Wasps vs. Harlequins (ECC) Sunday 22/10/17

[oldbackrow]

I wouldn't be surprised if we see both Marler and Hughes on the sidelines for a while after today. Marler really should know better despite the provocation and Hughes' was a cheap shot on Smith, although he will probably argue he was after the ball. Wasps look to be getting some mojo back at least!

[Mikey Brown]

Dire. Wasps were a bit less dire, helped along by Quins extraordinary generosity. I'm struggling to find anything good to say about the game, or about any of the players. The whole thing was as a flat as a pancake. Goodness knows what Eddie thought about the whole thing.
Oh, and Marler really is a twat but if a guy clings on to your leg i kinda think he merits getting a whack.

I agree with all of this. Terrible performance, several moments of absolutely indefensible stupidity and yet more injuries.

I've been excited to see Saili coming in to the side, bit that won't be for a while now ...

Willis with another top quality turnover.

Agree with this too. Willis has looked good whenever he has played. His cameo today was notable for two excellent turnovers.

What happened to Saili? I couldn't hack it and stopped watching.

[Timbo]

Dire. Wasps were a bit less dire, helped along by Quins extraordinary generosity. I'm struggling to find anything good to say about the game, or about any of the players. The whole thing was as a flat as a pancake. Goodness knows what Eddie thought about the whole thing.
Oh, and Marler really is a twat but if a guy clings on to your leg i kinda think he merits getting a whack.

It wasn’t that bad. Actually a reasonable amount of decent rugby over the 80 with a number of good individual performances imo. The longer the game went on the more Wasps confidence came back.

Marler has to be cited for that forearm, as really should have been a red.

[Scrumhead]

Apparently Saili was knocked-out but is OK now. He'll obviously be out for concussion protocols etc. but thankfully nothing more serious.

[Spiffy]

Dire. Wasps were a bit less dire, helped along by Quins extraordinary generosity. I'm struggling to find anything good to say about the game, or about any of the players. The whole thing was as a flat as a pancake. Goodness knows what Eddie thought about the whole thing.
Oh, and Marler really is a twat but if a guy clings on to your leg i kinda think he merits getting a whack.

It wasn’t that bad. Actually a reasonable amount of decent rugby over the 80 with a number of good individual performances imo. The longer the game went on the more Wasps confidence came back.

Marler has to be cited for that forearm, as really should have been a red.

Meantime, Genge played his socks off for Leicester and looks the better prop in all respects, especially with his dynamic play in the loose.

[Scrumhead]

True re. Genge. However, haven't Tigers said he picked up an injury?

[Timbo]

True re. Genge. However, haven't Tigers said he picked up an injury?

Looked like he rolled his ankle. Won’t know for sure until fully assessed obviously, but it looked pretty minor to me.

[Beasties]

Marler's turned into a pantomime villain these days. He's obv feeling Genge breathing down his neck but considering many thought Genge a loose cannon he's looking the safer (and better) option more and more.

[Mellsblue]

Yep. Marler seems to have regressed. Someone needs to sit him down (again, I'd have thought) and explain he plays better when he's not being a knob.

[Timbo]

If you’re gonna be a professional wind up merchant then you have to be under control beneath the facade.

[Puja]

Can't believe the loss of testicles by the ref over Marler. "So, he strikes him on the shoulder, is that correct?" He was working desperately to avoid having to make a big decision. And the TMO needs shooting for just going along with him instead of saying, "Are you blind? He's clearly struck him in the top of the head! Doesn't go anywhere near the shoulder, you cowardly prat!"

Same as the one in the Saints game where the ref was saying, "Contact appears to have been made with the upper neck," to avoid having to give a red. Utter cowardice.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Didn't really feel Ward talk warrants being the EPS thread with the Marler stuff, but just realised his 3 weeks is for a head butt? Anybody even catch that?

[Raggs]

Around the 47 minute mark, goes into a ruck, hits head to head with Young, if it had stopped there, just assume it was bad aim, but then he pulls out and goes in again, head to head/face, then does it a 3rd time, reckon the 3rd time could be the worst, but the camera angle changes so we don't see the collision, citing panel would have had access though.

