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Fri 3 Apr 2015 | 11:52
Julian Savea and Eben Etsebeth slap one another while smiling

21
Comments

The Hurricanes got the better of the Stormers in their Super Rugby round 8 match in Wellington earlier today. Despite a one sided first half, the Stormers came back in the second, but couldn't quite get the win, going down 25-20.

It was a hard-fought game, at times physically intense, as can be seen here when Julian Savea and Eben Etsebeth came to grips, and played a game of slapsies, smiles and all. Savea actually was smiling at first, then got very serious after the first love tap. Etsebeth, fearless throughout.

It wasn't quite as vicious as when Bismarck Du Plessis and James Horwill did something similar at the Rugby World Cup a few years back, but was equally amusing to see, especially from the comfort of ones living room. Rory Kockott on Adam Thomson, probably the biggest of them all.

credit: andrewmulligan/vine

Posted By: Grant Constable

21 Comments

  • tanarkif
    8:31 PM 15/04/2015

    I think Etzebeth was conceited there...being bigger doesn't empower anybody to be condescending. His act was disrespectful in my opinion.

  • drg
    3:47 PM 10/04/2015

    You reckon a World XV at the moment would feature Etsebeth?

    I'm not sure who I'd have as second row and I haven't thought about a World XV in a while, but EE wouldn't have been an obvious choice :/

  • drg
    3:44 PM 10/04/2015

    Why because he's bigger than everyone else?

    What about the likes of Peter Stringer, he used to put the boot in on many players on the ground.... Bully?

  • 1:44 AM 10/04/2015

    That shit was boring. How brave it was to rake a person in the ground, punch an unsuspecting player and bully a smaller guy.

    The only thing I agree with is gt the scrum sorted, the collapsing is foolish.

  • 1:38 AM 10/04/2015

    He's a bully who got stood up too

  • 1:37 AM 10/04/2015

    Legendary bully

  • katman
    9:16 PM 06/04/2015

    Yep, Julian was decidedly un-smiley at the end.

  • eddie-g
    8:18 PM 06/04/2015

    Etsebeth is a pain in the ass, but he's also a darn good player and has learned his trade very young. He's not a Bakkies however; he seems far more aware of which lines not to cross. And he wasn't a million miles from winding Savea up completely, which is the other half of his job.

  • drg
    10:08 PM 05/04/2015

    Phill, you've sort of highlighted what we all see and accept as referee individual assessment of each situation...

    "My point being Dan , if we went to the letter of the law , there should be 2 or 3 guys a game sent off. Risk and danger is high very high."

    Currently the laws are what they are, and the referees do what they do, and currently we don't have 2 or 3 guys sent off each game. It's down to the referees which are currently interpreting the game very well.

    Also, you need to consider what is red card worthy or not? Dylan Hartley was red carded a while ago for supposedly swearing at Wayne Barnes... if he did indeed swear at Barnes, is that acceptable? Remember these guys are 'gladiators' etc... I'm not trying to be difficult, but in reality there has to be lines drawn - gladiators that swear?

    As for the sarcasm, not at all, I enjoy cous cous and I also enjoy rucking.

    I think rugby in it's current form is not far off being 'right'... there is no rucking which is bad and referees are a little to overzealous, however I do believe there is a big need for players to remain disciplined.

  • danknapp
    8:59 PM 05/04/2015

    I agree Phill that there are a lot of problems with using super-slow motion to cite players. Everything looks worse in slow motion.

    I also agree that we need to find a balance because there are plenty of bookings which I just don't think are fair. My argument has always been that needless risk should be removed where possible... but that there is a place for risk. We are never going to have a 'safe' game - people who want that should play tiddlywinks, ballet, whatever - but that we can try to manage the risks inherent to a game which involves collisions between 30-40st of player.

    I agree about Bakkies and Etsebeth. The anger or 'dog' that they bring to a team is good to see. It's what I like about Lawes - he wants to hurt the opposition 10. Nothing wrong with that as long as needlessly dangerous shots to the head and neck are avoided.

  • spriingboks2015
    4:26 PM 05/04/2015

    Savea stopped smiling after his first slap...large hands stop happy faces...

  • drg
    9:33 AM 05/04/2015

    ....soooo, you're sort of against slapping a player, but are backing up Bakkies and Etsebeth?

    As above, whilst slapping someone is certainly not a big deal, it's far more infuriating that being punched. Bakkies has been blowing kisses for years...

    Also, take note that myself and Dan as well as the majority of comments on here are not against what is happening in this clip... I am also in favour of bringing back rucking which may shock you as I indeed enjoy a bowl of cous cous from time to time...

  • danknapp
    6:36 PM 04/04/2015

    Etsebeth is an absolute enforcer as only South African Afrikaners can produce. It's great having a villain type of player as long as they're not doing anything genuinely dangerous. A bit of a wind-up merchant, able to dish it out but also take it...

    I'd hate him for the 80 minutes my team were playing him, but he has my absolute respect after the game.

  • 4:43 PM 04/04/2015

    I love you too Mozz87

  • mozz87
    12:51 PM 04/04/2015

    I love The Citing Commissioner!

  • drg
    9:12 AM 04/04/2015

    I'm with Dan.. The thing is though, it's a slap, it's not that big a deal, Bakkies played some dirty stuff, however it was his cheeky niggly stuff which was more common and that used to drive people insane - blowing kisses, slaps, etc, I don't view it as the worst stuff, in fact, like a true child I started to copy him, I've found it means I get in less trouble with the referee and I get the desired effect with the opposition player I disagreed with...

  • danknapp
    10:39 PM 03/04/2015

    Yep, absolutely. And I wish my team had one.

  • reality
    5:47 PM 03/04/2015

    God Etzebeth is absolutely loathsome. Just like his predecessor Bakkies.

  • guy
    4:04 PM 03/04/2015

    Nice slap, Bruno.

    He seems to be a proper succesor to Bakkies.

  • 2:10 PM 03/04/2015

    Both deserve a 6 week ban. Deliberate contact in the area around the eyes.

    There is no place for this in the game, it's only a matte of time until a serious injury.

    Think of the children.

  • colombes
    1:28 PM 03/04/2015

    "I love this game"

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