Tue 3 Sep 2013 | 08:09
The Top 5 Rugby Villains of All Time - Rugby HQ

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When you think of Villain, you no doubt have someone in particular in mind based on where you are from and who you support, as well as what you've seen in your time as a rugby fan. The guys at Rugby HQ in Australia have picked theirs, so here you go.

Over the years we've seen our fair share of filthy play on the rugby field. A lot of it has been documented here on RD, providing hours of shock factor and for some, entertainment.

Now Sean Maloney and crew have put together their Top 5, all from the Southern Hemisphere, and featuring no less than three South Africans. They've given top spot to a vilified front rower from arch rivals New Zealand, but that's to be expected.

The man in question, Richard Loe, has actually spoken out this week on the recent biting incident that occurred between Argentina and South Africa, saying that Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth deserved to be bitten by Leonardo Senatore.

Senatore was found guilty and banned for nine weeks, however Loe felt that he was provoked and despite flanker Pablo Matera also being cited for an eye-gouge (and later cleared due to a lack of evidence), Loe says that he does not expect more dirty play from Argentina.

"In the case of Senatore, I thought that Eben Etzebeth kind of got what he deserved for slamming his forearm into the Puma No 8's face. The incident was not in my view a case of the player deliberately setting out to bite – it wasn't like the time Johan le Roux bit Sean Fitzpatrick's ear – so I wouldn't read too much into it," Loe said.

In the video below we get to see some awful incidents, most of which we have featured at some stage over the years. You can view those, and the Senatore incident, in the Related Posts below.

Who would you name as the all time Top 5 Rugby Villains?

11 Comments

  • poldybloom3
    10:03 PM 17/12/2013

    How right you are!The Claw would be high up there in the Roll of Dishonour

  • benny
    9:31 AM 05/09/2013

    You mean Kevin Mealamu? Did you see the game or just hear if from someone at the pub?

  • 6:55 AM 05/09/2013

    This is a fitting end to the Richard Loe saga

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

  • ando
    8:15 PM 04/09/2013

    Callum Clark sure started his rugby career well to make this list in the future, the guy is a thug.

  • drg
    10:30 AM 04/09/2013

    Something wrong with people who feel the need to poke bums or grab genitals in games....

  • 45678
    10:07 PM 03/09/2013

    James small

  • ruppansy
    7:29 PM 03/09/2013

    Not one of their better ones. Obvious choices are:

    Johan Leroux
    Bakkies Botha
    Richard Loe
    Duncan Macrae
    James Dalton

  • cheyanqui
    5:30 PM 03/09/2013

    Apparently FOxsports "Lost files" include any footage which they don't already own the rights to -- i.e. too cheap to pay for Northern Hemisphere rights.

    #4 and #5 soft as hell too.

    Butch James at #3 is at least a decent call.

    My top five (in no particular order) -- in general, I leaned for an overall body of work, rather than a single-heinous act (granted eye gouges are as bad as it gets), and a penchant for the modern (professional) game.

    Bakkies Botha
    Jamie Cudmore
    Delon Armitage
    Dylan Hartley
    Schalk Burger

  • xonmeerkat
    4:26 PM 03/09/2013

    I played against Bakkies in high-school...and promptly stopped after having to undergo plastic surgery to fix my face.

  • eddie-g
    4:06 PM 03/09/2013

    Hard to best Johan le Roux.

    But if ok to include League in this list, John Hopoate would have no competition.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=180051

  • number11
    2:34 PM 03/09/2013

    Schalk Burger anyone?