Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Bakkies Botha cited but cleared after face slap on Ryan Kankowski

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Bakkies Botha cited but cleared after face slap on Ryan Kankowski

Bulls lock Bakkies Botha was cited this past weekend after he lashed out at Sharks eighthman Ryan Kankowski in their exciting Super 14 meeting in Durban

The Bulls won the match 27-26, ending on top of the table, denying the Sharks the win and a crack at making the Semis themselves. The match got off to a ferocious start, with this incident taking place within the first few minutes.

The hot-headed Botha faced a disciplinary hearing on Monday afternoon following his lashing out at Kankowski with an open hand. He was subsequently cleared of any further punishment by the judicial committee though, after the defence argued that Botha pushed, rather than deliberately struck Kankowski with a slap.

The Judicial Officer took into consideration the fact that the referee was in full view of the incident, and ruled that their was no intent to strike, but that the Bulls lock was simply trying to release himself from the grasp of the Sharks player.

The Bulls and Springbok enforcer will be available for their home semi final against the Crusaders on Saturday in Pretoria, and should they make it, the final.

Your verdict?
Suspension, yellow card, or neither? Is Bakkies lucky to get away with this?

Time: 02:21

Mental - how did they not ban Botha for that? Purely on his abysmal disciplinary record alone he should have got a week for that.

Not only did he slap Kankowski in the face, but the petulant push afterwards just showed the frustration of his own guilt in the offence.

By btwightman, at May 19, 2009 3:30 pm
that by itself was nothing to worry about i reckon

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 3:34 pm
Well you know how referees are these days, they don't like giving cards until after 10 mins.

Loved the Beast dragging Victor M down the wing in this game, great try.

By JJM, at May 19, 2009 3:35 pm
Penalty the right decision....yellow not needed!

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 3:40 pm
Penalty and warning or a yellow. Nothing more.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 3:44 pm
they wont ban botha with the lions tour comming up, very cynical I know but true±±

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 3:55 pm
that was definitely nothing more that a friendly love tap! maybe a yellow, nothing more though. He didn't make a slapping motion and didn't even look back at kankowski after doing it, nothing more than some emotional play.

By Chris, at May 19, 2009 3:56 pm
NOt sure how Kocket gets a Red AND a ban and Botha escapes with a penalty only. Very suspect.

By Boz, at May 19, 2009 3:56 pm
I think it was a yellow card and nothing more. The real issue though is the referee. You saw rory cockett slap a guy in the face a while ago and he got a red card, and botha got off scot free here simply because kankowski didn't go rolling on the floor. So the referees are punishing kankowski for acting properly and rewarding the guy in the other incident for acting like a portugese soccer player. that sets a really bad precident, because if kankowski had gone down in a heap you can be sure botha would have got atleast a yellow.

By pcasey, at May 19, 2009 3:58 pm
Notice where Kankowski was standing and what he was doing before he got pushed in the face.

Had the ref been doing his job in the first place, Kanko would have been blown up for being on the wrong side of the scrum, and Bakkies wouldn't have pushed him away.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 4:01 pm
As far as a hand/shove/slap to the face it was dead on tearget, but not to harsh. Yellow at most. But hands to the face at allis rather rude to me, so I would have leaned more toward the yellow, but a penalty would suffice and Kankowski was asking for it by his positioning and poor rucking technique.

By Stu Pidasso, at May 19, 2009 4:09 pm
Penalty and warning nothing more than that

By Eric, at May 19, 2009 4:27 pm
I think it's nothing really but to be honest is no worse than Alan Quinlan supposed eye gouge-utter rubbish that such a good player should miss out on the lions for something so daft.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 4:31 pm
'just trying to release himself' is the citing officer watching the same match??
how was his face holding him ?

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 4:42 pm
That wasn't a slap. It was a push to the face at best.

I see no issue with it what so ever. Penalty at best. The day we start giving yellows, reds and suspensions for stuff like this will be a bad one.

By Chris, at May 19, 2009 4:47 pm
If that was in England he would have been cited because we are far more strict when it comes to discipline, compared to the southern hemisphere.

God forbid they ban a player who might be important to them!

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 5:05 pm
Absolutely the right decision. This was just a bit of pushing a shoving between the big boys. If this is banned we might as well call the game soccer. This was a penalty close in to the posts. A simple warning at the start of a highly emotional derby match.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 5:07 pm
every decision was right for me

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 5:13 pm
biggest scumbag in the world of rugby...

By kevinb, at May 19, 2009 5:14 pm
Slaps are for soccer.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 5:31 pm
Kevin, this discussion is about Bakkies Botha, not Alan Quinlan.. sorry mate..

