Keeping in Line - Assertive or Aggressive behaviour?
Keeping in Line - Assertive or Aggressive behaviour?
If there's one thing A-Level Sports Studies has taught me, it's that there is nothing wrong with a bit of assertiveness on the field of play. However, recently fans and players alike have become accustomed to aggressive and foul play during the game. I quote, 'Rugby's a man's game' and 'you give as good as you get'! Although aggression when uncontrolled or with ill-meaning is brutish and in my opinion, occurring too prominently within the game.
On TV recently, Austin Healey argued that the Laws of physicality in the game should be altered to match those of Aussie Rules Football. He expressed that any retaliation from a player that didn't instigate the first punch, shove, or whatever should be allowed and go unpunished, as it's deemed to be 'self-defence', which is apparent in the AFL. Personally, I think Healey's opinions are quite rash, yet part of me, as a player, can see where he is coming from. What I think needs to be established are Laws or guidelines which will help Referees, Assistant Referees, Citing panels and the RFU take the appropriate action. If for example, Manu Tuilagi's punch on Ashton were to happen again you'd have to look at the intentions and violence shown by both parties. Through this you'd have to view Tuilagi's illegal tackle as the prompt for Ashton's shove, the tackle warranting a Yellow Card itself, whereas the shove, as fair retaliation on Ashton's part. As a result Tuilagi's three punches were thrown which eventually concluded in a ban . . . . and rightly so.
In Tuilagi's case he's obviously a young and inexperienced character and still learning how to control his anger. His original late hit was a likely result of built- up anger from the scoreline, refereeing decisions, or remarks on the pitch, however in some cases, players are seeming to be looking to injure their fellow colleagues, even though they're capable of channeling their anger in an appropriate manner. Recent events have seen Northampton's Calum Clark banned for 32-weeks for breaking the Tigers Hooker Hawkins' elbow, Dylan Hartley's 8-week suspension for biting Ulster-man Stephen Ferris' finger and John Afoa's dangerous tackle on Felix Jones leading to a 4-week ban. Other incidents like Ben Youngs' recent suspension after kneeing London Irish youngster Jamie Gibson, or Gonzalo Camacho's dangerous tackle on Worcester's Alex Grove at the weekend, (which so far has only warranted a Yellow), are more examples of the wavering professionalism of some players.
Neither I, nor other rugby enthusiasts can perfectly pinpoint what aggressive behaviour should or shouldn't be allowed. I mean, in some cases the odd scuffle brings an added edge to the game. Yet, the RFU and other bodies within the sport do need to start to analyse which behaviour is aggressive and which is purely assertive. I can't imagine next season there being a list of 'do's and don't's' with punching, biting, kicking, hair-pulling....(the list goes on), on the don't's and with shoving and shirt-pulling on the do's, because frankly it's all about context! What is for sure is that players who undertake severe violence such as eye-gauging, etc. receive severe punishment.
All in all, Rugby Union is a physical sport which will undoubtedly include the odd fracas between teams, players and even coaches, and should be allowed to continue in a similar vein. Although similarly, it's important to ensure that violence and aggressive behaviour doesn't become an everyday occurrence and that new generations of players are clear about what is acceptable.
Maybe the introduction of the White Card may help the Aviva, Pro12 and Top 14 respectively, like it's helped the Super Rugby? What are your thoughts and how would you go about doing things?
