Your Favourite Dark Thread in The Fabric of the Rich Tapestry

[anotherworldofpain]

So! Fellow fans of the oval ball game.

The history of sport is awash with a rich variety of dastardly acts, Drugs cheats, physical attacks to disable ice-skaters, under-arm bowling, Here are but a few examples from rugby:
.
Blood-gate: Needing some small points to win and with Nick Evans off the field, Bath RFU fake a blood injury by cutting the player with a razor so they can bloodbin back on the 3-point drop goal prospect.

Meads-gate: Facing the prospect of unsavoury loss to Wales, the legendary Kiwi dives out of the lineout and pretends he get pushed!
Ali Williams quick throw in: Chasing the game late, All Blacks lock Ali Williams runs up the touch line with a ball up his jumper, the touch finding kick from the opposition sails overhead and he pull out the ball and throw to himself.

Suzie-gate: SA seek political victory at any cost and poison the opponents! (NZ view), NZ very bad losers on important day for SA (World view).

Switch-gate: Frustrated at inability to live up to expectation, legendary English goal kicker Jonny Wilkinson conspires with back-room staff to strategically and illegally switch balls before kicks!

Haka-gate: Unwilling to comply about Welsh desires on protocol about the 100 year anniversary game, NZ chose to deny the adoring Welsh public the sight of the pre-match Haka, instead doing it to themselves in private to get ready for the game.

Cobra-gate: Malaysian rugby controversy when the winning semi-finalist forced to play to the losing semi-finalist under complicated situation where...oh you are still reading?

Walsh-gate: Infamous refereeing legend and renowned tee-totalling anti-alcohol activist Steve Walsh is appointed to referee a crucial ENG game, representing Australia as a referee after the RFU spend good money getting him barred from refereeing under the NZ flag. Result? ENG "loose" by "getting on the wrong side of the score-board" despite being the best team in the world.

Tip-Tackle-Gate: Wales are denied an inaugural rugby world cup, when notorious frankophile and referee with a French name Alain Rolland sends off the worlds best rugby player, the world class Lions representative Warburton for an innocuous and perfectly executed tackle.

Clone-Gate: England turn up for the RWC wearing New Zealand's best pajamas.

Barnes-Gate (part 1): English referee Wayne Barnes fails to spot a forward pass, and 27 French infringements, but yet is certain Luke McAllistair deserves a yellow card.

Barnes-Gate (part 2): Wayne Barnes fails to spot James Hook's kick going over the posts, despite it going over the posts. Wales are denied deserved victory over the notorious carnivorous brainless rugby neanderthals South Africa.

Barnes-Gate (part 3): This time co-star Dave Pearson and Barnes manage to fail to send off Bradley Davies for the worst spear-tackle in history whilst accidentally sin-binning Stephen Ferris, costing Ireland the win.

Streetshoes-gate: NZ are denied victory hundreds of years ago because typically an unfit, ill-clothed cheating northern hemisphere referee who was blind and nowhere near the ball rule out a perfectly good try by Bob Deans. Typical. No wonder Robbie Deans his great descendent felt so much pride in his 3-0 drubbing of 6N champions Wales in revenge this year!

PDV-Gate: SA make a political selection for the coach and spend 4 years getting drubbed by NZ.

Murdoch-Gate: Keith Murdoch is wrongly framed for punching someone he didn't and who deserved it anyway. He is sent home to NZ in disgrace and instead disappears forever. Prompting the nation to wonder why SCW was never just accused of punching someone when they had the chance.

BOD-Gate: BOD try his best to be culturally appropriate by responding to the Haka by doing the fingers at Kevin Mealamu's girlfriend in the upper tier of the stands. Umaga and Mealamu sort him out at the first opportunity.

Lions-Gate: SCW bring half the registered rugby population of ENG, run up a £13 billion deficit at RFU HQ on consultants, fails to pick Gavin Henson (destroying his career) and then loses 4-0 to NZ in abject humiliation seeing his book "winning" send to his publishers pulp house.

BUT!!!! Is not my opinion so important. What is your favourite rugby controversy? Or which one shape the modern game most?

[Biltong]

Hmmm, yeah 5/6 in favour of NZ seems to be a bit of a drubbing.

[Biltong]

Suziegate, hmmm, have been told it was in fact dodgy take out pizza and not Suzie.

[nganboy]

That line out one is Haydengate.

Meadsgate is when he helps someone with his pilates but the oppo is just not ready for such flexibility.

Anyway to me things like bloodgate and switchgate are particularly bad because it involves more than one person and is more than an off the cuff thing.

