All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is upset with the "cheap shot" aimed at captain Richie McCaw in Saturday's 18-18 draw with Australia.
McCaw was involved in an incident with Wallabies flank Scott Higginbotham, who has been cited for illegally targeting McCaw's head.
Higginbotham appears before a a SANZAR judicial hearing on Sunday after being charged with kneeing McCaw in the head and then shortly afterwards headbutting him as a scuffle broke out in the 26th minute of the match.
His hearing will be held by SANZAR's South African judicial officer Jannie Lubbe.
Hansen revealed his frustration that McCaw was once again the victim of an alleged act of foul play and criticised the lack of protection his skipper was receiving from match officials.
"I saw the head-butt - it's another cheap shot," Hansen said.
"He seems to get them every week but everyone seems to miss them."
The All Blacks flanker was involved a similar offence during the Rugby Championship, when Springboks prop Dean Greyling was banned for two weeks for a forearm smash to his face.
McCaw said he expects the the judicial process to deal with the situation.
"It's on TV so it will get dealt with," he explained.
"It does get frustrating at times and annoying but there's not much I can do about it."
Hansen also expressed his disappointed with his side's an error-ridden display which blew their chances of a record-breaking run of Test victories.
"It was probably one of the ugliest games of rugby I've seen," he said.
"We're really, really disappointed, too many avoidable penalties, too many avoidable mistakes.
"But to play as poorly as we did and still manage to show the character and tenacity to get the draw was pleasing.
"It's not the end of the world but there's enough pain and hurt in the dressing room to make sure we learn the lessons from it."
Comments
Trader2 says...
Trinats now lets deal with your points one by one:
1. "McCaw is never on his feet for anyone to man up" - too stupid to comment on
2. "I'm sure if Higgers wanted to "Thump him" he would have. Higgers was looking for a little niggle and fire McCaw up (Obviously worked)" - Dumb Queenslander, it fired him up alright, Wannabies were in front, so yes it did work for the AB's.
3. "Maybe you should suggest a Richard Loe next time on Higgers !!!" - no time for Loe, he was a thug and had plenty of form before that Brisbane match, but jeez you had to trawl back a long time to come up with that. You would still have been a snotty nosed kid, probably still are.
4. "my point, like so many others on here, is that McCaw is no saint" - no yours and the others point was that it is okay to cowardly attack another players head because he is too good. We all know RM pushes the boundaries as any good No 7 will, when you find one you will understand.
5. "I never said I hated him, or that he wasn't a good player. You're the one with hate, and if you hate Australia so much why not go home ? pathetic" - Yes hate is a strong word, especially when used in a sporting context so will take that back, but the fact is you and others are so envious of RM's abilities that you excuse cowardly and gutless behaviour. I have probably lived in Australia longer than you, even married a Queenslander and once I got her out of there life has been great. There is just something about the Queensland "sporting" public - they are a feral lot.
5."Kearnsey may be a crap commentator" if you're a kiwi, He's a legend here." Agree, in his playing days and as I said he would not have stooped to attacking a players head while they were on the ground. And just ask him what he thinks about Queenslanders.
Posted 23:18 21st October 2012
7ton says...
leebok
Careful what you wish for. In the good old days of rucking the AB's were pretty good at it and you may find some of your own infringers being rapidly removed from the fray.
McCaw gets cheapshots because he is so damm good at the breakdown be it legal or not
Posted 22:13 21st October 2012
jmanngod says...
clearly, and there can be no case for disagreement. Higginbottom deserves a very lengthy ban from rugby. And frankly good riddance. The Aussies have been absolute tossers when it comes to McCaw. One realizes that it based out of pure envy... but still. A message needs to be sent.
Posted 21:38 21st October 2012
Mime says...
@ leebok I can only wonder what your comments would be if Mccaw had kneed a SA player. My gues is it would be calling for the Refs head.
Posted 21:32 21st October 2012
Ripzy007 says...
@TRader...don't worry about Kearnsy we all know he was a good rugby palyer but when he talks about 'smack Richie' he's the last one who should be talking about the niggly stuff, anyone remember Benazzi's first test match when he got send off, well Kearnsy and Fitszimon got knowcked out in the fist fight hahaha...Kearnsey by the French halfback (mind you it was a fair fight face to face) and Fitszimon got knowcked out cold by Phillipe Sella...so stop the BS and say the Aussies are tuff when they can not man up ...just saying
Posted 19:52 21st October 2012
Carpelone says...
McCaw is generally annoying if you are not a Kiwi.
This time I have to say that Higgers should have spared this. This is exactly what McCaw wants, in his race to sainthood. Saint soon!!!!
Posted 19:39 21st October 2012
Spartacus says...
leebok - completely agree. If McCaw got vigourously rucked everytime he got himself on the wrong side then he would have to think twice
Posted 19:22 21st October 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Saint Richie says what goes around comes around. And all this stuff comes around on him for some reason.
Posted 19:12 21st October 2012
leebok says...
Please protect Richie.. blah blah.. In the old days the ruck would ref itself. You transgressed you got a shoeing. These days He gets away with too much. Let the opposition rake someone if they are killing the ball. then we see how many games he finishes.
Posted 14:43 21st October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
McCaw is never on his feet for anyone to man up !