By Scotsdale, at May 19, 2009 5:32 pm
yellow and nothing more. how the guy above could compare that to the quinlan incident is beyond me

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 5:33 pm
this clearly shows how corrupt the rugby system is down in SA.they have clearly let him off just so that he doesn't miss the lions tour. if south africa had no important games in the summer he would have been banned.

By Chris W, at May 19, 2009 5:54 pm
And Kevin, Quinlan shouldn't be let off just for the Lions tour. It was an eye gauge, it's on camera mate.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 5:58 pm
penalty and no more

grow up people saying he should be banned, there was nothing in it

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 6:59 pm
clearly, the 2nd shove was after the whistle, and Kanko was not in his face or anything, so Bakkies deserved a little bit more.

Maybe march them another 10m and give him and the Bulls team a verbal warning.

Giving a yellow for that would have simply painted the referee into a corner way too early (he'd have no latitude later in the game, should he need it).

We all know Bakkies plays like a cnut, and at some time he should reap what he's sown throughout his career. At least in this game rugby karma got him a little bit as he split his brow open again (from last week).

By cheyanqui, at May 19, 2009 7:10 pm
nothing more than a bit of pushing and shoving

By luxie, at May 19, 2009 9:19 pm
It's absolutely outrageous that he wasn't disciplined for this because of his Bok shirt and the Lions tour coming up. It's blatantly not a 'push' and deserves a proper ban - especially with his past record!

By GeorgeK, at May 19, 2009 9:20 pm
clearly worth a yellow card and a citing. I think he hasnt been sighted because the sighting commision dont want to weaken the Springboks

By 212, at May 19, 2009 9:44 pm
I can't believe some of the responses to this. The fact some of you think this warrants a citing and there is some sort of conspiracy is a fucking joke.

I'm embarassed to share my support for the Lions with you morons. You remind me of deluded soccer fans the way you're blowing up a minor incident and calling for the man to be cited. On the back of nothing more than spite. It's just spiteful immature nationalistic bollocks.

As it happens South Africa play incredibly hard rugby. That is why he hasn't been cited. South Africa isn't England, they've still got a pair of fucking testacles in their shorts when it comes to rugby. The game pver there hasn't been bastardised to the extent our 'Rugby-Lite' competition in England has.

The only thing outrageous about this is that pretend rugby fans would even consider it worthy of a citing!

You embarass me. Go play touch.

By Jennifer, at May 19, 2009 10:08 pm
212... the springboks are NEVER weak!

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 10:58 pm
All these comments make a neutral fan think that certain other fans of a red shirt... are afraid of the WORLD CHAMPIONS?

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 11:08 pm
penalty is fine

By Cheis, at May 19, 2009 11:10 pm
LOL - see how the sharks no 9 hi-fives Kankowski - brilliant!

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 11:13 pm
Not citing for the Boks vs. Lions is a stupid theory. He has a game next week in the Super 14. If all they cared about was the Boks, they would ban him for a week and be done with it. He wasn't banned because it wasn't a big deal.

Lets not panic boys, you haven't even started the tour to SA yet. Save your false outrage and calls for lifetime bans, for when it matters.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 11:13 pm
yellow card, what are you on about? just a push, we are not playing football. It is a physical game and to be expected, grow up people

By martin- offload, at May 19, 2009 11:23 pm
GeorgeK - the only thing outrageous is your comment mate!

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2009 11:49 pm
Prob should have got a yellow and thats it, mainly for taking the law into his own hands and he prob needed to calm down and keep his composure.... citing is a bit far, and even if he was cited i think the bulls would be more concerned about him missing the semi-final/final of the super 14, stuff the lions tour!!!!

By bg, at May 20, 2009 12:18 am
The right decision. The game is turning into a bloody footballers sport (socer) People holding up thier hands in appeal. Absolute rubbish get on with and play rugby. Thefact is kankowski deserved it if your going to hold a player you deserve whaever is coming this time a push/slap in the face. A simple get off me.
I regarded Kankowski as a real good player but now after that footy appeal. A word which comes to mind GIRl

By Ben, at May 20, 2009 12:29 am
Kankowski was on theworng side of the ruck, and thats what happens when you fuck up your opponents game you get taken care off.... grow a pair

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 12:55 am
Just a penalty, everything was handled fine.
Cars ruin matches, and up north you lot are obsessed with refs calling up every bit of rough play, giving out cards like confetti and banning everyone for weeks at a time.
Ridiculous. This was a bit of a push and shove, nothing in it. The sharks got the penalty for it, and we move on.