[Pal Joey]

Shut-the-Gate:

Up 24-10 at half time in the 1999 RWC Semi Final, our all black woolly friends from across the dutch forget to shut the gate.

Result? A La Maison led 33-7 point turnaround in the 2nd half and a ban on French goods in NZ for the following 4 years.

[Morgannwg]

NZ, Choke Gate; All Blacks choke at the RWC in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 but lay the blame elsewhere on every occassion.

NZ, Joubert Gate; Joubert gifts NZ cheats the 2011 RWC after France play them off the park but undeservedly lose.

Anyway AWOP, that's quite some hate for Barnes. He's involved in not one, not two, but three gates apparently.

[Morgannwg]

PDV-Gate: SA make a political selection for the coach and spend 4 years getting drubbed by NZ.

Didn't P-divvy's Boks whitewash your Blacks the one year Ghostie?

[aucklandlaurie]

Jonah-gate,

A few years back The All blacks were playing a test against wales.

When the half time whistle went the ABs were ahead 50-nil, thanks to eight trys scored by Jonah, Anyway the ABs had a chat and they decided that this game was boring, so they decided that rather than go back for the second half they would all go the pub and just leave Jonah to play for New Zealand.

Jonah agreed, and said " Ok boys I'll catch up with you down the pub after the game and tell you how I go".
After the game Jonah walks into the pub, and tells the rest of the ABs the score. " We won 95-3."
A furious Michael Jones says " What, How did you let them get three points?"

Jonah replied apologetically "I got sent off with 20 minutes to go".

[mckay1402]

That joke was old when it was Gareth Edwards

[emack2]

IRB gate when 3 times in55 years they changed the laws,because the Allblacks were getting to successful.Banning the 2-3-2 scrum,the ruck,and changing the driving maul laws all because the Allblacks were winning to much.Bezendhouit gate when a Bok referee denied the AllBlacks the final 1976 test for political reasons.World gate other teams conspiring to deny the AllBlacks there rightful place as RWC champions in 1991,1995,1999,2003,2007.Bok gate deliberatelyhiding there best players in 2007 and 2009 to create a false impression inthe strength of ther teams.Thus causing the world to under estimate them RWC 2007,and 2009 Lions.Fix gate match fixing in 1995 and 2007 RWCs.All this in the spirit of the thread total rubbish and a giggle.

[Biltong]

What about the "flour bomb" tour in 1980 when the last test dragged on and on and on until NZ led?

[anotherworldofpain]

NZ, Choke Gate; All Blacks choke at the RWC in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 but lay the blame elsewhere on every occassion.

NZ, Joubert Gate; Joubert gifts NZ cheats the 2011 RWC after France play them off the park but undeservedly lose.

Anyway AWOP, that's quite some hate for Barnes. He's involved in not one, not two, but three gates apparently.

It's a lot of Gate for Barnes I agree! But not a lot of hate! I just call it fairly as it happen, Morgan!

[Guest]

Greyghost-gate?

Bollix-gate - the French ripping Buck's nut from its socket and having it stitched up on the sideline in front of the crowd before re-joining the action.

[yappysnap]

Bath are a disgusting club for Blood Bath Gate!!!! They should be lynched

[Pal Joey]

Greyghost-gate?

Bollix-gate - the French ripping Buck's nut from its socket and having it stitched up on the sideline in front of the crowd before re-joining the action.

Was that a team effort or an individual player?

[Guest]

Team effort I think LB, the nurse held the skin together and the doctor sewed it up.

[Effervescing Elephant]

WUM-gate: Blah blah blah blah blah blah zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz phrrrt wussat?

[thebandwagonsociety]

While it's not a 'gate' story, I kind of liked Trevor Brennan going mental up at Ravenhill and having a go at the lad in the stand for apparently speaking ill of his mother.

Also liked the story of HarryOrdinary's dad coming onto the field to give out that time.

[Pal Joey]

Was that the end of Brennan's career after that or did he come back after suspension for a short time?

[tigertattie]

Ali williams quick throw in

Cheeky yet brilliant!

[HammerofThunor]

Was that the end of Brennan's career after that or did he come back after suspension for a short time?

He got a lifetime ban didn't he? Can't remember if it was overturned

[yappysnap]

Has anyone got a link to the Williams incident as i've never heard or seen it before?

