Thuggery in game rears its ugly head

LAST year, there were only two red cards in the entire Super Rugby competition, but this year that number has already reached seven. And the tournament has just passed the halfway stage.

Sometimes red cards are erroneous, such as the one Bok and Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis received against the All Blacks in Auckland in 2013. On that occasion, the first of his two yellow cards was unjustified. The red card was rescinded from his record, but the damage to the Springboks was done as they slumped to a defeat.

But this season, it’s not only the obvious increase in red cards that have caught the eye, but the nature of the offences that led to them.

Du Plessis has received a red card this year for kicking an opponent. Blues lock Hayden Triggs threw a combination of punches that left Stormers’ Duane Vermeulen’s nose bloody. Jean Deysel kneed Matt Todd (Crusaders) in the back of the head to earn a second red in two seasons, and James Horwill’s swinging arm to the back of Paul Alo-Emile’s head was brutal.

The Sharks have had three red cards this season, with centre Frans Steyn sent off for a tip tackle against the Chiefs.

In total Steyn, Deysel and Du Plessis have been suspended for a combined 16 weeks. Considering that they are senior and experienced players, as are Horwill (Reds), Triggs and Chiefs hooker Hikawera Elliot, the crimes are more serious.

Such mindless offences could cost their team a place in the play-offs and millions in revenue. That kind of offence is like an employee deliberately undermining his corporation. And in rugby, costing a coach his job.

But even so, a leading referee said he did not think that these foul-play offences indicated an overall rise in thuggery.

“I haven’t noticed it in the games I’ve been involved in,” the official said.

Yellow card stats seem to indicate that he is right in terms of lesser offences, with 45 yellows issued in the first eight rounds this season. Last year, there were a total of 104 yellows, so at least in terms of more technical infringements the players seem to be cleaning up their act.