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Mon 4 Sep 2017 | 11:49
Ma'a Nonu gives his own version of Nigel Owens' "This is not soccer"

16
Comments

Never shy with his use of the shoulder, Ma'a Nonu has once again been shown a yellow card for a late charge, this time in Toulon's loss to Clermont. Perhaps fed up with what he sees as a softening of the game, he lets fly with his own version of "This is not soccer".   

The incident took place just shy of halftime with Toulon nursing a 10-6 lead. Clermont quickly took advantage of the man down and scored the go-ahead try. They never relenquished the lead and won 21-16.

It's difficult to sympathize with Nonu in this particular instance as the hit is high, without arms, and unquestionably late. This should be a card in every intance, as Nonu should know all too well given his penchant for this particular move.

However, that didn't stop him from taking a page from Nigel Owens in voicing his distain for the card. The glaring difference here is that the ref has the power of the card, as the player does not.

More than likely, this kind of reaction will only harm a player's reputation in the future. There are some who feel that the game may be "getting soft". However, it's safe to say the card was more than justified in this instance.

Credit: Offload Media

Posted By: davidharper

16 Comments

  • colombes
    1:34 PM 07/09/2017

    Ma'a Nonu boudjellaling a ref.

  • drg
    9:48 AM 07/09/2017

    ....A French referee, refereeing two French teams, in France, doesn't understand English????? That's bloody ridiculous, fire him!

  • oliver
    8:35 AM 07/09/2017

    Totally agree with the marching 10 meters. I'd love to see that in a pro game.

    The thing is, I'm not sure the ref understood what Nonu was saying.

  • drg
    4:29 PM 06/09/2017

    There you go, that's the comment I needed to jog my memory. Haven't seen players marched 10 metres in a long long time - not in the pro game anyway. That would have been ideal - much less messy than creating new laws..

  • lewis
    7:55 PM 05/09/2017

    Yellow card for hitting a player with his shoulder and it was late when the player would not be expecting a hit.
    10 metres for arguing with the ref and then if Nonu continued a further 10 metres etc. that usually shuts players up.

  • misterdavid
    7:44 PM 05/09/2017

    Don't swear at the ref, mate. This is rugby.

  • drg
    1:59 PM 05/09/2017

    I don't think this is really red card worthy....
    If he'd said "go referee a fucking soccer match" then yeh, red card... but he didn't outright swear AT the referee as much as use 'fucking' as an emphasis for his "this is rugby" comment.... which I don't think is appropriate, but not really red card worthy.

    ..in my opinion anyway

  • drg
    1:56 PM 05/09/2017

    Thing is, I'd hate to see a red card for Nonu for this, I don't like it, but it's yellow card + yellow card and in this instance I don't think 2 yellows should equal red.....

    I'm happy for this to all just be done and dusted, but if we go into the world of imaginary possibilities, then if I HAD to change anything, I'd bring in a 'verbal card' or law or something, where by a referee can give a player a 5-10 minute (not sure which) sit down... it would have to be tweaked a bit...

    I'd have it as:
    Yellow for foul play + yellow for foul play = red
    Yellow for foul play + (verbal + verbal = yellow) = red ...so 2 verbals is a yellow

    or Idk, something like that....but either way, perhaps it should be a self policing thing where the club just fines Nonu and it's the end of the story...

  • pdg
    12:40 PM 05/09/2017

    Nonu has always been a player with a ' nasty and cheapshot' mentality. This wasnt just late it was off the ball designed to injure the player when the player is not expecting to be tackled.
    I totally despise any player from top international to club player who feels the need to challenge the decision of the referee.
    Time for Nonu to get back to playing the game 'WITHIN' the laws and keep his big mouth shut.
    Maybe its time for a sanction to be brought in that gives the referee the option to card a player for verbally challenging his decisions ontop of present laws.
    Eg: 10 minutes for the late tackle and 10 more for any comment made towards the referee

  • reality
    12:34 PM 05/09/2017

    So, his point is that a shoulder to the back after the ball is gone is rugby? I don't think it is.

    Also, the ref really should have red-carded him for his stupid comments and language after the card. As DrG said, I don't mind a bit of debate when appropriate, but there's nothing to debate here, and "it's fucking rugby" is not appropriate language to use with the referee, especially when you're clearly in the wrong.

  • im1
    12:09 PM 05/09/2017

    should have got a second yellow for arguing with such a petty comment

  • m.meuble
    11:36 AM 05/09/2017

    Ah Nonu! Still not speaking French. Not even a bit of French.

  • finedisregard
    11:15 AM 05/09/2017

    Why not just a penalty?

  • drg
    10:58 AM 05/09/2017

    *edit*.... when I say "I don't have an issue with players appealing to the referees" I mean, if Nonu had put in a decent hit and said "oh whaaat, it's not soccer" or even the infamous "are we not allowed to tackle dan carter"...that kind of thing...

    ...Not Dan 'Birdman' Biggar flapping his fucking sticks around at every bloody opportunity...

  • 10:36 AM 05/09/2017

    Yep, cheap shot from behind, no arms, long after the ball had gone. How arrogant to moan about the card.

  • drg
    9:53 AM 05/09/2017

    Nonu is a bit of a petulant tit really isn't he...

    I'd say rugbys attitude is getting softer than it was years ago, but that being said, this was always going to be a penalty/yellow and the swearing was unnecessary. I'd have preferred to see this as a penalty, then a potential yellow for his attitude/swearing....

    ... I don't have an issue with players appealing to referees, or with bad language on the pitch, but I sort of feel this was a direct bad mouthing towards the referee, which I'd have no issue with a yellow card for...

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