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Mon 18 Jan 2016 | 09:55
Chris Ashton penalised for dragging Luke Marshall down by the face

17
Comments

Following the heavy suspension of Fijian Josaia Raisuqe last week for an alleged eyegouge when making contact with the face of an opposition player, Saracens winger Chris Ashton may count himself lucky to have only been penalised for this incident against Ulster at the weekend.

While it looked completely innocuous at first, players cannot grab other players by the head and drag them to the floor. This has been a hot topic in the last year, with 'neck rolls' in particular being heavily policed at the Rugby World Cup.

Regardless of possible neck damage, there is also the chance that contact might have been made with the eyes, especially after Marshall got up with his hands on his face to indicate so. 

Referee Jerome Garces checked with his TMO, but found nothing.

He still wasn't happy with the way Ashton ripped Marshall to the ground though.

"Nothing clear and dangerous for me about the finger in the eyes," said Garces, before explaining that Ashton should still be penalised for the way he cleared out the Ulster centre.

Last week Raisuque was banned for 15 weeks for making contact with the eyes.

Do you think this was comparable to the Raisuque incident, or was the penalty sufficient?

UPDATE: Chris Ashton has been banned for 10 weeks. He will miss the Six Nations.

credit: Ian Cameron

Posted By: Grant Constable

17 Comments

  • tetley03
    3:37 PM 09/02/2016

    By "back three" he means Winger, Fullback, Winger.

  • drg
    7:09 PM 20/01/2016

    Already said it, Ashton goes for a neck roll which is illegal and purposely or inadvertently makes contact with the blokes eyes - or at least the guy made enough fuss about it to definitely rouse suspicions...

    I don't think anyone here is suggesting Ashton set out to gouge someone, or blind them, or tear an eye out etc however it's a 50/50 chance that through his actions he made contact with the guys eyes or eye area, which is reckless at least.

  • drg
    2:44 PM 20/01/2016

    He's been banned for 10 weeks...

    I'd say given the nature of the incident and comparing it to the other recent ban for a gouge, I'd say it's sort of fair enough... Maybe other ban was a bit harsh or Ashtons a week or so more lenient, but consistency is fair...

  • s_conner
    1:26 PM 20/01/2016

    Deliberate or not, dangerous or otherwise, Chris Ashton has once again shown he has zero technique!

  • drg
    8:44 AM 20/01/2016

    See the above reply to Bish... Ashton was already illegal with his neck roll.... So 'trying' to play the game is the politest way to say his efforts were utter bollocks....

  • bunn
    11:40 PM 19/01/2016

    I'm sure if Ashton was giving money to the poor many would find a way to criticise him!
    It seems like incidental contact, but it is reckless and he may get banned. Not anything like Raisuque though, as Ashton was actually trying to play the game rather than fighting

  • drg
    3:53 PM 19/01/2016

    The argument here is that Raisuqe had a tussle and pushed someone away, which is not massively aggressive, however the fingers really were right on/in the eyes... So that's fine.

    Ashton, whilst in a live ball play, immediately begins an illegal clear out, the neck roll, he then knowing where his hands are going grabs the face.."near the eye area"... So it's two clearly illegal activities....

    Only saving grace for Ashton may be shoddy camera angles...

    Neither players may have wanted to "gouge".. But both players had hands in eye area... And in order to send message or make an example, it's only consistent if Ashton gets a ban...

  • drg
    9:33 AM 19/01/2016

    I don't rate Yarde, so I'm hoping Roko gets a nod... With Nowell on the other wing!

  • drg
    9:32 AM 19/01/2016

    Interestingly though, he was refereed by a French referee, so the sort of French bias when it comes to being more harshly punished could have easily been swung the otherway by the Frenchman, but Garces seemed to deem this 'ok'.... Which I personally find odd, considering it wasn't ok...

  • drg
    10:07 PM 18/01/2016

    Ryan Wilson for Glasgow has been cited for a testicle grab too;... *adjusts glasses* wouldn't mind seeing that...

  • getitout
    9:35 PM 18/01/2016

    Can't see him getting as long a ban as Raisuqe but that's him surely out of the six nations.

    Alex Lewington in with a shout maybe?

  • jimmy23
    7:12 PM 18/01/2016

    "What is with English back three players??"

    Proceeds to mention a whopping 2 players.

  • tphillipsstl
    6:30 PM 18/01/2016

    What is with English back three players?? Ashton and Brown, between the two of them don't have an ounce of class.

  • djmidnight
    4:25 PM 18/01/2016

    Raisuqe should feel really hard done by is Ashton gets away with that. While evidence of eye gouging is not conclusive, his hands were all over his face, and it was a blatant neck roll. Should be cited.

  • facepalm
    3:28 PM 18/01/2016

    At this point, Ashton getting himself banned would probably be of benefit to English hopes in the 6 Nations!

  • colombes
    2:51 PM 18/01/2016

    No clear gouge evidence, but a clear pression on the eyes area at 03:13
    Marshall was clearly annoyed.

    So regarding the poor camera angle, the 6N approaching and that he's not islander or from a top 14 team... Be assured he won't be in trouble ;)

  • drg
    2:18 PM 18/01/2016

    I actually disagree with the above....

    If it wasn't a hand in the face or eye region, then AT BEST it was a neck roll, which is also illegal.

    Id actually think a ban could be enforced if only for continuity. You ban a bloke for 15 weeks, 3 of those to set an example or send a message or some sort of bs, well clearly Ashton didn't get that message, he can't argue he didn't know where he was putting his hand... I'd say the French/Fijian bloke can feel slightly miffed if Ashton cops nothing.

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