Martyn Williams faces the disciplinary board after being cited in the Cardiff Blues vs Edinburgh Heineken Cup match for an alleged knee on Chris Patterson. And it doesn’t look good for the Welsh openside.
UPDATE: Martyn Williams only gets a 2 week ban. A complete farce imo
As you can see form my first ever attempt at an online video below Martyn Williams looks very guilty, not only shoving his knee into the face of Patterson but it looked to me that just before that he also threw an elbow. It may take a couple of viewings but you will see what I mean quickly enough.
Ban
This may sound odd but I hope he gets a decent to long ban.
I have nothing but respect and admiration for Martyn Williams, he has been a legend of our modern game. But this sort of thing has no place in rugby. Yes it is out of character (but that headbutt on Jason Spice in December 06 may well count against him) but that shouldn’t mean much. He looked to have intentionally shoved his knee right into someones head – and that is very dangerous – even Nugget isn’t light enough not to do any damage.
For me I would want someone doing that to get a minimum of 3 months on the sidelines. But that is in an ideal world – not a world that gives only 8 weeks for gouging, and repeatedly makes a joke of the banning process with similarly lenient bans for extremely dangerous play. So whilst I want a long ban this would be an odd moment to make an example of a rugby player.
So looking at that, and at the bans going around at the moment, I expect 4 – 6 weeks is the most likely outcome of the disciplinary committee. If he does get that Martyn Williams can consider himself very fortunate that so many bans are so lenient.
Not that this will be of any comfort to Edinburgh supporters who, to add insult to injury, had Chris Patterson sin binned for the same passage of play and in the time he was off went from (iirc) 0 – 10 to 13 – 10. Quite the punishment for daring to get kneed in the head that.
Update
Hutch (of therugbyblog.co.uk) makes a good point in the comments below, that the Burger incident isn’t all that useful as a comparison or yard stick. This is a good point considering it then led to a decision by the IRB that ALL gouging should carry a minimum 12 week ban.
Perhaps more pertinent to this Martyn Williams incident is Jamie Heaslip intentionally and viciously kneeing Richie McCaw n the head this summer. The video of which is below. For comparisons purposes Heaslip got 5 weeks for this – though had a slightly better disciplinary record and was red carded at the time (not sure if that is taken into consideration or not).
and a direct comparison
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I agree with you that this is serious Nick – but the 8 week ban of Schalk Berger made a mockery of the whole disciplinary system.
It is hard for the authorities to hand out bans, when the IRB have created this artificial 8 week ceiling for gouging – the most heinous of crimes.
Compared with 8 weeks for what Berger did, Nugget should get a ban of about 20 minutes.
That isn’t good at all – I hadn’t seen it, so thanks for posting. I’d imagine he’ll get a few weeks for that at least, so he’ll probably miss the Autumn as you say.
The Burger ban was ridiculous, and I think everyone realises that looking back, so don’t think it’s worth using as a benchmark.
End of his career?
True Hutch, the Burger one may not be the most useful – perhaps a better comparison is Heaslip’s knee to McCaws head in the summer. He got 5 weeks for that but it did have a red card and also Heaslip has, iirc, a slightly better disciplinary record.
My best guess is 8 – 12 weeks, prob the higher mark of that as the ERC seem to be the harshest on punishments
end of his career? not even close imo. Warburton will step up in the AI’s and may even steal a starting slot for Wales but we’ll need nugget as bak up (or maybe still starting) by the 6 Nations – and I would be shocked if any ban went past January
Agree that the ban probably won’t rule him out of the Six Nations, which means he’s bound to make the World Cup squad. Just thought I’d raise the question!
Fair enough!
2 new videos up comparing the knee to that by Jamie Heaslip on Richie McCaw
As bad as Heaslip’s I’d say…
Nice video editing skills!
Cheers – first ever effort, was interesting learning what to do!
Forgot completely about this – seems Williams has made a bit of a mug of the ERC
*******
“Indeed, just last season, the 95-times capped Pontypridd product was presented with a fair play award by ERC.
Williams was selected as the fairest and most sportsmanlike player in the 15-year history of European Cup rugby.
The award citation said about Williams: “It is widely felt he is the embodiment of the player who upholds the values of the game of rugby.
“In so doing he is an inspirational role model as to how the game should be played.”
Martyn Williams only got 2 weeks for it. I can’t believe they were that lenient
******
From the Cardiff Blues site
Cardiff Blues have received the results of the citing complaint against Blues Flanker Martyn Williams.
Williams has received a two week ban from the ERC and as a result will miss the Heineken Cup match against Castres away this Friday and the home Magners League match against the Scarlets next Friday.
Williams will be available to play again for the Blues for their match against Aironi on Friday 29 October.