Sunday, April 06, 2008
Epi Taione headbutt disgrace against the Hurricanes
To play for the (Natal) Sharks, unbeaten in the Super 14 so far this season, should be an honour, but the Tongan import let everybody down on Saturday. His ridiculous attack on Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush earned him an automatic red, one of the few things the ref did get correct on the night.
Sharks coach Dick Muir claimed have missed the blatant head-butt, but assistant coach John Plumtree was more realistic. It was a fair enough decision. I think he was just over-excited,.
Taione had been playing in Japan recently, but before that was playing for Newcastle in the UK, then the Sale Sharks in 2006. Taione didn't stick around too long though, after having been banned for six weeks for a shameful biting incident.
Highly disappointing from a player with such huge potential, this latest misdemeanour should see Taione banned for at least a month, meaning he'll miss the overseas leg of the tour. In all honesty, don't be surprised if you don't see him in a Sharks jersey again.
Posted at 2:24 pm | 28 comments
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Viewing 28 comments
rancid April 06, 2008 1:08 pm
"Taione left the midlands side"... Sale play in Stockport. Stockport is only about 10 miles outside of Manchester.There is no way that it's in the Midlands. Is definately North West and most probably Lancashire.Unless i misunderstood the description, and as such now look like an idiot
Rugbydump April 06, 2008 1:23 pm
Good to see you pay more attention to the article than the video ;)Fixed up now though, thanks
mo14k April 06, 2008 1:51 pm
That's crazy, lol... Crazy stuff!! I actually wouldn't say he did it with intention of causing alot of inflict, as in usual foul-play... but just got over-excited in the moment... lol...
Anonymous April 06, 2008 4:09 pm
pretty stupid tho its really no more dangerous than what the hurricanes no 8 (soialo, or however u spell it) does at 40s. they say its dangerous but is the guy hurt in the slightest?
Luke April 06, 2008 4:15 pm
He's been suspended for biting people... Headbutting people... what comes next next out there with some hedge clippers castrating other players? I'm all about giving players a second chance but this is the second major malicious infringement... does he really deserve a third chance?
No.7 April 06, 2008 4:19 pm
"assistant coach John Plumtree was more realistic. It was a fair enough decision. I think he was just over-excited,." yeh...or he was just a dumbass!There was totally no need, the ball was won, and there was a slow drive on, the Canes player was totally legal and it was the most blatant head butt ever! A moment of severe stupidity to a man that has a reputation, i cant see him going far too far with stupid play!
Anonymous April 06, 2008 5:44 pm
Wonder why the Bulls did not buy him. He would fit in there!
Anonymous April 06, 2008 6:14 pm
what a dick head, keegan daniel is better anyway. come on sharks!!!!!!!
rolando April 06, 2008 7:29 pm
what the hell was he thinking?! if the other guy has position and you want to get him out.. tackle him.. move him out the way.. whatever.. just don't headbutt the guy..
Ryan April 06, 2008 9:38 pm
Hes clearly got mental issues, he nearly bit denis leamys ear off and now he just runs into a maul (when the ball and maybe the game was safe) and headbutts the Hurricanes 2nd row.Should he still be allowed to play? Because banning him doesnt seem to have made any difference
Josh April 07, 2008 11:04 am
He'd only been on for about 20 seconds aswell... Stupid.
Anonymous April 07, 2008 12:01 pm
hate to be a bitch josh.....but its more like 9 minutes....
Anonymous April 07, 2008 12:51 pm
Ya he was on for a little while...and he made two good runs gaining 20-30 yards on each run...he's a good rugby player but ultimatley useless in this sport with his mental inadequicies...I have no time for idiots like this...I'm an Shark supported through and through and you could argue he lost us that game by neutralising the yellow against the canes literally seconds before...Let this be a lesson to coaches looking to employ players with a bad history...now we run the risk of burning out one of our flankers because Taione will undoubtedly and deservedly miss the rest of the tournament and and we cannot sub the players with him...Hope we drop the idiot...durrie.
Cheyanqu April 07, 2008 2:15 pm
Anonymous said... "Wonder why the Bulls did not buy him. He would fit in there!"HAHAHA
Anonymous April 07, 2008 4:37 pm
The Biting Incident wasn't on denis lemys ear it was on his fingers, which lemy had put it his mouth to pull him out the way which is why he bit him. Lemy himself got banned for instigating the incident and for fish hooking taione. Which is why i personaly think taione is unfairly victimised over the biting incident, if your stuck at the bottom of a ruck and someone fish hooks you i imagine a fair few people would bite down to stop it. But yes that headbutt was a discrace.
toby April 07, 2008 5:05 pm
jerry collins looks like he wants to get bak on the park and dish out some brutal justice. unleash the beast
awesomeno7 April 07, 2008 9:00 pm
The head is a weapon which must be used! I reqularly run head first into rucks - thats what headguards are made for!:)I dont think what Epi did was that dangerous really. Like his coach said, he just got abit over-excited. All he had to do was lean his head to one side at the last moment and smash the guy with his shoulder and it would have been perfectly legal, and probably hurt the guy just as much. A high tackle is much more dangerous- when the guy is clothes-lined at full tilt. Having said that it was still reckless and silly. But its a confrontational game and he just went about exerting his physicality in the wrong way.
Anonymous April 08, 2008 6:32 pm
meh didnt seem like to big a deal to me card yeah sure but further than that i dont think sofeetham
Anonymous April 25, 2008 3:33 pm
Apparently he was trying to clear the maul and didn't intend to headbutt the player. I guess I can sorta see what he means and in that case I feel sorry for the guy. He was just getting stuck in the way he should and was being careless! poor bloke, hope we see him in the premiership next season :)
No.7 April 26, 2008 5:13 pm
hmmm awesomeno7, i must say i do tend to run into a ruck with my head down, but this is just blatant stupidity, whether it was actually dangerous in this instance is debateable but the fact of the matter is that in the rules if you headbutt someone its a red...(obviously this is bent slightly in a few circumstances...Henderson in the 6 nations) but here we see him flying in and trying to cause damage when there was clearly no need.
DFR April 30, 2008 4:12 am
can you take the animal out of the man? I'm reading that he's done this crap often? PUT HIM DOWN. I'm sick of this dirty play in rugby.
evnz May 17, 2008 9:43 pm
i'd lyk 2 c him pull that 1 on jerry collins.roider:D lol
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