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Irish Times
a day ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Owen Doyle: Rugby's failure to punish violence and gamesmanship risks pushing a generation away
So, Munster can be Munster after all. They have finished the season on a high note, with a performance of raw courage and true grit. Their match with the Sharks was one of the most dramatic encounters in United Rugby Championship history. The stadium in Durban was packed to the rafters, the men in red were extraordinary and the match was ferocious. It made for a high-drama spectacle. To lose a match played at altitude via a penalty shootout against the Springbok-laden Sharks was cruel. However, there was honour in defeat. Grumblings were heard on both sides of the equator when referee Mike Adamson was appointed. I don't know why the URC insists on persevering with him. In my view, this was a poor performance which was way below the standard required. When players from both teams frequently look perplexed, something is definitely wrong. I struggle to see the benefit in continuing with this official. READ MORE Before Jack Crowley could prepare his second shootout kick, the previous kicker, Sharks' Jaden Hendrikse, suddenly collapsed with apparent cramp. Conveniently, he fell beside the mark for the kick, successfully delaying the attempt. Adamson dealt with this as if the match was still going on. It was over and Hendrikse had no further part to play. The referee should have insisted he be removed immediately, rather than indulging him. Hendrikse even managed a sly wink at Crowley. The whole episode came across as unwelcome, unacceptable gamesmanship. It has rightly been widely condemned. An opportunity has presented itself to stand up for the game and sanction Hendrikse under misconduct laws, but don't hold your breath. It was a despicable, unsporting attempt to distract Crowley. However, not everybody thought so. Jaden Hendrikse of Sharks converts his penalty during the URC quarter-final shootout. Photograph: Darren Stewart/Inpho/Steve Haag Sports Afterwards, the pundit and former international, Stephen Ferris, took a different stance. He told us that the game could do with more of it, suggesting that the fans would like it and viewership would increase. Perhaps Ferris seeks some sort of notoriety, but that is usually accompanied by a drop in credibility. And now on to full throttle. This bit isn't about about Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen . It's about what Bordeaux's Jefferson Poirot did to Northampton's Henry Pollock after the last whistle had sounded in the Champions Cup final . 'Throttling' should be added to the list of straight red cards. This one was nasty – a tight squeeze on Pollock's throat. Understandably, it went unseen by the match officials. The citing commissioner, Ireland's Tim Lowry, did his job well. The judiciary didn't to its job so well, coming up with a meagre two-week suspension. Such a punishment, if it can be called that, will hardly act as a deterrent for such dreadful acts. Judicial hearings and decisions are now a bad joke, rarely reflecting the seriousness of dangerous offences Headbutting refuses to go away. We recently saw a torpedo-like example from New Zealand prop Ethan de Groot, playing for the Highlanders against Crusaders. Disgracefully, it appears unlikely that he will face any suspension; the citing commissioner has, apparently, stayed silent. De Groot's action was similar to what France's Peato Mauvaka did to Ben White of Scotland in the Six Nations – another torpedo. A straight red was not given by the referee. Fortunately, the citing commissioner did intervene but the punishment of a three-game ban was meek. All of this is a terrible reflection on the sport, particularly when many amateur players are abandoning the game due to fears of sustaining brain damage. World Rugby and all unions must wake up and bring the guillotine down on foul play. Judicial hearings and decisions are now a bad joke, rarely reflecting the seriousness of dangerous offences. The ludicrous, mandatory 50 per cent mitigation must be ditched. Six-week suspensions should mean just that, instead of being watered down to three or even two. World Rugby has agreed to a red-card replacement. But it should also be beefing up justifications for referees to give straight reds. Failure to do so would be irresponsible. Appalling fouls should always be punished with straight red cards. Then there are the legal head collisions. The pick-and-drives, as frequent as ever, see teams obsessed at hammering away at the try line. Players who seem happy to lead with their heads should maybe think again. Nothing is said, presumably because there is rarely a concussion in pick-and-drives, but that doesn't make it okay. Medics, recognised eminent experts, advise that repetitive sub-concussive collisions have significant potential for brain damage, for early-onset dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It is quite the mystery why nobody is paying attention. Rugby has become a brutal, dangerous game. No one can escape that fact. The powers that be really need to take a look in the mirror and decide that it can't continue. Hundreds of former players are taking legal action because of brain damage. These people are tormented about what life holds in store for them. It will be stoutly defended by World Rugby, who should themselves take initiatives to make the game safer. If not, a judgment in favour of the players will probably force their hands on the matter. By then, the amateur game might be a disappearing speck in the rear-view mirror.
