Cited: Dean Greyling
Springbok head coach Heyneke Meyer promised action against replacement prop Dean Greyling after he was yellow carded in the loss to the All Blacks.
Immediately after the match, won by the All Blacks 21-11, Meyer apologised to All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw, who appeared to be on the receiving end of a forearm smash by Greyling.
It was South Africa's second indiscretion in as many games.
Lock Eben Etzebeth was banned for two weeks for a headbutt in the Test against Australia and now Greyling faces the judiciary after he dived at McCaw, who was trapped in a ruck, and appeared to hit him in the face.
The incident came in the 63rd minute, just after the All Blacks had taken a 15-8 lead and were starting to take the ascendancy in a physical, torrid, match between two of rugby's most passionate rivals.
"I'm very big on discipline and it's unacceptable," said Meyer, who before the match had expressed his admiration for McCaw as "one of the best players ever".
"I think it cost us the game as well and I want to apologise to Richie and it will be dealt with inhouse, but it's unacceptable.
"We're a team that prides ourselves on discipline and we can't afford these things in games."
Visiting skipper Jean de Villiers said if Greyling is found guilty he will face internal action as well as any punishment handed down by the rugby judiciary.
"We'll never condone playing dirty," De Villiers said.
"Like the coach said, discipline is a non-negotiable for us and definitely if he was in the wrong we'll take action internally against him."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the hit on McCaw was a "cheap shot" but would not comment further.
"It's not in our hands," he said.
"The referee and touch judge have yellow-carded it and the citing commissioner will have a look at it and make the decision but I thought it was a cheap shot and what happens next will be up to those people."
McCaw, three times the IRB's world player of the year and a veteran of 110 Tests, was not injured by the blow and brushed it off as "just one of those things".
The All Blacks have now won all four of their Rugby Championship matches to stay at the top of the table, while South Africa slipped to third behind Australia, who beat Argentina.
Against the fired-up Springboks, the All Blacks struggled in the first half and led 5-3 at half-time after South Africa's ace goal-kicker Morne Steyn was woefully off form and missed five of six shots at goal.
But the emergence of Aaron Smith after the break gave the All Blacks backs a quicker service and they began to break down the South African defence.
Smith, the first-choice scrum-half before being demoted to the bench for breaking team rules before the Test, further stamped his mark by scoring the game-turning try when the score was locked at 8-8 in the 60th minute.
He broke around the side of a ruck and raced 30 metres to score.
"I had a point to prove, and I was very happy when I got over the try-line," he said.
Comments
Realbull says...
Poor discipline and lost opportunities cost the game for the boks. Nice to see the boks using driving mauls to great effect,thats playing to one's strengths!
Posted 13:52 16th September 2012
ben7 says...
@jmanngod
I laugh at how much of a douche you are. i know kiwis are terribly bad sports, i live in nz, but you take the cake
Posted 13:39 16th September 2012
flyman says...
@Carpelone - I agree with you 100%, HM cannot face up to the truth that his precious Blue Bulls are rubbish & he's living in the past using a game plan that's older than the hills!
Posted 12:35 16th September 2012
noord_transvaal says...
what a pity it was a missed blow. better aim next time Dean
Posted 12:15 16th September 2012
Ramage says...
Geez georgesmith Deans sacked, Meyer sacked, by the time the Nov tests come round there will be a few more who should be sacked. Can I add Ian Foster the NZ back coach and former failed Chief's coach lol.
It now remains to see what Meyer does and see if he is true to his word but anyone who lacks self discipline to this extent needs to be put out of the game. On the field a few seconds gives away a stupid penalty penalised again given a yellow card for what should have been red back on the field penalised again and finally his coup de grace penalised again which leads to the Boks being denied a bonus point.
Now the actual penalty. I can see why fans on here are at a loss with the penalties dished out. Last week one Bok player was given two weeks for an ineffective headbutt. Yes that is not the point because intent was there. This week another Bok was given a similar punishment again because intent to hurt was there. However one wonders whether the fact he got a yellow card was the reason that player did not get longer as the flying dive at McCaw with the forearm prominent had all the hallmarks of a person out to maim. I wonder how many like me thought the Greyling attack was worse or am I being a bit more Nationalistic because I am a Kiwi. Whatever one thinks there is an argument for consistency by the judiciary and that's where the matter should rest.
I have been critical of Meyer as a coach and even suggested he is somewhat unbalanced because of his weekly attacks on his walkie talkie. However he has gained some point for seeking out Richie McCaw and apologising for his selection making that cheap shot attack. Well done Mr Meyer.
Posted 12:05 16th September 2012
bloemboy says...
3rd week in a row that Meyer is blaming something or someone other than himself. Surely as the Coach you take the responsibility of the teams performance and discipline. He is after all the person that selected and coached Greyling, even long before becoming the National Coach.
As a player, I would find it very hard to have the required respect for a coach that is not prepared to take responsibility for the job he is supposed to do. 3 Wins from 7 games is a poor showing. South Africa probably have the best talent in the world at the moment, with the Kiwi's a close second, yet it is Australia and Argentina who are punching above their weight, given their talent available. Seems Henry and Deans are pretty good coaches to extract the results they are getting.
Posted 11:44 16th September 2012
passtheball says...
Check any game in S15 and Greyling could have been cited there too. He does it on purpose and you have to wonder if it is solely his decision or is he the team's enforcer - that is - asked to do the dirty business?
Posted 02:20 16th September 2012
Carpelone says...
It is not poor discipline, it is bad selection.
Posted 00:15 16th September 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
"We're a team that prides ourselves on discipline"
Stop it.. too funny!
Posted 23:45 15th September 2012
jmanngod says...
.....hmmm poor discipline? Try boring, dull tactics, clueless kicking, directionless uninspiring back play and poor coaching instead. Had a proper ref been on top of SA's constant hands slowing down the ball at ruck time I imagine quick AB ball would have produced far more points for NZ.
Posted 22:39 15th September 2012
georgesmith says...
If anyone then H.Meyer should be the one blamed for this loss. Boks paid the price for his poor coaching and player selection. M.Steyn needed to be replaced at halftime by J.Goosen just like S. Hansen pulled out P. Weepu. That's is why he is the man. H. Meyer kept P.Lambie on the bench right until the end when he should have been in by 50min mark. H. Meyer should be sacked.
Posted 22:13 15th September 2012
LeftRightOut says...
Filthy play, and inexcusable, but good to see the coach and captain own the situation
Posted 15:55 15th September 2012