Lions 2009 - Row escalates over Burger gouge

Eurosport - Mon, 29 Jun 10:09:00 2009

Springbok flanker Schalk Burger should not even have been given a yellow card for gouging the eye of British and Irish Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald, South Africa coach Peter de Villiers said, while the Lions feel he should have been sent off.

RUGBY South Africa's Shalk Burger during the 28-25 Test win over the British and Irish Lions in Pretoria - 0

"I don't believe it was a card at all," De Villiers said after the Springboks won the second Test 28-25 on Saturday to clinch the series.

"In the first minute already there had been a lot of needle and if you watch the whole game you will see how many yellow cards they were let off."

Burger (pictured) was yellow-carded in the first minute after referee Christophe Berdos consulted with assistant Bryce Lawrence.

Television replays showed Burger made contact with Fitzgerald's eye with one of his fingers.

"This is sport, this is what it's about," De Villiers said. "If things were clear-cut then we shouldn't even bother preparing for a game. Everyone is entitled to their opinion."

Burger, a former IRB player of the year, has been cited for the offence.

"I felt a hand going for my eyes," said Fitzgerald. "If the referee decided to take action then it probably is a red card."

The South Africans trailed 16-8 at half-time but won the game thanks to Morne Steyn's 55-metre penalty on the final hooter.

Morne Steyn, a local hero at Loftus Versfeld after kicking the Bulls to the Super 14 title, was playing his second Test and had come off the bench in the 61st minute after Ruan Pienaar and Francois Steyn had missed four out of five kicks.

"Now I know how Victor Matfield (the Bulls captain) feels every Saturday," Springbok captain John Smit said. "But Morne showed huge temperament to take that pressure in just his second game. I was happy to see him taking the kick after the damage he did in the Super 14."

Smit, who has played 83 Tests, said losing Burger so early had been a big blow.

"I don't think we've ever had a worse start - 10-0 and a man down in the first 10 minutes. It was an uphill battle from the word go and it was a matter of character."

Smit said he had spoken sternly to his team in the half-time break.

"There were firm words at half-time - like 'Wake up!' - but happy words at the end. It felt like we were climbing uphill all the game and we just needed to get some front-foot ball going."

Smit said the Lions had been a far greater force than in the first Test in Durban, which the Springboks won 26-21.

"It was a colossal test - the ante was really upped this week after last weekend didn't really live up to all the hype. This game lived up to it for all 80 minutes and the Lions really brought the game to us. This was a far bigger test than last week and it was a big step up in physicality and intensity."

Reuters

Comment 75 - 94 of 94

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  1. To Those Stupids who boast about winning the ANGLO-­ BOER war, how is 37-40 000 farmer/horsemen against 140­ 000 fresh troops from all over the British Empire fair­ odds? Kitchener stopped the Boers supply lines by­ torching farms over the heads of women and children and­ sticking them in concentration camps the coward! He was­ Hitler's inspiration. (The Boers the name is­ farmer not soldier) had no fresh men, but held out­ against the British Empire 1899 - 1902 with a couple of­ large cannon and Rifles. The Brits and those who fought­ for them, had the latest military hardware and still­ got a mauling, it was what was being done to their­ families and farms, that made them surrender, not the­ British Tommy.
    What S. Burger did on Saturday, would­ have angered many of the Boers of over a century a go.­ Please note, I have British parents, but I am so glad I­ was born in South Africa, for all the foolishness that­ led to apartheid. Afrikaaners mean what they say when­ they say we love and can't leave Africa, the will­ be a courageous part of South Africa's the ones I­ met were straight- talking generous and honest, two­ Afrikaaner girls saved my life they nursed me around­ the clock, for many days. I owe them my life.

    From Mark Julian, on Tue 30 Jun 6:26PM

  2. Here's a challenge to South Africans: you can beat­ the Lions, but can you write "I love the British­ & Irish Lions" 1000 times beneath a portrait­ of the Queen and Bono?

    Let's see how tough you­ really are!

    From Concerned Anglo, on Mon 29 Jun 10:09PM

  3. What a fuss. The truth is there is nothing between­ these teams. The Boks have managed to win twice but it­ couls as easily have been the other way around. All­ this talk of 14 v 15, bans etc is just a distraction­ from what was a great confrontation. Burger suffered by­ not being streetwise enough and engaged in foul play in­ front of the linesman. O'Driscoll lost his head and­ suffered a self inflicted injury. Its all swings and­ roundabouts at the end of the day and winning at all­ costs is the price of professionalism, just look at the­ antics of soccer players. Lets get real, rugby players­ live on the edge and get away with what they can to get­ an edge.
    A show down in the third test would have been­ a mouth watering prospect for any true rugby fan. But­ lets face it, the series is lost and the third test­ will be about just going through the motions with the­ Boks no doubt eking out another win. C'est la­ vie-lets just enjoy the rugby.