[Mikey Brown]

So he truly is as stupid as he looks.

I knew this was going to be a long old season.

[Digby]

What specifically was Hughes pinged for in the end, i.e. what action(s) do others need to avoid in future?

[Raggs]

The high tackle on Smith. Grabs his shirt as chasing after him, then yanks him back whilst bringing his arm around, Smith looks to go off balance a bit, and Hughes' arm strikes him on the shoulder/head. The reverse angle didn't seem to show Smith's head jerk, and he hopped straight up, so I'd guess Hughes hit his shoulder and rode up into the head. Without better quality footage and slowing it down, it's tough to say. Had it been spotted in game I suspect it would have been a penalty/yellow, seeing as the ref was mostly being lenient.

EDIT- I suspect that would have been the end of it too, but given it was missed, the media/social media attention it then got, it isn't a surprised it got cited, and from there a ban was virtually inevitable.

[Digby]

Ah, I'd somehow picked up an impression he was in trouble for the handoff on Smith which seemed a little harsh, but I wondered if they'd decided as he followed through with a decent shove having placed his hand to the throat that was sufficient? But in high tackle incident he does swing an arm so fair enough.

[Puja]

And his ban's only two weeks because he didn't read the rules beforehand and had the temerity to plead not guilty. You'd've thought someone would've warned him.

Puja

[Digby]

Was he claiming he struck below the neck then and only below the neck and thus wasn't guilty?

'tis a ballsy call if so. though does it actually make any difference in this instance?

[Which Tyler]

The high tackle on Smith. Grabs his shirt as chasing after him, then yanks him back whilst bringing his arm around, Smith looks to go off balance a bit, and Hughes' arm strikes him on the shoulder/head. The reverse angle didn't seem to show Smith's head jerk, and he hopped straight up, so I'd guess Hughes hit his shoulder and rode up into the head. Without better quality footage and slowing it down, it's tough to say. Had it been spotted in game I suspect it would have been a penalty/yellow, seeing as the ref was mostly being lenient.

EDIT- I suspect that would have been the end of it too, but given it was missed, the media/social media attention it then got, it isn't a surprised it got cited, and from there a ban was virtually inevitable.

Personally, in real time, I felt he deserved a week or so on the side-lines; and a yellow at the time - but could see it going either way.
It definitely looked to be a swinging arm into Smith's head; though I haven't had the repeated views etc.
IIRC it was seen, but the ref was playing advantage at the time, and just called advantage over.

[Mikey Brown]

Actually looks much worse than I remember it on this clip here. http://sport.bt.com/sport-hurts/kay-hug ... 4223698120

If all this nonsense has clarified anything at all to me, it's that I no longer have the attention span or the will to really pay attention when Quins are playing.

[Raggs]

Was he claiming he struck below the neck then and only below the neck and thus wasn't guilty?

'tis a ballsy call if so. though does it actually make any difference in this instance?

I'd guess perhaps he was claiming not guilty to it being red card worthy? Probably figured at worst he'd get 2 weeks, and at best get away with it.

[Puja]

Was he claiming he struck below the neck then and only below the neck and thus wasn't guilty?

'tis a ballsy call if so. though does it actually make any difference in this instance?

The press release said that he couldn't have mitigation because he didn't plead guilty so didn't get the 50% reduction.

Didn't Hughes get a citing warning earlier in the season for smacking someone round the head? Shouldn't that have affected it or was that because the warning came from the AP?

Slow-motion does his actions no favours in my opinion. Probably a red looking at that replay, but 2 weeks seems fair.

Puja

[Digby]

I was thinking more did it make any difference to what games he's miss if he'd had a 50% reduction in tariff? Wasps being well on their way to a meandering season of nothingness some might say, not me obviously.

[Raggs]

Slow it down using youtube speed, Smith starts dropping height, and Hughes' arm is aiming downwards. He definitely catches him, and I reckon it'd have been a yellow at worst in game, and that would have been it, they hug it out after.