Fuming Blues boss hits back at cheating ‘insinuations’ after suggestions defending Super Rugby Pacific champions tried to ‘manipulate’ the system
Blues team in a huddle after Super Rugby Pacific victory over Hurricanes and head coach Vern Cotter.
Blues head coach Vern Cotter has hit back after there were suggestions they tried to manipulate the HIA protocols during their victory over the Hurricanes.
The Auckland outfit claimed their first win of the season at the weekend – a 33-29 triumph in Wellington – but it did not come without controversy.
In the 79th minute, replacement scrum-half Sam Nock went down with what appeared to be a leg issue, but the Blues insisted that he had suffered a head injury.
As a result, they looked to bring All Blacks nine Finlay Christie back on but, after the independent medics reviewed the situation, it was decided that Nock did not need a HIA.
All Black prevented from returning
Christie was therefore prevented from returning to the field with Corey Evans instead coming on and Beauden Barrett shifting to scrum-half.
Accusations then surfaced that the Blues tried to ‘manipulate’ the system, but Cotter insisted that Nock did sustain a head injury.
“Rugby doesn’t need it. This Super competition doesn’t need it,” he said.
“First and foremost, let’s be really clear about it – rugby doesn’t need the insinuations that have come out following the incident, and people need to research the information fairly clearly before they start making them.
“That was just a head knock. Our doctor saw a knock and felt he (Nock) couldn’t stay on the field. We still had somebody else on the bench, and had to go through the process with the doctor.
“I think it’s all been outlined very clearly in the media since through the commission and the competition.
“It was just one of those things. It was safety of the player first, as we always know, and was a genuine incident.”
No action from Super Rugby
Super Rugby Pacific released a statement saying all the protocols had been followed correctly and that no action would be taken against the Blues.
Cotter revealed that they have been in contact with the Super Rugby commission and have received clarity over the situation.
“It went through them,” he said. “There were questions around the integrity of our doctor, and that’s a little upsetting. There was some clear straight-talking communication following that.
“We were communicated that there was a head knock, and through a head knock or foul play you can replace a player.
“So was it foul play or a head knock? Our doctor estimated it was a head knock, so we had to go through a process, we went through it, and when they reviewed the footage, some people changed their mind.”
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