Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Jonathan Thomas suspended for punching against Cardiff

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Jonathan Thomas suspended for punching against Cardiff

The title of this was going to be 'Jonathan Thomas goes a little mental', but I didn't think it would be appropriate. It describes things nicely though, as the Ospreys forward totally lost the plot against Cardiff Blues, throwing multiple punches, resulting in suspension.

He’s been banned for two weeks, effectively ruling himself out of the autumn Test opener between his country, Wales, and New Zealand. He was named in Warren Gatland’s Welsh squad for the autumn internationals last weekend.

Thomas was cited for striking an opponent during their 20-12 loss to Cardiff in the Magners League, resulting in a disciplinary panel ruling that he should be suspended for a fortnight, which leads to coach Gatland having to call for a replacement.

A Welsh Rugby Union disciplinary panel statement read: ‘The panel upheld the citing and deemed the offence to be on the low end of the scale and suspended the player for two weeks from the time of the hearing.’

Former Wales assistant coach Allan Lewis says that Thomas was lucky to have not been banned for longer after his unacceptable behaviour.

"I think it's a blow for Wales, I think it's a blow for the squad that he's not there because he's a very experienced player," Lewis told BBC Sport Wales.

"But I was absolutely appalled with his action, I think he's been very fortunate that he's only missing the New Zealand game.

"In fact, he could very well have been banned for a whole month."

Thomas' victim, Blues lock Deiniol Jones, said: "That's the decision that was made. He lashed out, I think. I was not totally innocent myself.

"It's the way it is and he's been given a two-week ban and I'm sure the people who made the decision thought that's appropriate and so be it, that's fine."

Thomas himself said earlier: "I am really disappointed with the suspension.

"But I admit that my actions were wrong and that a punishment had to be served as a result,” the 47 times capped Welsh international said.

This is a very short, overly dramatic clip but I felt the music captured the mood of the demons inside Thomas' head when he lost it.

Time: 0:32

LOL, the music? WTF BBQ

By Anonymous, at October 29, 2009 11:52 pm
lol nutter..
and.. numero uno.

By Francois, at October 29, 2009 11:52 pm
doh

By Francois, at October 29, 2009 11:52 pm
god! What an asshole, I can't believe how guys like that can play rugby

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 12:20 am
It's not that bad mate, he just lost his sh-t.
It happens, it's funny actually.

By Jon, at October 30, 2009 12:29 am
Did anybody see the prop dive shoulder first into Shane Horgan's face a few weeks ago, and then get off scot free with no sanction? At least this time they've actually done something about it. Although the one at the bottom of the ruck was a sneaky, cowardly, asshole-type thing to do, and he should have gotten more than 2 weeks for it in my opinion.

By Kearney for tests, at October 30, 2009 12:41 am
wtf?? what did the guys that he hit do to him???

and how could this be at the lower end of the scale...he lost his nut and by the looks of things knocked one lad out.

but on a lighter note...nice music

By creggs08, at October 30, 2009 12:43 am
prick - ban him - justice 4 ........

By jamestheconvict, at October 30, 2009 12:52 am
Whoa, psycho

For anyone who's wondering, the music is off the Batman soundtrack I think, on one of the more recent films

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 1:40 am
2 weeks is sh*t,it must of been all welsh on the disciplinary board!!, and its not in their intrests to ban him for a long time, which he diserves. he should have at least 6weeks as the irb are trying to crack down on fowl play. may be the wru didnt get that memo.

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 2:30 am
Batman FTW

and meh people do that often ... if the panel thinks 2 weeks is enough, then 2 week it is

By JLH, at October 30, 2009 3:50 am
I have heard that music myself on occasion while playing.....

just losing his control and discipline a bit 2 weeks is a bit harsh I think... 1 week except if he has any priors

By ned2or3, at October 30, 2009 4:04 am
Did Clint Eastwood direct this?

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 4:08 am
I was expecting some kind of brawl from the sound of things, but it was just the camera catching Thomas in some off-the-ball thuggery. Yeah, he deserves to be punished, but almost any game I've played, I've had elbows thrown at me, players rucking with fists, late shoulder charges, etc. and the ref can't see them all, so 90% of the time, players get away with it.

It's illegal (and dickish), and if you're caught, you ought to be punished, so I don't really disagree with the suspension, I just think it's something (especially forwards) see and do often.

Other than that, this year's Magners League is all sorts of crazy. Connacht beating Cardiff, Cardiff taking Ospreys, Ulster over Leinster, Scottish teams in 3rd and 4th, and Munster playing for shit? What a weird table after last year's results...

