Lions 2009 - O'Driscoll blasts De Villiers

Eurosport - Wed, 01 Jul 23:35:00 2009

Lions centre Brian O'Driscoll and assistant coach Graham Rowntree have expressed outrage over comments by Springbok coach Peter de Villiers on Schalk Burger's ban for eye gouging.

Brian O'Driscoll - Lions 2009 - 0

"To hear the South African coach Peter de Villiers talk about gouging as being part of the game was semi-repulsive," O'Driscoll told Irish state radio.

Rowntree also lashed out: "I can get quite emotional about this so I'd better tread carefully. What De Villiers said was completely out of order, it was crass and pathetic."

Burger was banned for eight weeks on Sunday for gouging the eyes of Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald in the first minute of the second Test in Pretoria the previous day. The victory gave the Springboks the three-match series.

The South African Rugby Union had to issue a statement apologising for comments by de Villiers defending the flanker.

"We are trying to promote the game and yet you hear comments like that. I just find it appalling. I truly find it a disgrace," O'Driscoll said. He was returning home on Wednesday with concussion and will miss the third Test.

"If it's not clamped down, you are going to lose people to the game of rugby and that's essentially the bigger picture."

De Villiers said afterwards, in defence of Burger, that rugby was bound to feature more knocks than ballet.

Rowntree added: "Gouging is indefensible and there is no place for it in the game. For a national coach to almost say it is okay is ridiculous. We're upset by it and he can't get away with it," Rowntree said.

The former Lions prop also called for heavier penalties for gouging.

"There've been a lot of high-profile cases in the last six months so there probably needs to be a greater deterrent put in place," he said.

Rowntree also said that the Lions had plenty of energy and resources left for the final Test on Saturday.

"The Springboks will be trying to whitewash us, they think we're on the ropes and emotionally down. Normally at this stage of a Lions tour injuries have taken their toll and the squad is held together by elastoplast.

"But I can assure them this team is in good nick and there is still plenty of gas in the tank."

Rowntree added that 33-year-old tight-head Phil Vickery, who was savaged by Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira in the first Test, is back in the frame for selection although he did not complete training on Wednesday due to a throat infection.

Reuters

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  1. sorry Milesey, you big misspelling neanderthal gay,­ what facts were incorrect? You're a typical­ football supporter, jumping on the rugby band wagon.­ " And Go back to Baaabrrraaa" is meant to­ mean what? If it's an allusion to sheep, well get­ YOUR facts right. They go "baa-baa" mate! Oh,­ and if you meant loser in your earlier, barely­ intelligible rant about Bod - as in one that fails - ­ it's spelt L-O-S-E-R, not looser. That is something­ that is not as tight as something else. Really, of all ­ the words I thought you'd know how to spell loser,­ loser.

    From Bev, on Wed 1 Jul 6:13PM
  2. caustic wit from Mike. Thing is, if he's not a fan­ of the game, why is he here to comment? If he is, and­ he's also right, then he too is a sheep shagger­ like big rich - and me for that matter.

    Most of the­ sheep I know aren't that fussy, but even they look­ for a little intelligence in their men, so Mike's­ probably just a fantasy sheep shagger!

    From Ian, on Wed 1 Jul 5:15PM
  3. Alan R, you are welcome to your own views and­ opinions.
    Yes, the whole incident was inexcusable, as­ were the comment by the coach, but indeed judging a­ whole country by that is not right.
    Besides, whatever­ action is taken now, will have an impact on future­ matches only, nothing will change the scoreline of the­ last match. Sure it would have been a different match­ had you played against 14 players the whole match, but­ stop being so consumed over 'what if', and look­ to the next games.
    And at least we support our team,­ WHATEVER the result. We don't move onto the next­ sport if they do badly, we aren't only fair-weather­ supporters like so many of you seem to be, just look at­ your papers, always the next best hope. And your poor­ coaches and players, if they do well, they are heroes,­ if they don't perform, they have to go. There's­ a word missing from a lot of supporters (if you can­ call it that) of your teams, which is­ 'loyalty'. Look it up.
    And also, SA might get­ bad press all year round, and no, we're not­ perfect, but its our home, and we are proud of­ it.
    Saturdays game should be good, a lot of pressure­ both ways I think, the Bokke will probably rest the­ higher profile players for the tri-nations, just my­ guess though.
    But good luck to the Lions team, and GO­ BOKKE!

    From francois.roux, on Wed 1 Jul 4:49PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    is it big rich or little @#$%?

    From mike, on Wed 1 Jul 4:47PM
  5. Well said Big Rich... I think Lesley should go out and­ buy a tutu and find some fellow South Africans to dance­ with. This is a man's game, after all!

    From Ian, on Wed 1 Jul 4:44PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    arent all rugby fans sheep shaggers????? especially big­ rich haha

    From mike, on Wed 1 Jul 4:43PM
  7. and another thing...these guys taking it out on all the­ south africans, just remember...its two people not all­ of us. don't think for one second they will get­ away with this. they will get alot shiiiite coming­ towards them after this series is over.

    lesley r....in­ south africa you got people who dont know any better as­ there is no education out there, but in this country we­ cant even trust the people who are supposed to be the­ best of the best running the country so shut up you­ fool!

