Governing body SANZAR will raise the issue of lasers targeting Australia's goalkickers with the Argentine Rugby Union.
Laser beams were shone in the faces of Australian place kickers Mike Harris and Kurtley Beale during the Wallabies' gutsy 25-19 triumph over Argentina in Rosario on Saturday.
Replays of the build-up to some kicks at goal showed red and green lasers aimed at the Wallabies in an effort to distract them. But makeshift full-back Harris succeeded with seven out of eight shots at goal for a 20-point haul.
Australian newspapers Monday criticised the use of the lasers with The Daily Telegraph describing it as a "new low" for spectator behaviour.
SANZAR (South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby) did not release an official statement on Monday but CEO Greg Peters said the matter would be raised with Argentina.
"It's unacceptable. It can be a hard thing to isolate offenders but we will do what we can to try and crack down on it," Peters told The Daily Telegraph.
Peters later told AFP: "The situation will be part of our operational review of the match and will be taken up with the Union Argentina de Rugby."
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans played down the incident after the match.
"Obviously, it was not ideal but it was not a major element and was resolved very quickly (by a ground announcement)," he told the newspaper.
"I think it would be a terrible shame if that was to blur in any way the great experience the team has had here."
Comments
APV1 says...
"Trinats2 says... every country has this idiot."
Too obvious for a "...and that's you, Trinats2" gag, isn't it..?
Posted 17:41 10th October 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Rosario Lasers would make an awesome super rugby side! Quick! Spread the word! ;D
Posted 11:24 10th October 2012
Houston_11 says...
They really need to think a bit more around the title of these articles... at first glance I thought... "Awesome! An Argentinian Super Rugby side!"
Posted 17:35 09th October 2012
sandal says...
@new_j4a
Nice.
Sorry I have had to abandon discussion on other thred. I am being stymied.
(Btw, thanks for your intercessions on my behalf. Appreciated.)
@Trinats
You're incorrigible. And, though I don't mind your lying to me, how do you feel about lying to yourself? (""Sanzar should be addressing the issue of the officals !! AND NOT some idiot with a laser."" -- the emphasis is mine.)
Posted 12:07 09th October 2012
markpat says...
The other option, not mentioned here, to force the home team to take responsibility would be to allow the ref to grant the kicker ro re-kick as missed goal if the ref sees a laser on the kicker's face (same as happens for an illegal charge, etc.).
One thing that I don't think was mentioned here, though. At the the end of the game, with 2 minutes left on the clock, Australia win a penalty. They have one minute to kick it (or maybe 90 secs now, depending on which rules), thereby allowing time for a restart, but Australia were allowed to take a full minute before actually deciding on their option. Surely that isn't allowed?
Posted 11:53 09th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
cuw3100:
Campo use to train under the posts when the Kiwis did their dance. He didn't do too bad against the ABs over the years !!!
Posted 11:07 09th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
sandal:
I didn't say ignore it, you really are a fool or just take things too seriously !!!
I think, and I'm allowed to view my opinions (last time I checked) that SANZAR should be putting their limited resources into sorting out the incompetence of the officials this year, and let Los Pumas sort out their own.
Just like the saffas did with the guy who tackled the ref, or the Kiwis did with their spitting fans or the fan who bellowed out "Coopers next" in the minute silence for the fallen diggers.
Posted 09:18 09th October 2012
new_j4a says...
Two prong approach would sort this in no time at all: 1. "the carrot" offer a reward for information or better yet a photo preferably of the offense, but okay if just a crowd shot with the offender identified....offer tickets on the 50 yd line for the next international upon successful prosecution, and 2. "the stick" play the next home game without spectators if it doesn't stop........simple.
Posted 08:53 09th October 2012
cuw3100 says...
while they are at it maybe the countries will also tell the fans not to disrespect the HAKA. In Argentina there was noise and hooting, In SA there was nois and hooting. The end result was a far more determined MIB team, who played really hard. There are many historical instances when the opponent disrespected the HAKA the, ABs got fired up more; like when the Irish (me thinks) went head to head against Wayne "BUCK" Shelford. Score line was a sad one. Simillar thing in Wales when HAKA was banned from the start. MIB did it in the dressing rrom and hammered the Welsh.
