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the coach
Bob Davidson (42)
I've watched the Higginbotham incident many times now and still don't understand why McCaw wasn't penalised for:
(1) joining the ruck from the side (marginally, if in fact it was a ruck at that point!)
(2) deliberately leaving his feet
(3) continuing to involve himself in the ruck whilst off his feet
(4) playing the ball whilst on the ground
I'm not excusing Higginbotham's actions, but I continue to wonder why McCaw gets away with these things every game when other players get penalised for much less obvious offences.
(1) joining the ruck from the side (marginally, if in fact it was a ruck at that point!)
(2) deliberately leaving his feet
(3) continuing to involve himself in the ruck whilst off his feet
(4) playing the ball whilst on the ground
I'm not excusing Higginbotham's actions, but I continue to wonder why McCaw gets away with these things every game when other players get penalised for much less obvious offences.
D
daz
Guest
Well, I think we need to cut the ref's some slack. Most people can only focus on one thing at a time. It is pretty hard for a ref to be penalising Richie for those offences while he is busy admiring Richie's work.
Damn, where is that fishing icon when you need it?
Scoey
Tony Shaw (54)
I've watched it plenty of times, but did as you suggested and watched it again. Premeditated? I don't think so. There would have been about 0.5 a second between when his little brain saw the opportunity to act and the actual act. I call that in the heat of the moment, or a brain fart or whatever but not premeditated.
But seriously, his intention was not to "strike" McCaw, he was standing/stepping over him, and tried to make himself look/feel like a big man by giving him a shove with his leg while he was down. The same shit happens in almost every tackle situation (albeit rarely leg/head) and it's not striking. On McCaw's reaction though, I never said he struck back, I just said his reaction was ridiculous. For one of the 'harder' blokes running around, to take exception to that is just a bit funny.
Higgers is a goose, but there's no way that was a premeditated 'strike'.
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daz
Guest
I think it was exactly the kind of reaction I would expect from a cunning bloke full of rugby nous.
My assumption of course, but Richie would have known full well that the contact was minimal and was designed to niggle, but he would have also known it was contact to the head and if he reacted to it, maybe one of the officials would have also seen it and had no option but to red/yellow carded Higgers.
Wallabies are then a man down and the Darkness have the advantage.
I call that smart.
Scoey
Tony Shaw (54)
I wanted to say exactly that but there's generally no future in suggesting that McCaw is anything other than the Messiah who is incapable of cunning or skulduggery.
Given the slating that Sharpey got for trying to milk more from the Etzebeth head butt, I didn't want to go there. What do you know, I think I just did.
the coach
Bob Davidson (42)
Well, I think we need to cut the ref's some slack. Most people can only focus on one thing at a time. It is pretty hard for a ref to be penalising Richie for those offences while he is busy admiring Richie's work.
Damn, where is that fishing icon when you need it?
You might be right, but surely once you've seen the same thing umpteen times it ceases to be of any interest and the penny drops that maybe it's time to do my job and blow the whistle?
MajorlyRagerly
Trevor Allan (34)
Would appear to me that this thread is slowly evolving into a McCaw is a cheat, or it's ok what happened because it happened to McCaw and he was cheating anyway.
Shame.
Shame.
the coach
Bob Davidson (42)
He is, but no it's not!
I
Ian
Guest
I think that list of attackers is so long because Richie is not getting the message that his dirty tactics will no longer be tolerated. Dirty tactics are answered by dirty tactics, there is only one person that can stop the attacks on McCaw, and that is McCaw himself.
He is a great player, and shouldn't cheat so often, quite simply, he doesn't need to.
My take on it is that Scott Higginbotham is an idiot and was lucky not to cost the Wallabies the game by getting sent off.
People talk about niggle but in professional rugby where there are so many cameras focused on the action, intentionally doing something that is liable to get you sent off or suspended is the epitome of stupid.
the coach
Bob Davidson (42)
I agree completely, but I still make the point that McCaw should have been penalised and probably yellow carded for what he did immediately prior to Higginbotham's brain snap. What McCaw did, and does regularly, is cynical and in flagrant disregard for the laws and spirit of the game. He is a great player and doesn't need to do this stuff.....or is he a great player because he does it and gets away with it???
Scarfman
Knitter of the Scarf
That's actually a legitimate position to hold, MR.
Many Kiwis seem to hold the position that, sure, Sir GOAT pushes the laws, but you'd be an idiot if you didn't; and at the same time, hold the position that trying to niggle Sir GOAT off his game is a crime against humanity. Hey, if it works, then you'd be an idiot if you didn't.
If McCaw is going to put himself where he shouldn't be, then he must be aware of the risks. And I reckon he is more capable of copping a few knocks than most of his admirers.
gel
Ken Catchpole (46)
Higgenbotham won't end up being knighted in this country. Have no fear - most Australians reckon it was a dodgy act and we are all thankful that Richie was able to walk off the field afterwards..
I
Ian
Guest
I just LOVE how precious kiwis get about richie mccaw, makes it so much more enjoyable winding them up.
But seriously, Richie is a cheat, and he will continue to get thumped until he changes his ways.
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
Hmm, I see your point guys but I don't think rugby is a game where "cheating" is a thing.
It's more a game where there's "pushing the laws" (which can be done well or poorly) and "foul play". Riche pushes the laws and certainly should be carded more often and some of the stuff he does even boarders on foul play (namely pulling an opposition opensider off their lines at a scrum or lineout). Still, Richie is rarely out to harm someone or rile them up and Higgers certainly was.
Then again, in other sports Richie would be a dirty rotten cheat. I play for a mixed basketball team (I know it's lame but good fun) and occasionally I'll overtly foul to slow the game down or whatnot and the looks I get is like I slapped someone's mother. In rugby it's all part and parcel of the game. Different cultures I guess.
It's more a game where there's "pushing the laws" (which can be done well or poorly) and "foul play". Riche pushes the laws and certainly should be carded more often and some of the stuff he does even boarders on foul play (namely pulling an opposition opensider off their lines at a scrum or lineout). Still, Richie is rarely out to harm someone or rile them up and Higgers certainly was.
Then again, in other sports Richie would be a dirty rotten cheat. I play for a mixed basketball team (I know it's lame but good fun) and occasionally I'll overtly foul to slow the game down or whatnot and the looks I get is like I slapped someone's mother. In rugby it's all part and parcel of the game. Different cultures I guess.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
And I doubt he cops as much off the ball crap as George Smith used to.
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
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