Players.bio is a large online platform sharing the best live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, Golf, Rugby, Cricket, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, plus the latest sports news, transfers & scores. Exclusive interviews, fresh photos and videos, breaking news. Stay tuned to know everything you wish about your favorite stars 24/7. Check our daily updates and make sure you don't miss anything about celebrities' lives.

Contacts

  • Owner: SNOWLAND s.r.o.
  • Registration certificate 06691200
  • 16200, Na okraji 381/41, Veleslavín, 162 00 Praha 6
  • Czech Republic

Bismarck backs safer rugby rules but takes umbrage with 'soccer style simulation' after sin-bin

Bulls hooker Bismarck du Plessis took a dim view of the "simulation" that appeared to get him yellow-carded for a perfectly legal, arms wrapped clean-out on Ulster No 10 Billy Burns.

Burns collapsed to the floor in his team's 32-23 United Rugby Championship (URC) win last weekend, where he remained until the referee stopped the game to attend to him.

Replays showed Du Plessis was firm, but legal in his clean-out but the TMO, John Mason, recommended the Bulls substitute be sin-binned, to the shock of even the partisan Belfast crowd.

Du Plessis's temporary sending-off was vital in swinging the game in favour of the hosts. The game had on a knife edge at 29-23 towards the death.

He said he understood the rule changes - World Rugby recommended lowering the tackle height in amateur rugby from shoulder to sternum, which SA Rugby is discussing - that are meant to make the game safer.

But Du Plessis took exception at the "soccer style simulation" that seemed to sway officials. His coach, Jake White, was also scathing of the antics.

READ | Stormers coach Dobson coach wary of Quins halfbacks, out to 'stop Andre Esterhuizen'

"I understand the changes in rules and I have young kids myself," he said.

"I do think we want to make it safer for each and every person to be able to play but I do think we should also not shy away from what rugby is.

"Rugby is a contact sport. And, as our great coach (Peter de Villiers) said, so is ballet. But the big thing I think we should get away from is being where soccer is.

"If you're not happy with the decision, you just lie on the ground for some time. Eventually [the referee] will go back to that.

"We are treading in very fine waters if we go that route."

South Africans piled it on Wallaby scrumhalf Nic

Read more on news24.com