woops. Fairly neutered my own argument there.

[Cliffeclimber]

It's the forward's equivalent of the backs keeping hold of the ball or throwing it away when the opposition want a quick restart.

It's an irritant meant to break an opponent's concentration. It's just gamesmanship.

[Longshanks]

I think it smacks of unsportsmanlike behaviour and should be discouraged. In the same way that players shake hands after the final whistle and show genuine concern for an injured player (e.g. Alex T for Shane Horgan yesterday) then once advantage has been conceded and the whistle blown there should be a lull in hostilities. That includes trying to provoke the opposition into a spontanious over-reaction when they are most susceptible. After all, good sportsmanship is one of the features that sets RU apart from the roundball game.

[unohoo]

Castro and Stan were both smiling.
Castro could have said "Bad luck, I would have done the same." What's wrong with that?

[fleabane]

A Danny Care speciality - I hope someone (bigger) slaps him back.

I hate to see it - unsporting, to say the least.

[Yelphere]

This is very un-rugby like and unsportsmanlike behaviour. The quicker it gets stamped out the better - Refs - you know what to do!

[westy154]

In yesterdays incident Castro was smiling, but the sin binned player also had a wry smile on his face. When Castro patted his head, he patted Castro's back.

I think that one was a genuine warm moment between 2 opponents; gamesmanship, but the ok side of acceptable.

I don't like to see it most of the time though, and what most people on here seem to be getting towards, when a player knocks on or something like that. That does grate with me a little bit.

[Tiger_in_Birmingham]

I thought, from the opposite side of the ground, that Castro and the Leinster prop were both smiling and talking when they patted heads/backs.

Alex Tuilagi was out to get Shaggy after Shaggy tackled him off the ball/early when BOD (I think) put in a good kick behind the defense. Fair play to Horgan he got up and then tackled Castro which is no small feat

[Kinoulton]

In the "game that must not be mentioned", back in the 80s some scouse git patted a Forest player on the head after he'd scored an own goal.

It caused such distaste that it has hardly ever happened since.

If rugby can't drive this schoolgirl smirking out of the game then it's a poor show.

[bigted]

its just abit of winding up, johnno and backy (not to mention healy)used to do it all the time. its won leicester and england many a gamr