Jennings

[hugonaut]

Just because you did not see evidence, doesn't mean there was none. Also a player has no business putting
his hand on another players face.

Agree with the first part of your argument, but the second part is laughable – no hand-offs to the face, then? Are we playing Under-9s rules?

[FLIP]

Just because you did not see evidence, doesn't mean there was none.

And just because none has been shown doesn't mean there is any. Or are we going to go down the conspiracy route?

[Sea_point]

Absolutely makes a mockery of Hayes ban, if you consider that hayes was being pushed back but stil reached out to plant his boot on Healy's face.

The inconsitencies across the board are making a mockery of the sport. I don't agree with gouging and as a player myself never will, but I sill don't believe that Jennings made contact or indeed intended to make with Kennedy's eye specifically.

So how in future are they going to arbitrate on punches to the eye area, which every bit as risky in terms of potential damage as a finger in the general area, let alone a boot on the face.

Jeebus when you conside that Quinlan was quite deliberate and only Cullen fronting up for him saved him from the full punishment it mertited; Jennings has every right to feel aggrieved imo.

So this

is the same as Jennings did to Kennedy?
Bull-cr@p ERC...!

Of course it's the IRB that are seriously culpable in all of this farce, by not laying down stricter codes of practice for citings and punishments. The game is supposed to be ruled by one set of laws and regulations which currently seems to open to interpretation by each union...

I suspect that Leinster will press straight ahead with an appeal..........

[rookie]

Just because you did not see evidence, doesn't mean there was none. Also a player has no business putting
his hand on another players face.

Agree with the first part of your argument, but the second part is laughable – no hand-offs to the face, then? Are we playing Under-9s rules?

I would have presumed people reading my post, would have known what i meant, obviously not.

[red49]

So this

is the same as Jennings did to Kennedy?
Bull-cr@p ERC...!

.

yes it is ,take off the blinkers

[jezzer]

eejit

[Grumpy Old Man]

Pretty clear what happened here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mca2Rp4_uMk

Sorry Sarah, I still don't think that's very clear.

The bit where he puts his hand to Kennedys face and pushes away? That can't be it. There must be something else.

[Sea_point]

So this

is the same as Jennings did to Kennedy?
Bull-cr@p ERC...!

.

yes it is ,take off the blinkers

What blinkers, I've already been clear that as a Connacht supporter I have absolutely no allegiance to Jennings and I haven't forgetten his behaviour at the RDS against us either which was disgraceful and fully deserved a ban.

Still doesn't change the fact that Quinny was caught bang to rights as both TV and still captured. No such evidence exsits for Jennings, it's simply goal post shifting by the ERC.

To be honest the Leinster would probably be supported by the law if they decided to make a legal challenge to the validity of the punishment using retrospctive examples, rather than simpley appeal the decision back to the ERC. Significantly more costly obviously but it could force more consistent and even-handed application of the laws from the ERC/IRB in the future...

[papachino]

12 week ban... im sorry what????? i saw many replays of the incident, and saw no evidence of a finger in any part of his face... even Kennedy himself said he over reacted to it.
he pushed him in the face when Kennedy was holding him, that was about the extent of it!!

ERC need to get a grip on there punishments, 12 weeks is a ridiculous amount of time, 18 weeks for best was a ridiculous amount too, Hayes only got 5 weeks like, for a boot in the face very close to the eye... obviously it was an "ultra" Munster official who handed it down, they've been gaging to get us back for Quinlan and Hayes bans!

[fourthirtythree]

So this

is the same as Jennings did to Kennedy?
Bull-cr@p ERC...!

.

yes it is ,take off the blinkers

No it isn't, but that isn't the point:we're not talking about anyone elses ban e.g. Burger's ban was a joke. This isn't.

It's at the lower end of the rules, therefore it's appropriate. Pity for him. We must assume that the citing officer and then the committee saw something we didn't. But 12 weeks is the ban for the crime.
Suck it up and move on. Our back row is bare bones but we have no one to blame but ourselves.

[id@53]

Leinster Rugby Statement relating to ERC ruling... click here for the link

Leinster Rugby are surprised and extremely disappointed with today’s ruling even though there was clear evidence from the opposition player that the act was not intentional.

“The ERC Disciplinary Committee appears to have found that Shane Jennings was careless with his actions, which is a shock to us. Shane has an impeccable record and a strong leadership role within the squad as our vice captain and we will be appealing this decision.

“Leinster Rugby will not be commenting further until after the written report which will ‘be issued as soon as is reasonably practicable’ according to the ERC rules.

[CRAZYDAVE]

Pretty clear what happened here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mca2Rp4_uMk

Sorry Sarah, I still don't think that's very clear.

The bit where he puts his hand to Kennedys face and pushes away? That can't be it. There must be something else.

His right hand at the very start of the clip appears to have Kennedy by the skullcap. It looks as if that could be where the offence has been deemed to have occurred. The contact with the face afterwards wouldn't have warranted a punsihment that severe.

Either way, the ERC should publish/post the evidence it relied on. End of story

[papachino]

There trying to ruin his international carrier... hes the best, on form open-side flanker in Ireland atm!!!
theres no way Wollie can play international rugby next year, dont get me wrong, he could, but we cant afford to wait another year... Deco has gotta start building for the six nations this autumn, and for the world cup in 2 years!!

[CiaranIrl]

Leinster Rugby Statement relating to ERC ruling... click here for the link

Leinster Rugby are surprised and extremel they're y disappointed with today’s ruling even though there was clear evidence from the opposition player that the act was not intentional.