    From frikka4, on Wed 1 Jul 4:42PM
  8. Saturdays game is a non-event. We have too many­ injuries and no motivation to win. Series is gone, end­ of story. If Boks won first two tests it was always­ going to be 3-0. I think that's the saddest bit,­ really. Had the French ref been stronger and sent off­ Burger - as he surely deserved - Saturday would be the­ most awesome event for many years - to a Brit or Irish­ supporter for sure. Maybe the Boks would look at last­ World Cup final as being pretty big too ;o)

    As it is,­ all because of weak officials, we now have a non-event.­ Mind you, Dickinson is down to ref this Saturday, so­ the chances of a Lions win were fecking zero anyway! I­ am reserving all of my bile for cheating southern­ hemisphere refs... they are truly scum.

    From Ian, on Wed 1 Jul 4:41PM
  9. Ian you sheep shagger ! You dont know what your­ talking about ,get your facts staight !!! Now shut your­ mouth and get back to Baaaabbrrraaaaaa .

    From milesmcdonald, on Wed 1 Jul 4:39PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    big rich you are a nonce and leave lesley alone you­ prannock

    From mike, on Wed 1 Jul 4:34PM
  11. i see youre trying to pick on someone else...­ lesley...

    you need slapping down and just try to do­ what you threatened me with NONCE

    From mike, on Wed 1 Jul 4:32PM
  12. i am extremely embarressed about the whole incident. i­ am supposed to be chuffed as we won the series­ deservingly, but yet i can't as we have got a coach­ who goes on to drag our reputation for being one of the­ best disciplined sides, through the mud. how dare he­ spoil this moment for us.
    from the start everyone in­ the pub said it was gonna be a scrappy match and it­ was, with high tackles from both teams, but andrew­ sheridan punching another player in his balls is also­ very out of order. the game was such a good game and­ now no south african wants to remember this game...what­ an absolute shame.
    lets hope saturdays game will be a­ game that will give the series the finish it deserves.

    From frikka4, on Wed 1 Jul 4:31PM
  13. oh bigrich you muppet 17 stone 6ft 2 poof

    mouthed it­ off and ran away you queer..

    nobody states their size­ to try and threaten people... thats just BS.. bring it­ on poof and i will kick the living sheeite out of you

    From mike, on Wed 1 Jul 4:25PM
  14. I am a true Bokke supporter, what Schalk did is­ inexcusable. What the daft couch said is pathetic. He­ should get his act together. He is walking in the shoes­ af a mighty man, Jake White and clearly he is not up to­ it. B O D is an excellent player, yes, but as a team­ that were playing against eachother in the world cup,­ to now play together to try and beat the mighty Bokke,­ its ludicris. Yes they played well and yes both mathes­ were close but it was all couch's fault, he made­ bad choices. I say get him out. But long live the Boks.­ You beauty!!!!!
    As for the problems in SA, dont think­ its got anytrhing to do with this report. Any country­ in the world has their problems. Just yesterday a 82­ year old got stabbed in london????
    Once again - say it­ with me GOOOOOO BOKKKKEEEEE

    From wernmarti, on Wed 1 Jul 4:13PM
  15. o driscoil is a true champion

    From sugruejames55, on Wed 1 Jul 3:51PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Look,muppets.
    The game is over the test is lost the­ series is lost the lions were a dissapointment again­ shut up get a life move on go home learn to play rugby­ shut yer gobs go and see michael jackson in a glass­ coffin and get a ticket to disneyland same­ time.

    oh,and by the way,my comma button isn't­ working.

    From e=mc squared, on Wed 1 Jul 3:42PM
  17. Don't think BOD was fortunate not to be cited­ himself; he clearly went into the tackle with both arms­ out, to make a proper tackle - they just colided a­ split second, and with greater force, than anticipated­ which stopped him making the actual tackle. It would­ have been looked at and a decision made that he was­ attempting to make a genuine tackle. No case to answer.­ Also, BOD wasn't criticizing the gouge, nor the­ disgraceful shoulder charge by Botha on Jones. He­ would have, in my opinion, been dead right in doing so,­ but he was actually commenting on deVillers idiotic­ interview. So, both milesmacdonald and ruggers need to­ get their facts right (as BOD did) before they post any­ more stupid comments.

    From Ian, on Wed 1 Jul 3:05PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    O'Driscoll !!! This is all looser talk again, go­ home ! shut up !

    From milesmcdonald, on Wed 1 Jul 2:36PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hey BOD, for sumbody whom is xtremely 4tunate 2 b not­ cited 4 fowl play ur quite loud no? So my question­ is,was there not 1 of ur team members bannd for a week­ for SPEAR tckling and b4 the tour one of ur own team­ mtes indeed stayed at home for gouging? ze pot is­ calling ze kettle noir no?

    From ruggers, on Wed 1 Jul 2:30PM
  20. BOD is right to raise this issue. Should have been red­ card and would have been more than Eight weeks here-­ Neil Best got about 4 months. Also dubious penalty in­ both games- have oproved decisive

    T H

    From JOHN, on Wed 1 Jul 2:26PM
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