All Black hooker Andrew Hore has been cited for the attack that knocked out Bradley Davies and put the Welsh lock in hospital for further assesment. New Zealand won the game 33-10 but perhaps should have played it with just fourteen on the park.
Hore’s swinging arm on Davies happened just 30 seconds into the Millennium Stadium Test match, but wasn’t spotted by referee Craig Joubert and his assistants, Greg Garner and Jerome Garces.
At this stage in Test rugby, the Television Match Official isn’t allowed to be used for foul play incidents, so Hore was free to play on. If the TMO was called upon, you’d think that New Zealand would have been one player down for 79 minutes of the match.
“Bradley has gone down in a heap. The unfortunate thing for us is they’re going to admit him to hospital. He’s a bit like 10-second Bob at the moment. He doesn’t quite know where he’s at. Fingers crossed he recovers but he was a big loss for us, particularly early on,” Warren Gatland reacted.
“From the initial look at the video, Bradley’s been hit from behind and he’s gone down. Whether it’s a swinging arm… you don’t usually associate the All Blacks as a side that resorts to cheap shots. I hope that’s not the case. I hope it’s just an accident.”
Hore is likely to receive a big suspension, particularly in the wake of Adam Thomson receiving a one week suspension for a boot on the head, which was seen as lenient by a lot of rugby fans.
The minimum entry point for striking is two weeks, five for mid range, and eight plus for more severe. With the All Blacks facing England next, chances are Hore won’t be taking part.
The 34 year-old will face a disciplinary hearing of which the date is yet to be made public.
Davies has been ruled out of Wales’ next match against Australia after suffeing severe concussion.
– Do you think the result would have been different if Hore had been red carded?
– How lengthy a ban do you think he should get?
– Should Davies have been penalised for obstructive running?
UPDATE: Hore has been suspended for 5 weeks.
Credit: BBC and Scrum V
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