Leicester Tigers' head honcho Geoff Parling was steaming mad during a pre-game face-off with TNT Sports presenter Craig Doyle. The heated moment, which unfolded before Leicester's clash against Gloucester at Villa Park, quickly escalated as a penalty kick stunt went awry, sparking controversy just before the Tigers dominated the field to secure a 36-17 victory and the Ed Slater Cup.
The drama kicked off when Liam McDevitt, TNT's rookie presenter and former footballer, was egged on by Doyle to make a penalty kick as a rite of passage. Aiming for a spectacular debut, McDevitt’s kick instead veered dramatically, heading straight towards the Leicester squad mid-warmup. Witnessing the potential danger, Parling lost his cool and confronted the presenters, barking at Doyle, “It’s not f***ing on, get off the pitch, it’s not f***ing on,” as he pushed the presenter aside. Doyle, taken aback, quickly apologized for the mishap and Parling's outburst.
Doyle, trying to smooth over the incident, admitted to the audience, “OK. Geoff is not happy about that. Apologies for the language. Geoff was understandably not happy about that,” as the camera panned back to a chuckling Brian O’Driscoll on the sidelines.
"Miserable Geoff Parling should not be swearing anywhere near TV cameras. Unacceptable on every level. Well handled Craig,"
The clip of the fiery exchange ignited debates across social media, with a divided audience either criticizing Parling's aggressive reaction or defending his concern for his players' safety.
Rugby pundit Paul Williams chimed in on the controversy, pointing out the faults on both sides, “They’re both in the wrong there,” he commented, “Don’t kick a ball at players who aren’t looking. Don’t be a d**k and push a TV presenter live on air.”
Despite the pre-match turmoil, Leicester Tigers showcased their prowess on the field, leading 22-0 within the first 15 minutes and eventually sealing the deal at 36-17. The victory not only honored Ed Slater but also reinforced Leicester's third-place standing in the PREM Rugby table. The day might have started with fireworks, but it ended with celebration for the Tigers.
2,100 posts
Leicester Tigers' head honcho Geoff Parling was steaming mad during a pre-game face-off with TNT Sports presenter Craig Doyle. The heated moment, which unfolded before Leicester's clash against Gloucester at Villa Park, quickly escalated as a penalty kick stunt went awry, sparking controversy just before the Tigers dominated the field to secure a 36-17 victory and the Ed Slater Cup.
The drama kicked off when Liam McDevitt, TNT's rookie presenter and former footballer, was egged on by Doyle to make a penalty kick as a rite of passage. Aiming for a spectacular debut, McDevitt’s kick instead veered dramatically, heading straight towards the Leicester squad mid-warmup. Witnessing the potential danger, Parling lost his cool and confronted the presenters, barking at Doyle, “It’s not f***ing on, get off the pitch, it’s not f***ing on,” as he pushed the presenter aside. Doyle, taken aback, quickly apologized for the mishap and Parling's outburst.
Doyle, trying to smooth over the incident, admitted to the audience, “OK. Geoff is not happy about that. Apologies for the language. Geoff was understandably not happy about that,” as the camera panned back to a chuckling Brian O’Driscoll on the sidelines.
"Miserable Geoff Parling should not be swearing anywhere near TV cameras. Unacceptable on every level. Well handled Craig,"
The clip of the fiery exchange ignited debates across social media, with a divided audience either criticizing Parling's aggressive reaction or defending his concern for his players' safety.
Rugby pundit Paul Williams chimed in on the controversy, pointing out the faults on both sides, “They’re both in the wrong there,” he commented, “Don’t kick a ball at players who aren’t looking. Don’t be a d**k and push a TV presenter live on air.”
Despite the pre-match turmoil, Leicester Tigers showcased their prowess on the field, leading 22-0 within the first 15 minutes and eventually sealing the deal at 36-17. The victory not only honored Ed Slater but also reinforced Leicester's third-place standing in the PREM Rugby table. The day might have started with fireworks, but it ended with celebration for the Tigers.