Austin Healey slams rugby authorities over Schalk Burger
Former Leicester Tigers scrum-half Austin Healey has slammed the rugby authorities for their treatment of South African flanker Schalk Burger.
The 26-year-old Springbok will miss Saturday's third Test after picking up an eight-week ban for eye-gouging British & Irish Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald in Pretoria last weekend.
But that is not nearly long enough for Healey – himself no stranger to controversy – who also believes South African coach Peter De Villiers should be punished for apparently defending Burger's actions.
"Eight weeks? I got that for (once) throwing a punch," he said in his column in The Mirror.
"Concussion, a broken nose, stitches, a broken arm or leg, a fractured cheekbone even. These things occur in the course of playing this game but gouging doesn't.
"Gouging is a deliberate act. And it is absolutely and wholly unacceptable."
The 'Leicester Lip', a Lions tourist in 1997 and 2001 added: "When I played, I accepted the injuries and the physical battering I took, which means I will carry a certain amount of physical discomfort around with me for the rest of my life.
"But what I wouldn't accept then and I will not accept now is a deliberate act in which the outcome can be somebody losing their eyesight."
Healey was furious that De Villiers seemed to defend Burger in his post-match press comments by saying rugby was 'not ballet'.
"For Peter de Villiers, the Springboks coach, to make light of Schalk Burger's gouging of Luke Fitzgerald appalls me," he continued.
"For him to say that those who want rugby to be like ballet should go buy a tutu, is beyond belief.
"A few years ago, I got fined for bringing the game into disrepute, while on a Lions tour, for calling someone (Aussie lock Justin Harrison) a plank and a plod and an ape.
"So what are the ramifications of Peter de Villiers' outburst going to be? That's what I want to know. If I get fined £2,000 for calling someone a plank, how much is he going to get fined?"
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by Adam Partridge, Melton Mowbray
Thursday, July 02 2009, 10:39AM
“Richard,
I've been a member at tigers for 21 years now, so know that he'll be safe and will enjoy it. I've also played along side a few of the tigers players at county level in my youth so have played a bit. My point is that the game I love and enjoy seems to be going down a bad path with professional players being caught up with fighting off the pitch, taking drugs and now this on the bpith. I know these things happen in all sports and walks of life but it does make you think twice about introducing your kids to it. (I'll probably still bringing him as there are far to many good things about rugby to let a few bad apples spoil things - just don't like the way it's going)”
by Richard, Oadby
Thursday, July 02 2009, 8:51AM
“Adam,
Any argy-bargy and foul play tends to be directed at other players rather than people in the crowd.
Do bring your 4 year old along. He should be safe.”
by LM, Leicester
Wednesday, July 01 2009, 2:29PM
“In my experience of playing rugby at local level, acts such as gouging are treated with as much distain by the team mates of anyone doing it as they are by anyone else involved in rugby. I can honestly say that any person found doing anything like this in our team would be reprimanded by the club and the other players. Rest assured, local rugby is still a game for gentlemen!! It's a shame the South African team don't have the same morals.”
by Adam, Melton Mowbray
Wednesday, July 01 2009, 2:10PM
“As a player of the game I was disgusted by the act and by the aparent defending and the effective slap on the wrists punishment. there a alot of things go on off the ball in rugby but gouging is something I have never witnessed or experienced on the pitch. Burger should have been made an example of to all players and future players. As I now have two young childen who i had hoped would take up the game like i did, it makes me think twice when I see things like this. I was going to take my 4 year old to his first tigers game this season, maybe I should think again??”
by jonetty, wigston
Wednesday, July 01 2009, 12:41PM
“it will be swept under the carpet as is always the case. unfortunately SA have a coach that is in his position not on merit but on colour. SA's dont like him in the position either, so i am not bias. As Austin says, if a player can be find for name calling then a coach should be fined to diminishing the games true intent and allowing his players to know that he accepts such torrid acts of violence as part of the game. perhaps he should be removed and a law abiding coach installed.”