AM not from NZ but as a being on this planet, me thinks it will be better to let them go thru the ritual and accept it as cultural diversity, rather than treating it like an insult. Must say the OZ have a beter way of response; their own song and dance :)
Posted 05:15 09th October 2012
sandal says...
@Patagon
You say: ""I have commented this among a few rugby fans after the match and they believe this came from a few hard core football supporters, new to rugby crowds. This is quite likely. However, it is also likely that the laser came from a New Type of rugby supporter, one that is definitely not welcome in the stands and that the rugby authorities and organisers should think seriously about neutralising and punishing.""
This is more than likely right, especially when you consider the sporting behaviour of the bulk of fans in Rosario and at the All Blacks game. It just doesn't seem a rugby thing to be shining lasers at players.
@Trinats
Yes, it is a minority thing. But that is no reason to ignore it. One person can ruin everything.
Do you ever say anything worthwhile?
Posted 01:20 09th October 2012
7ton says...
The trouble is the more these incidents are publicised the more they seem to catch on with the idiots that exist all round the world.
Posted 00:38 09th October 2012
MacTavish says...
Lazers in the Face of Players, NZRFU Officials getting mugged outside their Hotel. Sounds like a friendly place...
Posted 21:08 08th October 2012
DarkestHorse says...
It will come Patagon. It' great to see the Argentinian public get behind the Pumas but having toured Argentina myself in the past, I knew that they would. The support out there is fanatic. Not many people new that before this RC, but hopefully they do now and I'd like to see Argentina host the World Cup sooner rather than later.
I actually agree with Trinats. That clown in the centre of the field turned this game into a spectacle by making a scrappy game scrappier. The refs are doing nothing to help our sport.
Posted 17:08 08th October 2012
Patagon says...
Congratulations to Aussies! They bloody deserve it, especially after all the bad press and hits they took previous to this match. Australia should be proud. Very well done Team B!
Also, congratulations to Los Pumas. As a rubgy fan I feel so good to watch you play with the best teams on a regular basis. I also feel I learn a lot by watching these teams closer. Thank you for the chance.
THE LASER FROM THE CROWD in Rosario:
I have commented this among a few rugby fans after the match and they believe this came from a few hard core football supporters, new to rugby crowds. This is quite likely. However, it is also likely that the laser came from a New Type of rugby supporter, one that is definitely not welcome in the stands and that the rugby authorities and organisers should think seriously about neutralising and punishing.
Previous to the match against the ABs in La Plata, there was a campaign with t-shirts, banners and on various advertisements, aimed at respecting the ABs while performing the haka. The slogan was something like:
When they perform the haka, embrace the one next to you.
I watched that match on television and it was not too bad; the crowd seemed noisier during the haka on Saturday in Soweto.
I think the organisers here in Argentina will have to maintain their campaign to educate this larger type of crowds, which unfortunately include people with little understanding of what rubgy values and what this sport is about.
Posted 14:28 08th October 2012
Ferdie says...
Hard to stop, been a fairly frequent occurrence in Europan football - this year's Euro 2012, UEFA haven't been able to stop it, Christiano Ronaldo has been a laser target since 2008, and a quick google shows recent incidents in US baseball, hockey, American Football. and even Australia since 2007 in AFL matches.
Good idea to fine/ban, but not easy to find the person - maybe offer a reward for other fans?
Posted 13:56 08th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Sanzar should be addressing the issue of the officals !! and not some idiot with a laser. It was one person in a stadium, every country has this idiot.
Posted 13:01 08th October 2012
melkdave says...
This does need sorting asap,very bad sportsmanship shown by some stupid pumas supporters ,life bans from all grounds wouldnt really be amiss here imo Set a harsh example right off ,that this wont be tolerated,espically as it also happened in the ABs match.
Posted 10:31 08th October 2012