richards banned from rugby for 3 years

[Jon the Hat]

Alledgedly a consultant may have cut his mouth and stitched it up afterwards to cover up the cheating.

[Finnegan]

I disagree. I think there's a difference. Cheating is cheating, but there are different levels of it.

But how exactly are they different?

The method: feigning injury / contact.

The result: getting a personel advantage.

I'd argue, if anything, it's worse in football because you're trying to get a man advantage over your opponent and potentially get him banned for several games. What 'Quins did is wrong but it's only being blown up like this because of the stricter disciplinary measures in rugby. The only advantage they got (they still lost, btw) was being able to bring a previously-replaced player back on for the "wounded" one.

[Babylon]

But how exactly are they different?

The method: feigning injury / contact.

The result: getting a personel advantage.

I'd argue, if anything, it's worse in football because you're trying to get a man advantage over your opponent and potentially get him banned for several games. What 'Quins did is wrong but it's only being blown up like this because of the stricter disciplinary measures in rugby. The only advantage they got (they still lost, btw) was being able to bring a previously-replaced player back on for the "wounded" one.

I think there is a difference compared to your run of the mill diving and feigning injury. That is usually a split second decision made by an individual. I don't think you can compare that to this incident as this was premeditated (they were carrying around fake blood) and at least 3 people were in on it. Richards, the player and the physio.

Yes they are trying to gain an advantage like a diver, but that's where the comparison ends. I think diving/feigning injury is up there with a prop faking injury to go to uncontested scrums... this just seems like another step completely.

Only my opinion of course.

[Koke]

I agree with Babylon. There is a difference between the usual dive where the player have a split second to make a decision, and a planed and premeditated blatant fake blood.

Both are cheating, but to me [and Babs] the fake blood is just being taken to another level - and that's worse, in my opinion.

[stez]

I agree with Babylon. There is a difference between the usual dive where the player have a split second to make a decision, and a planed and premeditated blatant fake blood.

Both are cheating, but to me [and Babs] the fake blood is just being taken to another level - and that's worse, in my opinion.

like murder vs man slaughter?

[davieG]

Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio has been appointed to a 13-man Rugby Football Union (RFU) task-force aiming to clean up the sport's image.

Having been stripped of the England captaincy over some alleged drug incident? Seems a strange appointment.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12331_5520570,00.html