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Sat 17 Dec 2011 | 10:12
Francesco Minto red carded for head-butt on Yann Lesgourgues

23
Comments

Biarritz eased to a comfortable 29-12 win over a fourteen man Beneton Treviso side that suffered following the sending off of flanker Francesco Minto for a headbutt. Treviso had led 12-0 at one stage before Biarritz turned things around.

Biarritz looked to avenge their last weekend's loss to Treviso in Italy, but this time the side that played so well previously did themselves no favours as taking on Biarritz at home with just fourteen men for most of the game was always going to be a challenge.

After 24 minutes flanker Francesco Minto decided to attempt a clearout on scrumhalf Yann Lesgourgues with his head. You can only wonder what he was thinking as he leaned in and floored the smaller man, who took a long time to recover from the impact.

A red card was swiftly shown by referee Peter Fitzgibbon, and Minto took the walk of shame after a moment of madness that would have had a large bearing on the outcome of the game.

While Treviso made life tough for the home side as they played with a player short, hooker Arnaud Heguy scored with time up to give Biarritz a much needed four try bonus point, keeping them in the mix for a spot in the quarter finals.

If you're watching Heineken Cup rugby this weekend please keep an eye out for incidents that you'd like featured on here, and give us a shout with details. Enjoy. 

Posted By: Grant Constable

23 Comments

  • pretzel
    1:16 PM 22/12/2011

    Pretty sure the Premiership has a winner at the end, thus making it no more 'dead endy' than any other tournament....

  • jimothy
    8:16 PM 20/12/2011

    No malice in a head butt? I'm sorry but there is no way this is accidental. He deliberately uses his head = head butt. I'm constantly amazed by these professional rugby players who consistently fail to make sensible decisions on the field after practising all week and being fortunate enough to have the facilities to review the match over and over again. In all my years playing crap rugby I've never seen anyone head-butt the oppo 9 over the top of a ruck, I have seen players head butt the 9 but never over a ruck :)

  • moddeur
    2:08 AM 19/12/2011

    On second thought, it's a move against a player outside the ruck and without the ball, so it's at least a penalty.

  • moddeur
    2:05 AM 19/12/2011

    Again, I don't want to appear soft, lenient on player safety, or to always be criticizing these decisions, but in my opinion that is most certainly not a red. I'm not even sure it's a penalty (I've seen many worse actions in rucks never being called). Besides the guy is wearing a helmet, how dangerous can it be for the scrum-half to be hit in the torso by a padded bit of soft tissue?

  • pretzel
    9:29 PM 18/12/2011

    Cowan dives around like a tool, Giteau has been a bit over the top on occasions... I think every nation has a bit of this in them....

    As for the "warriors" comment, have you ever seen an old game of rugby??? Couldn't be further from warriors if they tried....

  • jimothy
    6:30 PM 18/12/2011

    After reading several posts on here I'm amazed by some of the comments. I had to go back and watch the clip again to make sure of what I was saying. I suggest some other users do them same! He clearly head butts the 9 BEFORE his head makes contact with the shoulder. If you watch the movement of the 9's head in slow motion it is again clear that he was struck with some force. As for 'simulating' I do not believe this was a example of that! RED!

  • sp1nlo0p
    11:17 AM 18/12/2011

    i dont want to defend the action of the number6 there, but he was obviously frustrated that he no legal option of competing for the ball, the only player standing and therefor maybe formin a ruck was no9, so he was the right target but the way he worked him wasnt quite right

  • uhtiger
    7:11 AM 18/12/2011

    Just someone who is very sad at the way our sport is going. It used to be a sport of warriors, men who played with honour and pride and even when badly injured would pretend not to be hurt. That has now changed with more and more people simulating injuries to get sympathy from over zealous refs. Like it or not it seems more often than not to be a french player. This once brutally honest sport is going the way of soccer.

  • fettsack
    1:33 AM 18/12/2011

    Just a stupid move. I wouldn't have given a red though, yellow would have seemed enough. But that's my judgement without knowing the irb specific ruling on headbutts.

  • pretzel
    12:05 AM 18/12/2011

    Headbutt = red according to the IRB... There is a video a few years ago with a winger or centre dipping his head into an oncoming prop or hooker... Literally a touch and he got a red card...

  • colombes
    7:20 PM 17/12/2011

    don't know if it deserves a red card (what say irb rules) but it was a bit silly to make an headbutt in front a ref. a shoulder charge would have been sufficient

  • colombes
    7:17 PM 17/12/2011

    as usual, a poor comment coming from a guy who constantly insult french rugby on many forums. my dear, get away from here and write for the nz herald haters, u'll be perfect

  • colombes
    7:13 PM 17/12/2011

    milk it? just for this comment u should deserve a headbutt ;)

  • uhtiger
    6:38 PM 17/12/2011

    Nice bit of acting there by the 9. Seems to be a common trait in french rugby.

  • kevtoulousaing
    4:51 PM 17/12/2011

    That was a ruck so you're not suppose to headbutt the scrumhalf.

  • 4:03 PM 17/12/2011

    I think it was red because he was trying to clear out the player lying on the ruck and seized the opportunity to throw a sly one while he was at it, he moves his head left right to reinforce the movement also.
    Rather than tilt his head he could have stayed lower, or let go of the player on the ground and cleared the #9 with a legal movement.
    Rather than benefit the doubt in these cases I think it's right to be harsh, they're professionals and so push the limits when they can, headbutts have to be kept out.
    Would he have done the same thing without headgear?

  • 3:12 PM 17/12/2011

    what a silly billy, mon ami.

  • poccio
    2:30 PM 17/12/2011

    i agree with you, was he supposed to tilt his head? this is ridiculous!!

  • guy
    2:08 PM 17/12/2011

    He should have known better than driving in with the head forwards...!

    Really I don't see it. He hits the scrumhalf's shoulder with his head but is this considered a headbutt nowadays? To be clear: I am not the kind of old-skool-hardliner that thinks it's okay to destroy your opponent with every means possible. But here I just see: head to shoulder. What's the red card offense?

  • johndoe
    2:05 PM 17/12/2011

    It was a headbutt, but I've seen worse get less punishment. Red was acceptable in my opinion though. Don't like how the Biarittz player seemed to milk it.

  • medicaluke
    1:09 PM 17/12/2011

    Hahaha what on earth was he thinking?

  • cookie
    1:09 PM 17/12/2011

    It was indeed!
    (the name in the title in incorrect, it's Francesco Minto, not Francisco Mento)

  • bunn
    12:57 PM 17/12/2011

    Well that was stupid wasn't it

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