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
URC quarter-final: Sharks v Munster
Siya Kolisi will lead a star-studded Sharks team. Image: SA rugby website Home » Live scoring | URC quarter-final: Sharks v Munster Siya Kolisi will lead a star-studded Sharks team. Image: SA rugby website After some scratchy performances in recent times, the Sharks will have to lift their quality of play immensely to come away with a victory in their URC quarter-final against Munster on Saturday. The Durbanites will certainly be glad to have home ground advantage as they come up against 2023 champions Munster, who have endured an up and down season themselves. Kick off is at 18:30. URC quarter-final: Sharks v Munster Date: Saturday, 31 MayVenue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, DurbanSA Time: 18h30Referee: Mike Adamson TV: SuperSport Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Ethan Hooker, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Siya Kolisi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Jason Jenkins, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain), 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Emile van Heerden, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Francois Venter, 23 Yaw Pen Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
What time and TV channel is Sharks v Munster on today in the URC quarter-final
Munster are hoping to make it a hat-trick to remember by seeing off the Sharks for a place in the last four of the BKT URC, having won their quarter-finals in the last two years. The Reds' victory over Benetton in their final regular season game secured a place in the play-offs, with Ian Costello's charges finishing in sixth place in the table. The Sharks are third seeds and are at home at altitude, so this will be a tough assignment for a Munster side that has an unchanged line-up for the third successive game. The Sharks have made five changes for this game and have 12 Springboks in their side, so Munster will have to be at their best to triumph. The game takes place at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban The match kicks off at 5.30pm on Saturday It will be shown live on TG4 (from 5.25pm) and Premier Sports 1 (from 5.15pm) and will be streamed on Sharks are 4/11 to win, Munster are 23/10 to win, the draw is 17/1 Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland) The Sharks have only lost twice at home this season - against Toulouse in the Champions Cup and to Leinster in round 14. One of their home victories came against Munster in October, a result that was followed by Graham Rowntree's departure. That has been the Sharks only win in four against the province. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (captain), Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley. Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth (captain), Jason Jenkins, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Emile van Heerden, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Francois Venter, Yaw Penxe.
BBC News
13-03-2025
- BBC News
Sussex PCC says 'number of warnings for shoplifters is crazy'
It is "crazy" how many warnings shoplifters get before they are punished, says the Sussex Police and Crime Bourne was on BBC Radio Sussex on Thursday morning as part of the "Hotseat" series, where authority figures are asked about their biggest challenges over an hour-long conversation. She discussed shoplifting in the region and urged the government and courts to help the force crackdown on the Bourne, who is the national lead for retail and business crime among PCCs, said: "Our prisons are full, the courts are so backlogged its unreal and so they will do everything they can to keep them out of going to prison." The Ministry of Justice and HM Prison Service have been contacted for a PCC said: "The whole point of stopping somebody from doing crime is to deter them in the first place. "They've got to know they're going to get caught, they've got to know that there's repercussions."A crime survey by the British Retail Consortium also found retail abuse and violence had risen by around 50% in the past year. 'Not surprised at all' In Sussex, shoplifting figures rose by 13.5% in Sussex in the past year, according to ONS Bourne said she was "not surprised at all" by the Conservative politician added: "It has almost become accepted by people that individuals, particularly adults which surprises me immensely, can just walk into a store, pick up a supermarket trolley or basket, fill it, and then just walk out."Mike Adamson, from the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, says shoplifting is "absolutely rife in the Sussex area". He added: "Its not a victimless crime, but it's being treated that way."The PCC said some large supermarket chains were concerned with organised gangs, which they believed were costing them up to £2bn a a result, some chains put £1m into starting an independent national police unit to tackle the unit had already arrested more than 30 organised gangs in about seven months, Ms Bourne added.