    From waynespilsbury, on Mon 29 Jun 3:55PM

  4. I can't believe that in over 90 there­ is hardly a­ mention of the real reason the Lions­ lost and not drew­ that game. 2 actions by a rattled­ emotional player,­ step forward Mr O'Gara, well­ known fact if­ O'Gara is over emotional he has a bad­ game.

    With­ only 45 seconds left on the clock and in­ possession­ inside the Lions 22, he had the oftion to­ put his­ dependable boot behind the ball, find the­ stands­ inside the Springboks half, run the clock down,­ take­ the draw move on to the next match.

    Instead­ high­ ball which was too short, knew he had no chance of­­ getting the ball (O'Gara is no Kearney), made no­­ attempt and gave away the penalty.

    Should the referee­­ have taken charge of this game as his­­ "profile" debut - YES, had a good game, just­­ wasn't helped by the touch judge who passed on the­­ decision over the card (poss the reason he was TJ not­­ refereeing) to the referee who hadn't seen the­­ incident. He had a clear view and ALL referee's/TJ­­ know, contact with the eyes is red card, not on advice­­ it is at least a yellow.

    However it was an amazing­­ game which will live long in many peoples minds -­­ atleast until the next amazing game.

    From gerwyn t, on Mon 29 Jun 3:46PM

  5. 74. any team that plays rugby in South Africa knows­ they are in for a battle.
    How many of their team are­ going tobe taken off with an injury, after the usual­ thuggery of the Boks.
    No skill or flare just thugs.

    From t.reekie, on Mon 29 Jun 2:55PM

  6. South Africa won the series because they were the­ better side over the two games, and that is from a­ Lions and England fan. Burger's action were­ dispicable though. Any player who intentionally goouges­ should be banned for a least a year. That kind of play­ has no place in rugby at any level and should be­ stamped out, with the offenders banned for long­ periods. South Africa are a good side without resorting­ those tactics.

    From Robert, on Mon 29 Jun 1:51PM

  7. Kameni, where are you writing this horseshit from. It­ had better be SA because if it's not you are guilty­ of the greatest hypocracy of all time. Goughing a­ man's eyes when he is lying on the floor is neither­ brave nor hard, it is cowardly and should have brought­ about a 12 month ban. Forget the personality, had it­ been Fitzgerald on Burger I would be saying exactly the­ same thing and you can guarantee that Mcgeechan would­ have sent him home on the next plane. As for PDV, well­ nothing can excuse his illeducated response, it sums­ the man up - moronic !

    From BigRich, on Mon 29 Jun 1:46PM

  8. Lets all calm down here a bit. Yes there were a few­ doggy things happening but we have witnessed one of the­ best games in years. Pity the Lions lost their props­ and their midfield but thats life. If the roles were­ reversed I as a Lions supporter would be delighted with­ the win but it did not happen. Congrats to the Boks,­ pity some of your supporters are so arrogant

    From John, on Mon 29 Jun 1:02PM

  9. Hallo Chaps....

    Schalk was wromg end off... However I­ don't think Bakkies Botha should have been banned,­ he proves to me that the Lions as good as they are, are­ not men but women when it comes to the physical game.

    From John, on Mon 29 Jun 11:28AM

  10. Brits and Irish, the Lions are a legendary, pure and­ simple. It was amazing to be at the game on saturday,­ what an atmosphere. Cant beleive the cr$p my so called­ countrymen have written on this blog. Embarrasing­ muppets to say the least. In fact, sitting in the­ stands listening to the even more nonsense and reading­ these blogs confirm my saddest suspicion that many­ South African, our coach included have no idea about­ the honour of rugby. They are just "sitting in pub­ watchers". There is no respect for the game and­ spirit of the greatest sport on earth. Please dont­ judge all South Africans by their sad behaviour. Cant­ wait to welcome you lot back in 12 years time....

    From Mark, on Mon 29 Jun 10:48AM

  11. Comment 82 "Kameni". He was only yellow­ carded you @#$%, thats only 10 mins in the Sin Bin. So­ you can't really say it was 14 vs 15. Did you even­ watch the match, do you know the rules?

