Meanwhile, at the Rugby....

[Spy Bee]

Correct, you don't play with your hands. But if you wanted to play for more than 2 weeks you had to be prepared to use them. Or be a very fast runner.

Yeah, I've seen cricket matches kick off over there.

[dickie mint]

And I think because of that second punch that there is a case for police involvement. It doesn't make your death penalty comment any less daft and very typically 'internetty'

 

So when's thatb certain footballer getting out of jail as he had form for a previous bite.

[JohnnyH]

So when's thatb certain footballer getting out of jail as he had form for a previous bite.

Dear God... I've nothing left in this conversation with you other then to sit here on my couch and pull a mong face.

[Stu Monty]

I think it's a bit rich that you are calling other people drama queens when you are the one calling for police involvement!

 

I'm just talking about the practicalities of the law being involved in sport.

 

Come on mate, it's not being a drama queen to say that someone smashing a semi-conscious guy in the face should be prosecuted. He really should. When they talk about setting an example it's usually some bollocks about a footballer swearing but this genuinely sets an example for the whole game.

 

A lad at our club got chinned at the footy, got his jaw broken and got the courts involved; rightfully so.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

I'm in the "He should be charged" club. 

[Spy Bee]

Come on mate, it's not being a drama queen to say that someone smashing a semi-conscious guy in the face should be prosecuted. He really should. When they talk about setting an example it's usually some bollocks about a footballer swearing but this genuinely sets an example for the whole game.

 

A lad at our club got chinned at the footy, got his jaw broken and got the courts involved; rightfully so.

So where do you raw the line Stu?

[dickie mint]

Dear God... I've nothing left in this conversation with you other then to sit here on my couch and pull a mong face.

 

I didnt think you'd have to pull the face.

[Trumo]

He should be made to play his next match wearing a tutu.

[cracko]

The police should only get involved if the guy who was punched reports the offence.

[lifetime fan]

It was a cheap shithouse shot.

[Anubis]

It was a cheap shithouse shot.

 

No. No. No. No. No. Ben Flower is from god-faring British stock. A stalwart Welshman. Not one of these dirty South American blighters, or swarthy Arabians out to enslave our women.

[lifetime fan]

No. No. No. No. No. Ben Flower is from god-faring British stock. A stalwart Welshman. Not one of these dirty South American blighters, or swarthy Arabians out to enslave our women.

Had a barney with the bird last night. She's a Welsh rugby (Union) player and surprisingly it was nothing compared to those nasty f**tballers.

 

She knows fuck all about f**tball but they're all diving pussies who also happen to be thugs. Rugby players are 'at least honest when they fight'.

 

You can't argue with logic like that. But being a bloke I did and didn't get laid last night.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Had a barney with the bird last night. She's a Welsh rugby (Union) player and surprisingly it was nothing compared to those nasty f**tballers.

 

She knows fuck all about f**tball but they're all diving pussies who also happen to be thugs. Rugby players are 'at least honest when they fight'.

 

You can't argue with logic like that. But being a bloke I did and didn't get laid last night.

My missus hates most sports, so I have an easy life on that front. She likes a good whinge when I drink too much though. 

[lifetime fan]

My missus hates most sports, so I have an easy life on that front. She likes a good whinge when I drink too much though. 

 

Had that one too.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Had that one too.

The missus hardly drinks either, she gives me leeway but obviously after years of abusing my body she is stepping up her campaign. Like I said to her...."You married me for the man I am, don't try to change me into something you see in a sloppy Hollywood film, it won't fucking work!" Plus I'm still a decent looking bloke and you are in your 40's now....didn't say that to her like. 

[lifetime fan]

Hahaha - the bird is four and a half years younger than me, I tell her I'll trade her in for an older sort who nags less.

[Section_31]

Always baffled me rugby. Likes to cultivate an image of being macho yet on nights out seize any opportunity to dress up as women, and japes and tomfoolery among some of our local clubs has included people being dared to stick Jack Daniels bottles up their arses.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Hahaha - the bird is four and a half years younger than me, I tell her I'll trade her in for an older sort who nags less.

My missus is 7 years younger than myself, it works well. 

[mattyq]

Always baffled me rugby. Likes to cultivate an image of being macho yet on nights out seize any opportunity to dress up as women, and japes and tomfoolery among some of our local clubs has included people being dared to stick Jack Daniels bottles up their arses.

I've spent 20 odd years playing rugby and have never come across people sticking anything up their arse in public or dressing as women...what they get up to in the privacy of their house is their own affair

I'm sure it probably goes on in the posher clubs but i've only ever played for normal teams

Re this Welshie Wigan player i think the police should get involved. Complete shithousery punching him on the floor when he was already out

[Lario]

Lucky he didn't bite him on the shoulder.

Or make reference to his race or ethnic background.

 

Wonder what the poor fucker would've preferred?

[Spy Bee]

I don't think he really followed through with the second punch. He didn't give it full throttle anyway.

[Lario]

I don't think he really followed through with the second punch. He didn't give it full throttle anyway.

 

Shur tis grand so.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Where the line is drawn is fairly straightforward, for me.

 

It's all about implied consent. Mistimed tackles, even being caught by a stray elbow in an aerial challenge, happen in football.

 

Players know this, and by taking to the field they implicitly consent to the above things happening to them.

 

It's when things which are so outside of the usual conduct and accepted rules of the relevant game occur that the question of taking the incident and punishment outside of the internal disciplinary mechanisms of the game needs to be asked.

 

The Suarez bite was a possible case, as was this incident. Both punches are shithouse, calculated, violent assaults and I'd have no complaints if the matter was dealt with outside the game, by the police, courts etc.

[Spy Bee]

So a professional foul would be classed as common assault? No attempt to play the ball, just a blatant physical assault?

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Technically it's an assault, if we wanted to be nitpicky.

 

But, in English law you can consent to assault provided the injury doesn't cause an injury which constitutes actual bodily harm or greater.

 

So, you implicitly consent to such an "assault" as a professional foul, with your taking to the pitch without expressly stating that you don't consent to being fouled constituting your implied consent to be assaulted in the way you've stated (technically a battery).

 

But nobody consents, expressly or implicitly, to be punched in the face and practically knocked out. It's so far outside the accepted rules of the game to be one of the things you implicitly consent to just by taking to the pitch.