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 2:21 am
i know it was nothing... but you gotta think even if bakkies botha anal raped someone on the field there is no chance he'd get ping'd for it.... and you'd have more chance of seeing johnny wilkinson playing a full season than bakkies getting band for a few weeks!!

and i'm gutted quinlan isn't making the tour because he would of been awesome at the breakdown... never mind shit happens...

Sorry for the random comment bin a long day!! peace out dumpers!!

By Abs7, at May 20, 2009 2:29 am
Botha has been banned many times in the past, and if he had committed an actual serious offense, he would have faced punishment. But he didn't.
If he was banned for something as trivial as this, it would be for no more than one match, whcih would be the S14 final, and it would have no effect on the Lions tour in any way.
So what has this got to do with the Lions anyway?
If I was a Lions supporter I wouldn't want him banned anyway, you want your team to play and beat the best. Botha is one of the best, I'd be disapointed if he wasn't involved in the tour.
And Quinlan eye gouged someone. That is close to the worst possible thing you can do on a rugby pitch, way worse than punching or even dangerous tackles (most of which are done without intent). Eye gouging is messed up.

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 6:13 am
It was a well executed static hand-off....maybe a yellow for Kanko for the dramatics...
Go on bulls

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 9:25 am
Chris W - the only thing corrupt, is your way of thinking!

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 9:26 am
GO BULLS!!!!!

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 9:26 am
I think he probably got away with it as the clearing out is in at the side and round his neck. The reaction is a bit over the top but as Bakkies goes that's not even in the realm of some of his worst.

By nick_s, at May 20, 2009 9:59 am
Had It been any other player its doubtfull any fuss would have been made. That sort of thing happens all the time on pitches, and didn't seem grevious at all. Albeit, I doubt seeing a palm belonging to Bakkies Botha swinging at you is a nice experience

By censu, at May 20, 2009 10:29 am
Seems like Kanowski was also in an offside position when the infraction occurred. He enterred the ruck through the gate but drifted to the side without taking out the player. In continuing to rick over I think that puts him in an offside positon.

By censu, at May 20, 2009 10:36 am
well... that's the bulls... dirty as usual...

By opfazonk, at May 20, 2009 11:33 am
opfazonk - this is a comments page for rugby fans, go somewhere else and talk trash!
GO BULLS!!!

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 12:06 pm
said by a fan of the actual team who accuse mccaw of cheating after every game? (and a fan who does not even have the balls of posting his own fake name, so i can adress this to him...)
why are the bulls' fans the only ones, not knowing their team is (in-)famous for late tackling (botha, mattfield and many more) and deliberatly slowing down the game at the rucks (du preez, spies...)?
don't get me wrong. i think they are a verry talented, highly experienced and (maybe) the toughest team in super rugby (if not in the whole world). but just those dirty things they do on a regular basis, makes me and many more hate them for throwing away all those postitive aspects... they wouldn't need it, but they still do it...
the crusaders will kick their asses, just as the sharks did in the currie cup!

By opfazonk, at May 20, 2009 1:02 pm
He's a massively important player for SA, and with a Lions tour coming up, was he ever realistically going to be cited? Sorry to be so cynical!

By Bri2106, at May 20, 2009 1:30 pm
opfazonk - Firstly im not a bulls fan, im a stormers fan, the bulls are my second choice team(ONLY because the stormers are out of the competition) Secondly - yes I don't have balls, as im a female rugby fan... your comments are clearly just out of spite as the bulls are a top side like no other!Oh and my name is Jill, what is yours?
GO BULLS!!!

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 1:39 pm
Not a big deal.

More importantly, dies noone stay on their fucking feet in S14 rucks?

The new rules are meant to really clamp down on going off your feet and slack reffing is making it a joke.

Hopefully the refs will clamp down hard for the lions tour, or the Saffers could kill the game as a spectacle

By Unknown, at May 20, 2009 2:20 pm
my name is kai - nice to meet you :)
so please explain, why they're out of spite. (ok, the "no-balls" thing was a bit of empty talk...)
as i said, i clearly see them as a top team, who deserved their super 14 title in '07! but those improper and needless incidents just deny me any sympathy for them...
just to clarify my point of view: i'm an ABs supporter, but i'm still admitting that the ABs pack deliberately makes the scrum waggly every time their opponent has the put in (and then miraculously it's rock solid, when they have the put in themselves...)
that's what i call "dirty" and the bulls do those kind of things a lot. it's not pretty and you can like it or not (i don't :D). but it's clever and very effective. and anyone denying this would be a complete idiot.
so if they win the super 14 - rightly so. but still i'd be saying they are a dirty team.
please don't hate me for doing so ^^

By opfazonk, at May 20, 2009 2:49 pm
Kai - I don't hate anyone & I def don't hate another rugby fan & I withdraw my comment about the 'outta spite' remark because as you are an AB fan, I'll admitt that your comments can't be out of spite as you guys have good enough talent aswell...I understand about the scrum waggle situation, however I don't think its dirty, if the ref lets you get away with it and you have the muscle and talent to get away with it..who are we to judge? GO THE BULLS !

