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Thu 8 Mar 2012 | 06:04
Rob Vickers cited following yellow card punch on Joe Marler

19
Comments

Newcastle Falcons hooker Rob Vickers made his 100th appearance for the club against Harlequins on Friday, but marred the occasion by picking up a yellow card for a punch, which has earned him a citing.

The consequence of the ill-tempered game, which was drawn 9-9 thanks to a late Nick Evans penalty, is that three Newcastle players have been cited. James Hall for kicking an opponent, Taiasina Tu'ifua for a dangerous tackle, and Vickers for his strike on Joe Marler.

Harlequins' Conor O'Shea was unhappy with what he viewed as roughhouse tactics.

"We had to scrap. The atmosphere was febrile out there. All credit to the Falcons in what was a very physical game but, on more than one occasion, I think the line was crossed. The line is drawn at punches in the face, boots in the face and short-arm tackles and yes, I think Newcastle overstepped that mark. I just hope Newcastle stick to not going over the edge," he said.

Newcastle coach Gary Gold responded by saying that they were simply fronting up.

"Was it my instructions to go over the top? Certainly not. I never would tell my players to do that. I don't condone any sort of dirty play, but I do ask my players to front up.

"I'm not happy with the ill-discipline we showed at times. You cannot afford to play the game for 20 minutes with 14 men and there is no excuse for players losing their discipline."

You can see the punch below, slowed down for effect, and for those who thought that commentator Ben Kay may have sworn when seeing the replay. What do you think?

Posted By: Grant Constable

19 Comments

  • quins1
    5:14 PM 11/04/2012

    dserved a red and a suspension

  • p_daddie
    1:21 PM 13/03/2012

    Didnt he say "look at that, thats pretty bad " ?

  • filth
    7:56 AM 12/03/2012

    Thats not a red card. Rugby is going soft. League would just laugh at that if it was a red.

  • pretzel
    11:16 PM 10/03/2012

    I don't want to keep sifting through video after video.. But I really feel the need to show a couple:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkMDePgxY3c

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx-w6HgW8ZY&feature=related

    Now I know rugby is far more policed than it was many years ago, and in my opinion it is a better game that the early days. But I feel sometimes things just go a little too far.

    Can someone point me in the direction of the laws that state it should be a red card for a punch? I mean I have been on the IRB website and all I can find out is that the sanction is a penalty...A clip they showed in demonstration of a punch was julian white and I believe he got a red card for his efforts (not shown in the video)..

    But above we have two incidents, one of which had no card shown and no punishment by the citing commissioner, the second we saw a yellow card (neglected to review if there was a citing on the second)

    Everyone calling for reds? As I said, point me to the laws where it mentions card colour because I can't seem to find them...

  • cheyanqui
    6:57 PM 09/03/2012

    Joe Marler's haircut has no place in modern rugby either.

  • stroudos
    3:38 PM 09/03/2012

    Sorry if you take exception to the coarse language, but in my opinion that was the most appropriate word in this case. Coward or cretin just don't convey the necessary level of contempt.

  • pretzel
    3:33 PM 09/03/2012

    Would this punch have got a red card 10 years ago?

  • spencah
    3:26 PM 09/03/2012

    Come man, no need for that language. Can make your point perfectly well without the first sentence.

  • ystuk85
    2:39 PM 09/03/2012

    and he called it a maul! what a muppet

  • filth
    1:51 PM 09/03/2012

    Jesus. Stop being girls. Nothing wrong with a bit of biff in rugby. Bring back the Biff. Yellow was right. No suspension for Vickers. No one was hurt in that. Rugby is going soft if that was a red.

  • guy
    1:05 PM 09/03/2012

    Considering there were so many different citeable infringements, you get the impression that there have been instructions from higher up. I guess that is also what O'Shea intended to say...so I just said it for him.

    In this case: maybe Vickers should have been happy with just a yellow.

    By the way: when was this player cited? Is the citing window still at 36 hours or have things changed in the meantime?

  • tullowtank
    1:01 PM 09/03/2012

    No time or place for that in rugby. Should be a straight red card and a ban. The touch judge maybe had his view obstructed but that seems to happen far too often for it to every time be a conincidence. More than likely he bottled the decision and put a seed of doubt in his mind when we should have gone with his gut. Nobody swings their arm in that upper-cut motion to slap somebody! Ref's need to grow a pair and make the tough calls, take a leaf out of Alan Rolland's book and stick to the letter of the law. Look at Pearson's call regarding the Donnacha Ryan incident that was so clearly a red even Gatland admitted it afterwards. Referee's of the world stop being afraid to make the tough call, your fear of making the wrong decision paradoxically is stopping you from making the right one.

  • stroudos
    8:25 AM 09/03/2012

    What a complete cunt. Look how fast he retreats when the other prop gives him a little nudge, his bollocks retracted right into the abdomen. Big strong man clocking a player in the face when he's pretty much a sitting target, then pussies it as soon as it looks like he might have to actually front up.

    Really winds me up this sort of thing. Don't mind a bit of biff, but there are ways of doing it and a time and place. When you're contesting a ruck in the position Marler was in there your face is pretty exposed so you need to be able to rely on the oppo not to do cowardly shit like this.

  • 12:54 AM 09/03/2012

    Hard to say, on first glance it might have been tough to see for the touchie. But that with another look that's definitely a red and citable and has no place in modern rugby.

  • brecor
    12:20 AM 09/03/2012

    Yet another example of a gutless linesman - calling it a slap and not a punch. And they want to referred to as assistant referees!?

  • redyeti
    12:16 AM 09/03/2012

    Impressed that Marler didn't attack him there... he has improved his discipline and temper it seems. Delon could learn a thing or two

  • bnations
    11:39 PM 08/03/2012

    How was that not a straight red? Seemed pretty plain that he stupidly punched Marler right in front of the touch judge, and he didn't appear to even try to hide it. What's going on with the Falcons?

  • pretzel
    10:28 PM 08/03/2012

    I didn't think he swore either... Out of interest where has that possible accusation come from, was it something official or just regular fans. Sounded like "look at that" to me.

    Personally would draw the line at the yellow. I believe a punch is not judged on its severity, only on the action itself, a bit like head butts. So I suspect there will be a ban of some sort...

  • anarchangel
    9:20 PM 08/03/2012

    Didn't sound like he swore to me. As someone accustomed to NZ/Aussie commentary, I was expecting some sort of lengthy expletive-laden tirade!

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