Stamp on the head by Dominic Robertson-McCoy

Did anybody see this on the weekend ? Dominic Robertson-McCoy stamped on the head of Josh van der Flier. I cannot believe that nobody has spoken about it on here, it was quite deliberate.

It will be interesting to see the outcome of this, I have not seen it been talked about on the news either, it was a deliberate cheap shot. we really need to be taking these nasty elements out of the game.

Check out @theblitzdefence’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/theblitzdefence/status/1046136860827955200?s=09

Video for you ld.

I am not on twitter, and I have seen the video, what are your thoughts about it 7&1/2 ?

Thanks for posting that 7.5. Copyright on the videos meant I had only seen a still. Not particularly following Pro14 (other than the scores and Cockers weekly whinge) I was not aware of this. I notice that JvdF has stated that there was no harm done, but this should not be taken into account. Nor should the fact that the Leinster man was illegally holding his foot prior to the stamp. It is a clear and deliberate stamp, delivered with a lot of petulance and quite some force. He is lucky that the recipient was not seriously hurt and imo should be looking at a top end ban.

The RFU recommendations (not sure what IRFU have) for upper end ban is an entry point of 12+ weeks with a maximum of 52. Even if time is deducted for a guilty pleas and good character, any ban that was not double digits would be a disgrace. Personally even with mitigation I feel this should be around the 26 week mark.

I think we can agree, with a degree of certainty that he knows exactly what he's doing and therefore should receive a lengthy ban for his actions. Case closed.

It was a cheap shot. VDF's head and neck were clearly visible and the prop was looking down at where he going to stamp with an unobstructed view. I don't think there were any other players in meaningful contact with the prop to such an extent that would have caused him to lose his balance. Also the stamp was with a relative forward motion, ruling out the argument of frenzied rucking at the breakdown.  I think it will be hard to argue down the length of ban.  Only reduction might be if that prop has an unblemished record so far in his career.

No place for acts like that in the game, will probably be made an example of.  We've all done stupid things on the rugby field.  This was dangerous and needs to be stamped out.

Part of me wonders if the prop stamped on the neck because that was exposed flesh while VDF was wearing a scrum cap to protect scraps to the head, did the prop deliberately go for the neck to inflict a more damaging blow

Cheap and nasty ld. As above damage caused by that sort of act doesn't come.into it. Should be looking at the maximum time he could get. In.other stamp cases there's been argument of mitigation over whether they've meant it and it's been on hands of ankles etc. Can't get away with it here surely?

He should get a nice, lengthy ban for that.

Someone in the comments mentioned a similar incident getting 7 weeks, that seems lenient to me but I can see it happening.

Only other high profile example I can think of was an AB(?) stamping on someone, can't remember how that went though.

Wow that's awful

Regardless of VDF's comments, that should be around a 12 week ban at the minimum

yappysnap wrote:Someone in the comments mentioned a similar incident getting 7 weeks, that seems lenient to me but I can see it happening.

Only other high profile example I can think of was an AB(?) stamping on someone, can't remember how that went though.

If it was an AB he probably got an apology from the opposition player for putting his head under his boot.

Matthew Rees got 7 weeks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXp9ArdneCg

Got 6 weeks, which i think is lenient.

6 weeks is farce for that.

All Scottish panel on the Disciplinary Committee, one of whom seems to be a poacher turned gamekeeper as she was once banned for biting

So they viewed it as a top end offence, but gave the minimum entry point for such an offence (12 weeks) then halved it because he said sorry etc.

The whole disciplinary system is a farce, not just this case, and something needs to be done. Accidents get bigger bans than deliberate foul play like this.

Seems a bit low for me.
Personally I would like to see the six weeks they reduced it by be suspended, then when his first six weeks is up and he resumes playing, if he gets carded for any act of dangerous play that suspended 6 weeks automatically kicks back in.
That way they would know they have to be on best behaviour or there sitting out another 6 weeks.

Hes not dat sorta playa, Soir...

Very lenient. World rugby need a much closer overview of bans to ensure greater consistency and to ensure they are appropriate.

6 week ban but only misses five matches as the nov international window comes into play. the committee could have banned him for 7 weeks, which would look a little harsher but still mean the same amount of fixtures missed.

But don't we always have these issues especially coming up to international matches.  There must be something that can be done were we can have an international jury system who can give the punishment and just have the "judge" to make sure it's fair process.  Or is that to hard to implement

Unless you are a certain prop you might have said "If I don't say sorry I'll miss the AIs and if I say I'll do it again I'll miss the 6N ......."

Some of these hits are disguised enough to cloud up the reactions - 'well I don't think he saw where his foot was' etc

But that there was blatant.  He just didn't seem to care about cameras or the obvious danger of so aggressive a stamp.

I think these blunt 'I-don't-give-a-schidt-about refs-or-camera' strikes should get the full punishment they deserve.  End of season...no training with team, no playing.  Blunt and cold, like the stamp.

See how that might change temperament when the length of layoff might endanger their very career.