IRB 'called in' on Botha ban
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:23
Brains trust: Warren Gatland and Ian McGeechan
The fall-out over the two-week ban handed down to Springbok lock Bakkies Botha, for an innocuous clean-out at a ruck in the second Test against the British and Irish Lions last week, took in intriguing twist with the revelation that the International Rugby Board has been dragged into the affair.
Speaking ahead of the third and final Test between the Lions and South Africa Johannesburg on Saturday, Lions forwards coach Warren Gatland confirmed that his team felt as strongly as the South Africans about the injustice done to Botha.
The ban came after Lions prop Adam Jones injured his shoulder after Botha "cleaned out" a ruck in South Africa's 28-25 second Test win over the Lions in Pretoria last week.
Gatland revealed that, during a meeting between the two management groups and the match officials, the issue of Botha's ban was raised.
And in describing the ban as "very, very tough", Gatland said it is time for the IRB to step in and look at the inconsistencies in the judicial process that caused Botha to be banned, but far worse offences being overlooked.
"We spoke to Peter de Villiers and Gary Gold [at the meeting with the match officials] and we didn't have an issue with Bakkies," Gatland told a media gathering in Cape Town.
"We though it was a very, very tough decision on him to be banned, because Adam Jones didn't have a problem with it and none of the lions management had an issue with Bakkies on that clean-out," he added.
Gatland, as Bok captain John Smit said earlier in the day, also felt that if Botha's clean-out was as illegal as the judicial officer felt, then rugby was treading a very dangerous path.
"If you are going to ban somebody for that, you could have 50 incidents in any one Test match that do the same thing," Gatland said, adding: "There is a possibility that he [Botha] has had a bit of history in the past for not using his arms, as well as other bits and pieces, but on that occasion the was no problem from us."
Gatland said that his comments were directed at the Bok management and they didn't take it up with the match officials for Saturday's third and final Test,.
"I just think that the IRB needs to look at it," Gatland said, adding: "I think that Paddy O'Brien [the IRB's referees boss] was going to have a chat to them on that and that they need to look at that.
"There is a concern from the [match] officials involved and both teams that we just need to make sure. Yes, there are instances where players are illegally making contact, using their shoulder ... at times there are illegal instances.
"However, on that instance we felt it was a legitimate clean-out."
By Jan de Koning, on the Lions beat