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Wed 28 Sep 2011 | 09:56
Russia's Valery Tsnobiladze suspended for headbutt on Sean O'Brien

19
Comments

Russian hooker Valery Tsnobiladze has been suspended for three weeks for a headbutt on Sean O'Brien during their 62-12 loss to Ireland on Sunday. It's the third suspension of the 2011 Rugby World Cup so far.

Tsonobiladze joins Courtney Lawes and Dominiko Waqaniburotu in the naughty corner, with Lawes the only one of the three who will be free to play again in the tournament.

The Russian hooker had denied any wrongdoing, but video evidence (more replays than were showed on the live broadcast) and testimonies from the player himself, as well as O'Brien, resulted in judicial officer Jeff Blackett handing down a suspension that rules him out until October 17th.

Blackett called the incident reckless but not deliberate, and O'Brien wasn't injured so Tsnobiladze's potential sanction was reduced by a week due to his good disciplinary record.

The video doesn't show much but you can see the hooker flying in with the head, which must have made contact with O'Brien on the floor, who got up looking rather agitated by what had happened.

Russia play Australia this weekend in their final game of the tournament, while Ireland meet Italy on Sunday in what will be a deciding match for the outcome of Pool C.

 

Posted By: Grant Constable

19 Comments

  • sergeblanco
    5:39 PM 30/09/2011

    Hahaha if you listen at about half way in you can hear his unbelievably squeeky voice "He's after headbuttin me!" It's so squeeky you wouldn't believe it's him!!!

  • giorgi
    4:03 PM 30/09/2011

    At me such in impression that, the law a writing only for small teams same Russia Fidji Georgia Namibia and, the others. You didn't see such performed by the big teams?

  • adamk
    9:16 PM 29/09/2011

    Ah c'mon, everyone knows what Lawes is like. Lawes Lately is his nickname for Pete's Sake! :P

  • mendorugger
    8:07 AM 29/09/2011

    piss poor call - worst things occur down there then that. bad angle though, ref saw it?

  • themull
    1:11 AM 29/09/2011

    I'm sure the hearing saw all other angles involved and I'm sure both teams involved did also...

  • 11:34 PM 28/09/2011

    I don't think there was anything wrong with his tackle on Tiesi, the Argentine was just unlucky that he was off balance when taking the blow. If you pulled out of those tackle everytime you'd be buying dummies all day. He was commited when the ball was still in hand, nothing wrong there.
    The Ledesma incident warrented a 2 match slap on the wrist, now lets get on with the games!

  • 11:32 PM 28/09/2011

    Not saying you're wrong there Buzz, from this angle he stays on his feet and does nothing wrong.
    But then that begs the question, what on earth would anyone gain from banning a Russian player who will have no further part in the RWC anyway?
    On the basis that there's no reason to make this stuff up, I would have to go for the more likely option that there are more angles (the pitch is surrounded by cameras) and after a complaint they looked into it and saw some intent.
    3weeks isn't exactly a life ban either, so lets not get too bothered about it.

  • 10:21 PM 28/09/2011

    "If Richie McCaw threw himself over the ball on the English side of the ruck like Moody did...." sounded like you were justifying to me. If you weren't then fair enough.

    I've seen all the angles and cannot change my opinion that it was a brutal diving headbutt identical to Bakkies' assault on Jimmy Cowan. I also won't change my opinion that Hartley should have been cited for the forearm smash on McCaw in the same game. I want dangerous, violent foul play out of the game regardless of the country of the offender.

  • 6:10 PM 28/09/2011

    Whatever your opinion of the two 'incidents' in the Argentina game, it is unfair to say he has a rep for foul play. He spends almost no time in the bin and hasn't previously been cited.

    I know there's a temptation to label players but Lawes is a just a hard player who will get it wrong sometimes. He's not a Bakkies (or a Johnson or a Hartley if you want an English equivalent)

  • 5:42 PM 28/09/2011

    Richie McCaw spends his life offside so would need a crash helmet if diving headbutts were legalised as a punishment!

    Quite how you can see the clip of Mealamu smashing his forehead into the back of Moody's skull and justify it is beyond me but heigh ho.

  • johndoe
    5:32 PM 28/09/2011

    Oh right, misread that. Would have loved if they broadcast some of those angles.

  • tullowtank
    4:12 PM 28/09/2011

    Buzz...settle, you'll burst a blood vessel

  • buzzkillington
    3:30 PM 28/09/2011

    And you can't be suspended for that. How do we know the IRB have seven other angles, they could well just make stuff up if they wanted to suspend a player.

    The IRB need to release the other angles or revoke the suspension.

    I see nothing in this incident that warrants a penalty, let alone a suspension

  • buzzkillington
    3:29 PM 28/09/2011

    LMAO Tim, how's your eyepatch serving you?

  • huk123
    3:16 PM 28/09/2011

    video not conclusive

  • conman
    3:14 PM 28/09/2011

    ehh not deliberate?? What?? How can you say that wasn't deliberate?? He stood there looking down weighing up the decision! Then went for it!

    The only slight case you could make was that there wasn't conclusive proof of contact but I think O'Briens reaction is proof enough in this situation.

    3 weeks is about right though.

  • rugbydump
    2:36 PM 28/09/2011

    That's what is said above - this is what was shown live. There are however plenty of other angles available (7 reportedly) that were provided for the judiciary hearing.

  • 12:56 PM 28/09/2011

    So that is a longer ban than Mealamu served for his blatant and undeniable assault on Lewis Moody? This is how conspiracy theories start.

  • johndoe
    12:54 PM 28/09/2011

    RD, I was watching the broadcast live and this is exactly what they showed. There weren't any more angles. Why do they not show things like this? Really annoying. People want to see more than one replay angle.

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