By falafel, at October 30, 2009 4:41 am
Any chance they plan on playing that music in the stadium all match? You know, maybe get a live orchestra...would make the game real menacing like. Maybe each player could be a different character and there'd be a back story to boot.

It'd certainly make it easier to adapt rugby to film.

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 4:46 am
Hardly savage. A fair ban though.

By WelshOsprey, at October 30, 2009 5:21 am
very surprising and stupid from a player with such qualities as Thomas...

p.s. That must not be grammatically correct, sorry.

By Swissvinch, at October 30, 2009 7:55 am
Botha can teach him some lessons how to make a clean aggression.

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 7:58 am
oooooooooow someone got out the wrong side of the bed that day

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 7:59 am
Yeah, in every game punches are thrown, but here it's really too big, Thomas is punching like he is in a street fight...get a brain boy!
2 weeks is not enough IMO, that type of thing deserves 1 month i think, it's just pure violence which shouldn't be seen on a rugby pitch, kids are watching the game that's such a bad example for them.

By rodofle, at October 30, 2009 11:11 am
The sanctioning bodies seem to be reading a different script from everyone else in rugby at the moment...

eyegouging is the biggest blot on the game... give him 8 weeks then

the game should be cleaned up after the summer's indiscretions... so a player swinging wildly just needs a fortnight off, that'll send a message

If the game is serious about removing the nastier elements of contact (and it should be) they need to sort these kind of wishy-washy bans out

By Hackney Griffin, at October 30, 2009 11:33 am
Wales have a load of internationals coming up and the bans really short....I've seen this happen before....

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 11:42 am
I agree with 6 weeks. 2 is far too short

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 1:17 pm
What is the guys problem? Dick

By cp85, at October 30, 2009 2:11 pm
OK at first I only saw the last punch. Then in this video it shows that he really lost the plot. That's a shame. He's been out of the picture really for a while and Wales' lineout has been suffering partly because of it. Smarten up!

By Unknown, at October 30, 2009 2:17 pm
ROFL at the referee for being blind how could he not notice even in the corner of his eye that guy swinging that punch ROFL

By HwA, at October 30, 2009 2:37 pm
No priors for JT, just think he got wound up during the derby. Xavier Rush (on the end of the swinging arm) is a notorious ball-grabber, so got what was coming to him in all fairness.

The punch on Deiniol Jones looked to be a reaction to something, but the fact that he hit him pretty sweetly made it look worse.

The WRU need to take tips from the IRFU - only ban him until the day before the NZ test for goodness sake! How do you think Hayes only got 5 weeks for stamping on Cian Healy's head and ripping his eye open? All IRFU disciplinary board

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 3:12 pm
^ Anonymous - the ban for him leads up to the day before a Test too. Same thing? :)

By FrankyH, at October 30, 2009 3:57 pm
definitely shud have gotten more than 2 weeks.imo he should get 4-6 weeks

By Ireland for world cup 2011!!!, at October 30, 2009 5:26 pm
Just dumb. But 6 weeks? The only time a player should get 6 weeks is if they use a foreign object or punch a ref. These multi-week bans have gone too far in both the pro and amateur ranks. Unless the foul is something like jumping on a down player's head the ban should be one week.

By Anonymous, at October 30, 2009 7:02 pm
Two weeks for that? Should have been 4 at least.

By Wessel van Rensburg, at October 30, 2009 7:55 pm
that was INTENSE

By sam, at October 30, 2009 11:41 pm
Jeez, it was just a swinging arm then a punch.
Sure a small ban, cuz he broke the rules, but it's rugby, this kind of thing happens.
The IRB will never, ever get rid of this kind of thing from the game. It's a contact sport where aggression is really important and every now and again someone will lose his sh-t and start punching on.
So you ban them for a week or two, and get on with life.
Don't worry about 'cleaning up the game'. The game's fine, if anything it's getting too soft these days.

By Jon, at November 01, 2009 2:30 am
why fight in rugby? it isnt about who is a better fightr is it?, fair enuff having a little scuffl yah but doing that ? nah x

By Anonymous, at November 03, 2009 12:04 am
sorry im a bit pissed off, he only gets two weeks suspension for intentionally trying to hurt other players, but shane Jennings gets a 12 week ban for a little face contact, the rugby disciplinary board seems to be getting a bit power hungry, they need to sort it out and stay consistent

By Anonymous, at November 04, 2009 10:18 pm