    From dannyboy, on Mon 29 Jun 10:44AM

  12. ­
    What Burger did was inexcusable, cowardly and in no­­ way is it part of the game. What South Africa coach­ Peter de Villiers said was also wrong and inexcusable.­ It is never right to try and blind, or­ 'disable' a person in a sporting game. As­ Head Coach D.N.R.F.C. said "Rugby is about­ honesty, respect and courage".­ Burger and de­ Villiers showed none of those attributes. SHAME ON­ BOTH. THEY HAVE BROUGHT SHAME ON SOUTH AFRICA rugby.

    From Ivan F, on Mon 29 Jun 10:27AM

  13. well i have just seen a terrible shoulder charge from­ O'Drisscoll and then sheridan punching Becker in­ the balls in 62nd minute how come no citing, i just­ don't think the south africans care about that they­ just get on with it, i think maybe its time for Brits­ to stop playing scary games , play darts and eat pies ,­ go to the pub and attack someone from behind , thats a­ better idea.

    From king penguin, on Mon 29 Jun 10:26AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Greenstandard and all you Pommie whiners, Burger was­ sent of in the 10th minutes, South Africa was trailing­ 0-10. So 14 Boks beat the Lions 15. About Burger's­ action, it is always the person who retaliates who is­ caught and punished. A man who retaliates instantly and­ instinctively is an hones man, who takes no sh.... .­ Ask Zinidine Zedan, they could be brothers. Likewise­ you do not insult Burger and walk away. He will and did­ settle the score. Burger should be knighted for showing­ you Brits that one does not capitulate on one's­ values and old British fairplay standards.Let's­ face it, you Brits just do not know what the old­ British standard means, BUT, it is alive in the­ colonies!

    From Kameni, on Mon 29 Jun 9:34AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    NeilM,after the Brits had killed 40% of South African­ women and children in concentration camps, burnt down­ all the farm houses and killed all live stock and­ piosoned water wells,the Afrikaners surrendered.You can­ be proud that the Brits won that war. The Boers were­ outnumbered 10 to 1. Now, let us compare the two­ countries since then, only one item.You have lost your­ motor car industry through stupidity.In south Africa we­ have been manufacturing every car make under the sun,­ the only country in the world to do so - We are­ industrialised, you speak Hindi and @#$% - in South­ Africa we speak English. Where is your achievement you­ dumb fool? And we kick @#$% in rugby. Are you the world­ champions? Burger is a repeat of Zinidine Zedan,stop­ whining. The last Lions team that was worth anything­ was 1972 WillyJohn McBride, I saw them. You know how­ they did it? With ball skill and taking no nonsense.­ Just like the present Boks. Go figure.

    From Kameni, on Mon 29 Jun 9:15AM

  16. neil m,

    i should learn some history before you go­ making statements like that. the boers spent most of­ the war(s) severely whipping the brits' butt and­ scaring them sh*%^less. spion kop or majuba mean­ anything to you? the boers lost because outnumbered.­ not man enough? dont make me laugh. dont take my word­ for it. read thomas pakenham's excellent book. as­ for having to speak your language, I didnt know they­ spoke afrikaans in surbiton.

    From kdanie, on Mon 29 Jun 9:12AM

  17. They lost, they could have won both tests but did not,­ time to move on and work to ensure that next time they­ do win.

    From tomjcrowley, on Mon 29 Jun 9:04AM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    oh and GregJuan - if that comment was aimed at myself­ please explain what a colony racism card is? I am­ stating a fact as per below. You lost the war to the­ British and and because you were not man enough to beat­ the us, subsequently, you now have to speak our­ language . Simple as that. Where is the racism in that­ statement? please elaborate?

    From neil, on Mon 29 Jun 7:40AM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    As per my comment 55 - Saffa's - ask yourselves why­ you have to speak English to this day - it's­ because you got you arses kicked by the British in a­ real war because you were too @#$% to beat us.

    From neil, on Mon 29 Jun 7:31AM

  20. 68 & 74...
    You boys have never played rugby in your­ life. You're the type of people who become­ 'experts' when a game is shown in the pub.­
    What Burger did was inexcusable, cowardly and in no­ way is it part of the game. People like you little­ boys, who don't play rugby, think it's a game­ for thugs where the wimps are to be smashed. How wrong­ you are.
    Rugby is about honesty, respect and courage.­ Reading your comments, it seems you boys have none of­ these attributes.
    Why don't you both piss off to a­ football forum?

    From Head Coach D.N.R.F.C., on Mon 29 Jun 5:17AM
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