I'm sure if Higgers wanted to "Thump him" he would have. Higgers was looking for a little niggle and fire McCaw up (Obviously worked)
Maybe you should suggest a Richard Loe next time on Higgers !!!
my point, like so many others on here, is that McCaw is no saint.
I never said I hated him, or that he wasn't a good player. You're the one with hate, and if you hate Australia so much why not go home ? pathetic
"Kearnsey may be a crap commentator" if you're a kiwi, He's a legend here.
Posted 14:29 21st October 2012
daibok says...
It's RMs job to get away with whatever he can. He does this better than anyone else. Niggling him is fine. The Chiefs did a good job in Super Rugby. Cheap shots (Cooper, Rougerie, Greyling and now Higgingbotham) have no place in the game.
We all hate him when he is playing against us, even Kiwis I assume. This doesnt detract from our respect for a great player.
Posted 13:57 21st October 2012
Trader2 says...
Now @Trinats and all the other pathetic "we hate RM because he is so good" brigade suppose you are correct and the opposition wants to take RM out, let them be men about it and not aim for the head in a ruck. Thump him while he is on his feet and take the suspension which will probably be less than what will be handed out tomorrow anyway. It seems by your response on here that you are of the same cowardly and gutless ilk as the now two Aussies and a Saffa who have tried to sort out RM this season, says a lot about character (or lack of) of all you. Shame cos overall AB v Wannabie games have been largely free of that sort of stuff. Perhaps the Wannabies having been smacked around for the last 10 years or so are taking Kearnseys advice as heard on the Rugby Show this week when he was inciting a bit of the "smack Richie" scenario, however Kearnsey may be a crap commentator but attacking the head at the bottom of the ruck was not his thing, Higginbotham and the aforementioned twerps on this blog obviously didn't get it.
and @cuw3100 - well said both posts
Posted 13:09 21st October 2012
new_j4a says...
@cuw3100 the only known footage of RMcC throwing a punch is a short, sharp left hook (or was it a right hook?) aimed at the head of the idiot spectator who tackled the ref at Loftus. Was it a moment of weakness of a blow on behalf of all right thinking rugby fans....I think the latter.
Posted 12:45 21st October 2012
cuw3100 says...
@ Trinats2 : am sure u have watched many more RU matches between OZ v NZ. Could you tell me if there is any match/es where RM is attacked , when not on his back. MOst of the footage I have seen is when someguy flies in with a knee or an elbow or forehead. I would like to see some punches being thrown between RM and anyone ! (still remember Buck Shelfored )
Posted 11:49 21st October 2012
new_j4a says...
To be fair to @Toulousain, this was fairly mild if you put it in the context of French or Romanian rugby where eye gouging is excused. I thought Higginbotham had no serious intent to maim but was trying to provoke a reaction.....and he should be banned for 2 or 3 weeks at most including the headbutt. It's no secret that I think Joubert is a top notch ref (who gave a flawless performance at the RWC with only one error at 4:32), but I think that he missed the foul play by Ben Tapuai taking out Jane just before the KM penalty and SH v RMcC incident. @Trinats, with all respect (and CONGRATS on a fine performance!), RMcC was not offside at the ruck where KM was penalized for going odd his feet....not even close.
Posted 10:20 21st October 2012
melkdave says...
No exacuses it was a very cheap shot ,kneeing him in the head ,then when he reacts headbutting him,Higginbottom should have a quite lengthy ban imo,4-6 games imo,not weeks.
Posted 10:17 21st October 2012
golden_statenba says...
@Toulousain
Agree it is ridiculous. This was probably one of the most exciting games in the last few months and showed that even if it is a dead rubber whenever Australia and NZ play both team are not going to take it lightly.
That call from McCaw was fantastic and showed why he is such a great captain and how much he wanted to get that record. They did not get it but they have had an amazing run for me its not the end of the world. They have still not lost a game?
And Australia don't know if you a agree Trinats2 have guys there that really want to play and I hope they do well in the NH. I will be cheering for them.
The headbutt was not good but its rugby not chess. Im sure the IRB will sort it out.
Unfortunately in many sports the sideshow takes the focus more then the main event.
If we had no drama what would many people post about(as you saw from certain people in the Bryce story)
If it was all about the rugby we would all get on and thats not human nature!!!!! and equals less hits.
What will be will be
See you for the winter tests!!
Posted 09:18 21st October 2012
StunTheMullet says...
Rougerie should also be added to the list of unpunished cheap shot merchants.
Posted 09:01 21st October 2012
StunTheMullet says...
Higgenbottom must have read Sir Richies book and did a poor mans Quadestile to try and get him to take eye off ball.
Meanwhile as for the twats going on that Sir Riche somehow deserves to be assaulted again and again and again...
I bet these would be the same people squealing, on par with whining about Bryce Lawrence at last years RWC (while gloating about pistonwristedgibbon Barnes RWC 2007 effort), when their teams captain consistently gets headbutted, kneed and elbowed in the head and there is no citing and/or the punishment is a slap with wet bus ticket.
What needs to happen is a good 20 week ban then bet it will stop pretty quickly.
Should have started with Tuquiri or Waugh or Hartley or Powell or Quadestile or Greyling or Higgenbottom.
Posted 08:57 21st October 2012
Pietie says...
For as long as Saint MsCaw uses the 'other' side of offside line as his personal real estate, he will keep on receiving cheap shots as the referees are not protecting the other teams adequately. Live with it Hansen.
Posted 06:17 21st October 2012