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 3:06 pm
whats wrong with that.. its rugby that stuff happens all the time we're not playing golf here

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2009 3:08 pm
wisely said jill :)

let's enjoy some good rugby!

By opfazonk, at May 20, 2009 3:44 pm
he was never gonna hand out a card that early, even though that would have probably been the right option

By jones, at May 20, 2009 5:26 pm
yellow!

By samitarugby, at May 20, 2009 8:26 pm
Bri2106, if he had been banned he it would have been fr the S14 semis and final. It wouldn't have affected the Lions tour, you dope.
Not only tha it would be a SANZAR commisioner, who would have been nuetral, probly an AUssie or Kiwi. So this garbage about the Lions tour is irrelevant.
Hamish, playerds go off their feets in rucks north of the equator too, in fact England are the worst for it, they always lie across the ball.
The Saffas won't be going to ground much against the Lions anyway, cuz they are some of the best ruckers in the game. Botha will smash anyone at ruck time.

By Anonymous, at May 21, 2009 2:20 am
bakkies botha is the dirtiest player in world rugby ill be happy to see the back of him lets hope he retires soon for the good of rugby. im sure the rest of the world is sick of these dirty south african locks playing off the ball footy.

By Anonymous, at May 21, 2009 6:00 am
To the anonymous ass above, you are just jealous because nobody is as good as Bakkies & nobody ever will be. Just admitt it, Bakkies is the best at what he does, there isn't anyone who can match him in World Rugby and that is why he gets under all other supporters skins. I bet if he played in your team, you would be the first to cheer him on. You are just one of those narrow minded fans who hates to see a brilliant player up against your team, simply because he his THE BEST - DEAL WITH IT!

By Anonymous, at May 21, 2009 3:16 pm
The only reason you will be happy to see the back of him, is because he kicks your teams ass each time he plays!

By Anonymous, at May 21, 2009 3:23 pm
GO BULLS, TAKE IT THIS WEEKEND!

By Anonymous, at May 21, 2009 3:23 pm
The slap was wrong, but Kankowski was on the wrong side of the ruck to start off with...niggling stuff. Yellow card would have been sufficiant. It was hardly a slap, but a push in the face. I have seen Kankowski do worse in a game against the Lions, but get away with it.

By Henri, at May 22, 2009 1:50 am
why the hell was Kankowski on that side? bad refereing

By yerkschmerk, at May 23, 2009 11:13 am
South African rugby is based on bullies such as bakkies botha, he isn't even a good player. he's a nasty piece of work. though this incident isn't that bad he regularly does things like this.

By Anonymous, at June 28, 2009 4:18 pm
Yeh, I agree, he's such an asshole...I'm really starting to hate SA rugby (and rugbiers)

By Anonymous, at September 20, 2009 3:39 pm
WATCH Kankowski before the slapping incident, on the edge of the ruck pushing and showing botha, while botha looks for the ball. Kankowski fault, i would have done the same as botha.

By Anonymous, at September 20, 2009 6:39 pm
botha slaps/smacks him in the face and falls over
kankowski stands there and takes it and gets a penalty.
botha looks like an idiot to be honest

By sam, at September 21, 2009 7:04 pm
Bakkies is a thug who has gotten away with murder over the last 7 years (or however long he has been playing his dirty trade of rugga).
I find it amazing he would do that to a fellow springbok, it was a cheap shot. Regardless of what a lovely bloke he may be off the park, hes a prick on it and the refs have caught on.
Hence his suspension when he ran head-firt into the ruck against the lions and screwed that props shoulder.

It didn't deserve a yellow, but Bakkies is a hack who is held up by Victors brilliance.

By jamie, at October 22, 2009 12:41 am
Any stupid yarpie who thinks Bakkies is the best is an idiot.

No Skills, hes just an enforcer who goes missing all game long.

Theres a guy named brad thorn down at the AB's... does the same thing, but actually gets involved in general play.

You SA boys remember him yea? He used your captain as a tent peg last year.

ha ha

By Anonymous, at October 22, 2009 12:45 am
Jerry Collins is the original enforcer, no-1 will ever be as scarey as that guy. ha ha

By Anonymous, at October 22, 2009 12:46 am