“The ERC Disciplinary Committee appears to have found that Shane Jennings was careless with his actions, which is a shock to us. Shane has an impeccable record and a strong leadership role within the squad as our vice captain and we will be appealing this decision.

“Leinster Rugby will not be commenting further until after the written report which will ‘be issued as soon as is reasonably practicable’ according to the ERC rules.

Glad thay are appealing, as unless there is other footage, 12 weeks is very harsh. Impeccable record may be a tad rich though. I'm a massive fan, but he is no angel.

[Sea_point]

12 week ban... im sorry what????? i saw many replays of the incident, and saw no evidence of a finger in any part of his face... even Kennedy himself said he over reacted to it.
he pushed him in the face when Kennedy was holding him, that was about the extent of it!!

ERC need to get a grip on there punishments, 12 weeks is a ridiculous amount of time, 18 weeks for best was a ridiculous amount too, Hayes only got 5 weeks like, for a boot in the face very close to the eye... obviously it was an "ultra" Munster official who handed it down, they've been gaging to get us back for Quinlan and Hayes bans!

Welsh solicitor Roger Morris adjudicated...



WRT the Leinster Statement:

Wouldn't be too sure about impeccable record, that is a bit rich though. He got out of jail after the Connacht game last season for clotthes-lining Frank Murphy from behind because the ML had left a huge number of loopholes which Leinsters legal team were able to take advantage off them (before they were closed off this season). It's not quite the same as having a clean record...

[nopeare]

So this

is the same as Jennings did to Kennedy?
Bull-cr@p ERC...!

.

yes it is ,take off the blinkers

No it isn't, but that isn't the point:we're not talking about anyone elses ban e.g. Burger's ban was a joke. This isn't.

It's at the lower end of the rules, therefore it's appropriate. Pity for him. We must assume that the citing officer and then the committee saw something we didn't. But 12 weeks is the ban for the crime.
Suck it up and move on. Our back row is bare bones but we have no one to blame but ourselves.

I agree we need to move on but i reckon that ban will be taken back a long way on appeal there is no way from the time given on other bans and looking at the footage and comparing it could be upheld. I think he might make one of the llanelli matches

[honeyec]

Jennings' ban is fair. For my money it's clearly a rake rather than gouging (the two are VERY different things), but the penalty is fair.

Having said that, it just makes it more apparent what a joke other recent "punishments" have been.

I think that's what's really sticking in most people's craw - the perceived unfairness of the ban in comparison to other, far more serious offences - Burger and Quinlan, specifically.

[TheThreeJays]

Jennings' ban is fair. For my money it's clearly a rake rather than gouging (the two are VERY different things), but the penalty is fair.

Having said that, it just makes it more apparent what a joke other recent "punishments" have been.

I think that's what's really sticking in most people's craw - the perceived unfairness of the ban in comparison to other, far more serious offences - Burger and Quinlan, specifically.

No whats sticking in my craw is the fact that the Hard On of the Year 2009: Gouging (he thanks his ma and da and fingers mainly) has been bought into by so many on this site. The holier than though 'well I played rugby and if I ever saw a hand wafting in front of my eyes I nearly cried and spent weeks out of work with the stress of it all' sh1te has really got my goat up. The letter that was apparently sent post Burgher is seen as a justification for this ban because clearly any hand near face is dangerous. It is rugby for christ sakes- lads hit each other hard and sometimes have an oul punchy punchy. Sometimes punches turn into hands on face and hands on gullet as said players push each other away. It is absolute c**kology too expect otherwise. Yeah I'm sure some will come back with 'well I once was playing for Terenure 8ths and a lad stuck his finger in my eye and it came out my arse- its really serious'. I've had a run around and never once saw gouging in the French poke the eye out sense. The IRB need to get a hold of themselves- not because of gouging- but because they have bought into this sh1te.

[toffblue]

I'm a big big fan of Shane Jennings and in partcular the passion he brings to the game and the Leinster team. But with so many incidents of gouging being picked up using tv evidence, you have to realise that if you go near the facial area - particularly if the opponent is in a prone position - you will get cited. I don't think the evidence is as damning as Quinlans and Burgers - but he has to foot up for being plain stupid.

Another comment on a different subject altogether - can I say congrats to the majority of posters on LF. MF has turned into an embarrasment for them and in particular their moderators for not stopping disgraceful comments about Leinster Fans, Players etc. Well done mods on this site as there seems to be less tolerance for that cr@p.

[honeyec]

No whats sticking in my craw is the fact that the Hard On of the Year 2009: Gouging (he thanks his ma and da and fingers mainly) has been bought into by so many on this site. The holier than though 'well I played rugby and if I ever saw a hand wafting in front of my eyes I nearly cried and spent weeks out of work with the stress of it all' sh1te has really got my goat up. The letter that was apparently sent post Burgher is seen as a justification for this ban because clearly any hand near face is dangerous. It is rugby for christ sakes- lads hit each other hard and sometimes have an oul punchy punchy. Sometimes punches turn into hands on face and hands on gullet as said players push each other away. It is absolute c**kology too expect otherwise. Yeah I'm sure some will come back with 'well I once was playing for Terenure 8ths and a lad stuck his finger in my eye and it came out my arse- its really serious'. I've had a run around and never once saw gouging in the French poke the eye out sense. The IRB need to get a hold of themselves- not because of gouging- but because they have bought into this sh1te.

Jeez, get off the fence, will you?!!!