IRB to 'look into' Bok protest
Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:57
Strong words: Bok captain John Smit wants 'justice'
The International Rugby Board will "look into" the Springbok team's on-field protest, when all the players wore white armbands in support of suspended Bok lock Bakkies Botha at the weekend.
The South Africans wore armbands, with the message 'Justice 4 All', during the Boks' 9-28 loss to the British and Irish Lions in the third and final Test in Johannesburg.
Springboks coach Peter de Villiers confirmed that the management supported the player protest, for a ban Bok captain John Smit called 'ludicrous'.
Asked at a media briefing after the game if he expects any comeback from the IRB, Smit said: "We will have to see."
He repeatedly referred media questions to a statement issued by the players union, the South African Rugby Players Association (SARPA).
However, it was revealed on Sunday that the IRB will indeed look into the legality of the Boks' actions.
According to the Telegraph website, an IRB spokesperson said: "The IRB is looking to establish all the relevant facts before making any further comment."
The protest action, by the Springbok players, came after a week of turmoil in the Bok camp - with coach Peter de Villiers hauled in front of South African Rugby Union President Oregan Hoskins for some of his outlandish statements.
Hoskins and De Villiers were also forced into issuing an apology, by the IRB, after De Villiers foolishly tried to defend suspended Bok flank Schalk Burger for his facial massage on Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald in the second Test in Durban.
But it is the ban of Botha that still rankles with the players and resulted in their protest action - which is now being investigated.
The players said they decided to unite behind Botha, after his two-week suspension and unsuccessful appeal against transgressing Law 10.4 (j) by dangerously charging into a ruck without binding on a player.
"The Springbok players all feel for Bakkies, as he will miss this memorable final Test against the British and Irish Lions," SARPA CEO Piet Heymans said on Saturday.
"As a sign of solidarity the Springbok players have decided to wear white arm bands during the Test match. At the same time the players want to send a clear message that they require the IRB to have an urgent and serious relook at Law 10.4 (j)," Heymans added.
"Despite comprehensive submissions by the attorney acting for Bakkies Botha and SARPA, where a very important point of principle was developed as to the proper application of this Law, and in particular when a player lawfully binds or attempts to bind for the purpose of this Law, the appeal was not successful.
"Over an extended period of time numerous other players have charged into rucks without binding but were either not penalised at all or received only a penalty. Bakkies hit a ruck just before this one in question in a similar style and was not penalised. Coaches are coaching players to hit rucks in this manner and therefore this is a major cause of apprehension," Heymans added.
"This inconsistency has upset the players and they felt very strongly that they must take a firm stance and show their unhappiness with the application of the relevant law.
"Rugby as a spectacle will lose its excitement and appeal if the best players in the world are not sure how the laws will be applied and that their participation in world class rugby could be affected by the actions of judicial officers," said Heymans.
"We will be consulting with our legal team next week to consider all our legal options available to assist Bakkies Botha and provide him with a sense of justice as he has suffered significantly due to this suspension," concluded Heymans.
Smit, at a media briefing last Friday on the eve of the third Test, revealed that, with support from players around the world, the South Africans have taken a stand against what he termed the 'ludicrous' ban of Botha.
The Bok captain blasted the judicial process that saw the Bok stalwart, Botha, banned for two weeks after "cleaning out" a ruck in South Africa's 28-25 second Test win over the Lions in Pretoria last week.
The Bok captain said he "hopes and prays" the ban and subsequent decision to turn down an appeal against the ban was just "victimisation" of the Bok lock.
"This ruling creates a scary scenario for the future of the game," the Bok captain said at his Friday media briefing, adding that the players from around the world are not happy about the decision.
"We are deeply saddened, probably more angry than anything else about the outcome of the Bakkies Botha case.
"I think we must hope and pray that it is purely just victimisation of Bakkies and not the way the game is going. If it is not victimisation of Bakkies Botha, for the way that he plays the game hard, a ruling like this could change this wonderful game of ours for good and that for us is a great concern.
"The players are not happy and we will stand together in this regard and make a point and take a stand about what has happened.
"I do believe that [Botha has been victimised], because if he has been found guilty for something that is not part of the game, I think we can take probably 15/20 clips out of every single Test match and ban every single guy that has cleaned a ruck. I have to hope and pray it is victimisation of an individual, otherwise this game is going in the wrong direction."
By Jan de Koning, in Johannesburg
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