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Mon 2 Oct 2017 | 01:02
Israel Folau pulls Dillyn Leyds down by hair, coach Michael Cheika denies it

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Comments

While the Springboks and Wallabies Bloemfontein Test ended in a 27-27 stalemate, it wasn't without controversy as this hair-pulling incident in particular fired up mans, and one coach in particular. Michael Cheika called it a non-issue, but 'the vision' shows otherwise.

Cheika has defended fullback Israel Folau after the former League star tackled winger Dillyn Leyds around the collar, then ended up pulling him down by the hair.

Folau was penalised for it at the time, but could perhaps have received a harsher punishment.

When asked about it by a journalist post match, Cheika exploded (see below), denying that it happened and instead claiming that Eben Etzebeth flew in with his elbows up in retaliation, causing a scuffle.

"Have you ever played rugby mate?" Cheika barked at the journo.

"If you have you’ll know that no one does that in rugby. Watch the vision. Watch the vision again. He got him by the collar. Israel didn’t take him by the hair. No one in rugby does that‚ forget about it‚ it’s a nonissue.

"Then the other bloke [Etzebeth] comes in charging with an elbow. He doesn’t make contact, but he was heading that way. The captain of the other team comes charging in‚ and just because he doesn’t get him [Folau]‚ nothing is said about it. What if he did? What then?"

When Leyds was asked about it, he confirmed that he was "100% tackled by the hair".

"He actually caught me by the hair twice. He had one go at it. Then he got his left hand on it and pulled me down and had another go at it. I don’t know what their version is‚ but 100%, I was pulled by the hair," Leyds, who was making his starting debut for the Springboks, said.

SANZAAR have yet to issue a statement about Folau, and likely will not at this stage.

VIEW THE MATCH HIGHLIGHTS HERE

View the incident below and the post match interviews in the video below that

Michael Cheika's reaction and Dillyn Leyds' comments on the incident:

credit: devinza/brendennel

Posted By: Grant Constable

5 Comments

  • dancarter
    4:59 PM 03/10/2017

    Cheika could be caught with his hand in the cookie jar and crumbs around his mouth and he would still deny stealing biscuits.

  • finedisregard
    7:15 PM 02/10/2017

    So cut your hair.

  • 5:43 PM 02/10/2017

    Poor Michael Hooper..... He's sitting so close and hoping that Cheika doesn't turn his head..... just in case he hits him with whatever s*** he's spewing.

  • foxtrot
    5:11 PM 02/10/2017

    I've only ever seen reds given for that and yet it doesn't sound like he is even going to be cited for it? What gives?

  • 4:57 PM 02/10/2017

    Oh how I LOVE Michael Chieka. Just when you think he has perfected the art of one-eyed analysis, he shows you that there is a whole new level you had not previously thought humanly possible.

    I used to think Phil Kearns was the all-time gold standard of partisanship, but I confess that I was sorely mistaken. Move over, Kearnsy. Chieka is here to stay.

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