Lions 2013: James Horwill verdict means rugby union can never again claim the ...

Quite whether they adhere to it for Wednesday night’s second game of this

year’s State of Origin remains to be seen, but they fully realise what will

happen if they step out of line. These hard men of the footie code have been

put on the naughty step following a punch-up in game one.

“Ban the Biff” was the front-page headline that greeted news that the rugby

league authorities were cracking down after the bad publicity caused by the

dust-up. Rugby league used to pride itself on its macho roughness. Now it is

acutely sensitive to the need to capture hearts and minds of the young, or

of their mothers at any rate.

Rugby union, meanwhile, does not seem to care a fig. Horwill’s reprieve

creates a terrible precedent.

The case was dismissed because the judicial officer, Nick Hampton of New

Zealand, was not persuaded that Horwill had intended to kick Jones. The

hearing took well over three hours. Well, here is a simple truth heard many

times from players down the generations – they always know where their feet

are. Always.

They know where bodies are beneath them. And they certainly have an acute

awareness of where someone’s head is. There might be some repercussions yet,

with the International Rugby Board keeping a beady eye on developments.

Saturday’s first Test was an enormously high-profile occasion. It was hyped to

the hilt, and it delivered on that front, thousands descending on Brisbane,

many, many more tuning in to the TV footage from all corners. The

authorities cannot have it both ways.

If they want to promote the sport, to present it as vibrant, worthy and

appealing, then they have to set standards that matter. On Sunday night, the

disciplinary infrastructure collapsed.

Rugby often bangs on about occupying the moral high ground, particularly in

regard to that feckless lot in football. Never again can it peddle that

line. Never again can it pretend that it has high ethical codes of

behaviour. And never again can it claim that its system of justice is

equitable round the globe.

Once again there appears to be one law applied in the southern hemisphere,

quite another in operation elsewhere. There have been too many miscarriages

for it to be coincidence. Schalk

Burger and his alleged gouging of Luke Fitzgerald in South Africa

four years ago. The high, swinging arm of Wallaby centre, Nathan Grey that

took out Richard Hill 12 years ago.

Marius Bosman on

Doddie Weir in 1997, Tana

Umaga and his mates on Brian O’Driscoll 2005. Innocent of all

charges, m’lud. It stinks.

Blinkers on Down Under

The worldly view from Australia. Suncorp Stadium was packed to the rafters on

Saturday with 20,000 fans from overseas. The bars and restaurants throughout

Brisbane had been heaving all day long. The noise was deafening as the teams

emerged. And remained so. “So, Israel Folau, does that compare to State of

Origin?” the triple-code Wallaby was asked afterwards without a hint of

irony.

Yes, that is the State of Origin rugby league series played between the same

two states every year. Sometimes you can only shake your head.

Davies a true sportsman

The human touch. The adrenalin was flowing just before kick-off on Saturday.

Both teams were pumped and ready for action. Within 52 seconds debutant

Wallaby centre Christian Leali’ifano was out cold on the turf after his head

struck Jonathan Davies’s hip. The action moved on, yet Davies saw

immediately that his opposite number was in trouble, all spaced out with his

pupils staring upwards. Davies stayed with him and made sure the referee

called a halt to play. Good man.

Lions 2013: James Horwill verdict means rugby union can never again claim the ...