+- +-

+-Newcomers Start Here

+-Harlequins/Rugby Links


+-Articles


Author Topic: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"  (Read 826 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Fearless Fred

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 3776
Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 05:02* »
In this Guardian article
Quote
Paul Gustard, the Harlequins head of rugby, has called for rugby fans and pundits to think twice before they rush to condemn players on social media following controversial incidents. The Quins hooker, Dave Ward, was widely accused of stamping and spitting in their win against Wasps last Saturday but, ultimately, neither allegation resulted in a citing charge.

While Gustard accepts Ward was out of line for cynically treading on an opponent, an act described by the former England assistant coach as “pathetic” and deserving of a one-game club suspension, he remains irked by the modern trend for players to be instantly judged in the court of public opinion based on partial video evidence.

“He was convicted before he even had a chance to say anything,” said Gustard. “Before the game was over and he knew anything about it people were saying he spat and stamped on someone. There is no evidence of him spitting on anybody.

“In our country you are innocent until proven guilty. But not in this case; he was found guilty [on Twitter] by 5.30pm for spitting. Which he didn’t do, otherwise he would have been cited. He says he absolutely didn’t spit. If you have evidence that he is lying, prove it.”

Gustard, nevertheless, has since apologised on Ward’s behalf to both Thomas Young and the player’s father, Dai, Wasps’ director of rugby, for the hooker’s sly and deliberate attempt to irritate his opponent by stepping on him. “It’s pathetic and that’s why I banned him. It wasn’t a stamp, which is why he didn’t get red-carded, but it is not acceptable and there is no need for it. It is not behaviour I want to see. We have a duty of care to protect the game and the values of the club and I have to protect those values. I don’t want that in our club and the players don’t accept it either.”

Quins are also calling for the game’s disciplinary standards to be applied more consistently, with Gustard suggesting accusations of sledging made against some of his players tell less than half the story. “We talk to the referee, like every other team. Owen Farrell at Exeter the other week got done for backchat, Wasps were haranguing the ref at the weekend. How many times is Brad Shields in his face, is Dan Robson there, is Elliot Daly pushing people on the floor after? But we get singled out for it, which is unfair.

“We want to work towards being seen in a better light, myself included. I remonstrated with the fourth official and that’s me not under control, which I have to work at. But in terms of discipline, we only conceded seven penalties all game.”

England, meanwhile, have increasing back-row injury problems less than a month before the opening weekend of the Six Nations. Bath have confirmed that the flanker Sam Underhill needs to see a specialist after damaging ankle ligaments during Sunday’s 23-16 Premiership win over Leicester, in which his clubmate Mark Garvey also broke an ankle, and it is understood the former could be out for a minimum of four weeks.

Quins also say Chris Robshaw, sidelined since early October with a knee problem, will not make a competitive return to action before England’s Six Nations squad is announced on 17 January, although he has resumed light running.
Like Like x 1 View List

Gone

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 1708
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 07:04* »
Well said - and frankly those on here who said Ward spat by watching one super slo-mo camera angle where you couldn’t see where he was and where the player was should have a bit of a think.
Agree Agree x 5 View List

nowexnavyquin

  • Guest
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 07:36* »
Very well said, the way Wasps players and their former players have to gone on you would have thought they never did anything untoward on the pitch. Still no apology from Goode though, at least with Piers Morgan he will apologise once a year.

T-Bone

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 3106
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 10:08* »
Also the way people on here were adamant he stamped I found rather hard to understand, but we all see things differently I suppose.

I'm glad he's pointed out the double standards of them complaining about us being dirty and about Care, Marler and Brown constantly chatting to the ref, but there's been no mention of Carr, Faly, Shields, Robson, etc

Teddington Taff

  • Captain
  • *****
  • Posts: 119
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 10:57* »
Beautifully articulated and very direct in it's logic.

TomBuckQuin

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 1407
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 12:20* »
Ugo seems to have called Goode out on it too - Goode sticking to his "I'm entitled to my opinion" line - which of course he is. But he's neglecting the fact that Ward is a human being and should always be presumed innocent until proven guilty. He deserves no personal abuse - criticism in relation to him as a pro sportsman if found guilty would of course be justified but fanning the flames in the way Goode has without any real proof of guilt in the case of the spitting (and making tenuous claims of "proof" that form a bandwagon of abuse) is just not acceptable.

Twitter exhange with Ugo: https://twitter.com/AndyGoode10/status/1079727935857278976

Brown Bottle

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 3244
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 13:12* »
Well said - and frankly those on here who said Ward spat by watching one super slo-mo camera angle where you couldn’t see where he was and where the player was should have a bit of a think.

Well, he definitely spat. It may well have been entirely accidental as a result of him shouting "Prick!" or whatever and it may well not have hit anyone but it was quite clear.

Gone

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 1708
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 14:04* »
Well, he definitely spat. It may well have been entirely accidental as a result of him shouting "Prick!" or whatever and it may well not have hit anyone but it was quite clear.

Spitting on a rugby pitch isn’t offensive or an offence and nor does it make you morally bankrupt, dirty, etc etc.

Boonie

  • A Team Captain
  • **
  • Posts: 433
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 14:22* »
Well said, PG. Clear, and to the point.

DOK

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 3725
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #9 on: Thursday 03-Jan-2019, 22:41* »
Rugby players spit all the time. It's only an issue if deliberately aimed at someone.

deadlyfrom5yardsout

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 3838
Re: Gussy condemns "Trial by Social Media"
« Reply #10 on: Friday 04-Jan-2019, 09:49* »
WEll lets lets hope this little spit-spat is now over.
Funny Funny x 1 View List

 

+-User

Welcome, Guest.
Please login or register.
 
 
 

Login with your social network

Forgot your password?

+-Site Statistics

Members
Total Members: 1162
Latest: Marsi1e
New This Month: 2
New This Week: 1
New Today: 0
Stats
Total Posts: 119464
Total Topics: 6383
Most Online Today: 365
Most Online Ever: 4089
(Sunday 10-Oct-2021, 12:56*)
Users Online
Members: 22
Guests: 226
Total: 248