Mark Reason joins Hore Condemnation

An Article by Mark Reason

For two days the world waited for Andrew Hore, Steve Hansen, Richie McCaw, Steve Tew or even the bloke who carries the bags (you're so vindictive Mark - leave the poor porters alone) to apologise for the All Black hooker's unprovoked (sorry Mark but he was found to be running interference)  assault on Bradley Davies.

When Adam Thomson took it upon himself to stand on Alasdair Strokosch's head, All Blacks rugby reached for the euphemism.

The old melon, the bonce and the noggin had all got a bit of a scrape but there was apparently no malice in Thomson's calculated decision to stamp on another human being's skull (thanks Mark - I thought it was his head - sorry it is your rant so continue please)

The real villain of the piece was a Welsh rugby writer called Stephen Jones and the real victim was New Zealand rugby, which again was the unfortunate casualty of a media beat-up.

You do wonder if New Zealand rugby will ever learn how decent society behaves. (hahahahahahahaha thanks Mark, we were waiting for you to teach us) When Dean Greyling (here is a member of the "decent society") disgracefully assaulted McCaw, the Springboks leadership reacted immediately. Coach Heyneke Meyer publicly called the attack "unacceptable" and said: "I want to apologise to Richie McCaw." Captain Jean de Villiers said: "We'll never condone playing dirty" and promised to take action.

But all we have had out of Hansen so far is evasion. Initially Hansen wasn't sure if Hore "clocked him but he certainly hooked him out".

A little later he said: "It looked like he was trying to clean out the Welshman in front of him It's unfortunate that it's happened." Then Hansen said: "I am just resigned to the fact that he will probably get cited . . . think they think we're thugs or something but we don't play differently to anyone else."

We should be thankful that Hansen is no longer a policeman. He would have presumably let Charles Manson off with a caution. (this is hearsay Mark - Hansen would have been too young when Charles Manson was in his heyday)

The All Blacks coach, like many of his predecessors, clearly suffers from Arsene Wenger (Arsenal Soccer Coach - what??????) syndrome, an unfortunate irritation of the optic nerve that causes temporary blindness when watching your own team.

The world accepts that rugby has always had its thugs. Martin Johnson and Danny Grewcock got up to some revolting things on a rugby pitch and many of the English press excoriated those men and their actions (I thought you just said these were the members of decent society) But the world does not accept the code of silence that has pervaded the All Blacks and a supine part of their media for far too long (hahahahahahahaha too funny Mark - why don't you just stick to advising Deans how to teach the Wallabies to play running rugby?)

It is this reaction that continues to gall the rest of the world. The recent list of All Blacks shame is a long one ( and of course the Wallabies are angels) - the Canterbury front row deliberately beating up the 71 Lions, John Ashworth tearing open JPR's face with a double stamp, Richard Loe's assault on Paul Carozza, Jamie Joseph wrecking Kyran Bracken's ankle, Keven Mealamu and Tana Umaga smashing Brian O'Driscoll's shoulder.

These acts are bad enough, and other nations have similar shameful incidents in their rugby history, but what really grates is the consistent lack of a full and proper apology.

Steve Hansen talks of taking ownership, but when has New Zealand rugby ever taken ownership of these acts of violence? These players are national folk heroes just like Colin Meads, the daddy of them all. (hahahahahahaha the daddy of them all)

If there was any hysteria, it was caused by shock at New Zealand's collective failure to say sorry for what constituted common assault (I thought Davies got punched for deliberate interference?)

Good on the many callers in to talkback radio who have condemned Hore's attack on Davies, but the delay in a similar condemnation from either the All Blacks management or the NZRU shows how out of touch these people still are. (we never heard of the ARU or Deans or Cooper or Higginbottom appologising for Cooper and Higginbottom maliciously kneeing McCaw in the head or Michael Bray appologising for the million punches he threw on Frank Bunce)

The nation may be growing up, but New Zealand rugby is still behaving like the child who won't own up.(you and the Wallabies should look in the mirror Mark Reason)

How glorious it would be if Tew, Hansen, McCaw and Hore faced the world's media and apologised to Bradley Davies. (how glorious it would be if the ARU / Deans / Cooper / Higginbottom / Michael Bray did the same)

How glorious it would be if Joseph was told to strip Hore of the captaincy of the Highlanders. (why? are you paying his salary?)

How glorious it would be if the law in this country decided to prosecute rugby players for assault.(bring it on - I'll give you my list of Wallabies offences)

Is that really all so far fetched? Together we could make it happen. (YES WE CAN MARK REASON - LET'S START WITH THE WALLABIES)

Hakwa you might have forgotten these incidents......but there was that big flank of theirs, Finnegan if memory serves, standing on the head of the opponent. There was a dirty bugger, who had to stand back for nobody in the foul play stakes.

But even worse, when Rassie Erasmus had legally harrassed Larkham so badly in a key TN match, that the Aussie tournament hopes were fading.....they sent on Matt Cockbain to literally beat him up. Which he did with Rassie pinned to the ground in a ruck....Rassie emerged dazed and bleeding. It should have been a red card, but of course nothing was called.

What was so ironical was Larkham always accused the Boks of dirty play......hypocrites these Aussies.

Hakwa

Just one question - I know that Hore is playing for the Highlanders - is Thompson also in their team?  

They have also contracted Thorne - not an angel of clean rugby either.    If there is a combination of three culprits together in that team - I forsee serious problems in the disciplinary side for the team.    Hope they are under strict orders to behave or there will be some serious diffiulties for the team m in the next 8 months - reputation is a bad liability and could end up badly.

Whomsoever live in glass houses should not throw stones.   The Aussies have produced some really nasty specimens playing rugby and I would keep dead quiet about issues like the Hore incident - it can backfire badly on them.    There were also some really bad guys playing for SA - but they at least got deal with harshly by the authorities and the  general public - unfortunately not always, but in most of the cases . 

hey Mike and Mozzie,

I don't think Thompson will be playing for the Highlanders next year - he is either going to France or Japan!

Totally agree with  he who lives in glass houses shouldn't be throwing stones.

Yeah Finnegan and Matt Cobain are 2 of a kind! There are a few others!

Nah, the baby killer is guilty .............that blow delivered to the poor fella's temple could've resulted in brain damage........... do the crime, do the time ( which the neanderthalian won't ) seeing that the Highlanders have three pre-season fixtures scheduled .

Well done Mr Reason, about time the ABs were reminded to mend their errant ways .

 Hi blobbok welcome to my blog - yes Hore is guilty, yes Hore is sorry for what he did, yes Hore contacted Davies to say he is sorry for what he did, yes Hore is doing time for what he did.

BUT NO, that blow could not have resulted in brain damage as wide angled BBC footage clearly shows that Davies had no brain to begin with.