When Tony Woodcock punched an Irish player in The Irish Test match on the recent grand slam tour an interesting sequence of events unfolded that was to the detriment of Rugby.
The touch judge reported seeing Woodcock being held back by an opposing player – whom Woodcock, in a minor brain explosion it must be said, punched. Woodcock was subsequently yellow carded, Ireland awarded a penalty, and since Woodcock was “sighted” and risked being banned further. Thankfully he got off this charge.
All because an Irish player cheated.
It seems ludicrous to me that nothing comes of the Irish player who was committing a professional foul. No talking to or warning from the referee, no penalty, nothing.
In fact he was rewarded for his professional foul through the penalty his team received.
Is this really the lesson we want Rugby players to learn? ie If you can cheat to the point of annoying an opposing player of cheating also, then you will not be punched punished?
I think an ‘initiation rule’ where the player offending is penalised, rather than just the player reacting is a much better idea. A better outcome last month would have been to yellow card both players – the Irish for committing a professional foul, and Woodcock for punching, and then award a penalty to New Zealand as the Irish player was the first to offend – ie ‘initiate’.
This is one easy way you could strongly discourage negative play, especially ‘off the ball’.
…I also cynically wonder if the touchie would have intervened on the professional foul he viewed by the Irish player were it not for the punch?