[Submachine]

Gatorade gate – When Brian O’Driscoll shamelessly sold his soul by taking one thousand sips of Gatorade in a 30 second televised post match interview earning himself half a million quid and a neon tongue. (May have been Powerade but I've always adored alliteration)

[Knowsit17]

Rolland-gate: The undercover Frenchman conspires with his secret compatriots to get rid of one of Wales' most influential figures with an unprecendented soft sending off and deal Welsh morale a fatal blow, thus robbing us of a historic RWC final if not the trophy itself. They even hired a footballer to play-act for them

[disneychilly]

Surprised Biltong hasn't mentioned Brycegate. Worst refereeing display since-well...you know

Gold watch gate-Louis Luyt giving Derek Bevan a gold watch after seeing Bevan deny what a hell of a lot of people saw was a winning French try in the 95 semi. Also Luyt telling the crowd at the 95 post cup dinner that SA would have won 87 and 91 too. To do it anyway is bad enough let alone with most of the final opposition spewing their rings out. Biltong I think you had it backwards. The guys that got sick were in a restaurant-and the three or four who didn't were the ones who snuck out for KFC! A delicious if unhealthy irony.

Hadengate was a non event-Geoff Wheel was the one who was penalised legitimately.

WRCgate was a pretty big one.

[thebandwagonsociety]

Was that the end of Brennan's career after that or did he come back after suspension for a short time?

He got a lifetime ban didn't he? Can't remember if it was overturned

Started as a lifetime ban, then shortened to 5 years. He paid a fine of €25,000 to the ERC? and €5,000 to the fella in the stand? He was retiring that year. The original ban would have prevented him from ever taking up any kind of support/coaching role for the rest of his life. That was the main reason they looked to get it down to 5 years.

[Thomond]

Your comment on BOD is a pretty big accusation Awop. Do you have proof of it?

[Portnoy]

Watergate : when some brainless schmuck on RTÉ suggested that MJ's bottle was wired for sound and beamed to CW as opposed to him just belting out orders or whatever between swigs.

[Thomond]

I remember that, it did seem like CWs voice but sure it didn't make much of a difference in the end.

[nganboy]

NZ, Choke Gate; All Blacks choke at the RWC in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 but lay the blame elsewhere on every occassion.

NZ, Joubert Gate; Joubert gifts NZ cheats the 2011 RWC after France play them off the park but undeservedly lose.

Anyway AWOP, that's quite some hate for Barnes. He's involved in not one, not two, but three gates apparently.

How about chipontheshouldergate where Morgan places ABs as favourites despite not being the best team.

[dallym]

Rolland-gate: The undercover Frenchman conspires with his secret compatriots to get rid of one of Wales' most influential figures with an unprecendented soft sending off and deal Welsh morale a fatal blow, thus robbing us of a historic RWC final if not the trophy itself. They even hired a footballer to play-act for them

what the heck have you been smoking? Under the IRB guidelines/rules/laws it was a sending off offense. look at the replays and you'll see Alain was in a perfect postion to witness Sammy's foul play. It wasn't rollandgate; instead it should be applauded for a ref having the balls to follow the rulebook in an important game.

Interestingly, the penalty at the end which Halfpenny almost kicked should have gone to the French. So here is Alain unfairly giving the Taffs a chance to win. Yet your lot still whinge...

You were lucky France stopped playing once Warburton got sent off. If they kept playing they would have won by 30. Instead you got a sniff of a win, but poor Welsh goalkicking let your lot down. Not the ref.

[Taylorman]

Jonah-gate,

A few years back The All blacks were playing a test against wales.

When the half time whistle went the ABs were ahead 50-nil, thanks to eight trys scored by Jonah, Anyway the ABs had a chat and they decided that this game was boring, so they decided that rather than go back for the second half they would all go the pub and just leave Jonah to play for New Zealand.

Jonah agreed, and said " Ok boys I'll catch up with you down the pub after the game and tell you how I go".
After the game Jonah walks into the pub, and tells the rest of the ABs the score. " We won 95-3."
A furious Michael Jones says " What, How did you let them get three points?"

Jonah replied apologetically "I got sent off with 20 minutes to go".

Flawed story methinks...

...Jones would never leave a game to go to the pub, and thinking about it, if he'd stayed instead of Jonah, he wouldnt have been sent off- no one sends off he who walks on water.

[aucklandlaurie]

The Iceman wasnt playing that day cause it was a Sunday, the only reason he went to the pub was because he's a team player, and he was only drinking lemonade.

[AlastairW]

BOD-Gate: BOD try his best to be culturally appropriate by responding to the Haka by doing the fingers at Kevin Mealamu's girlfriend in the upper tier of the stands.

This made me smile for some reason, and i like BOD that little bit more now

[anotherworldofpain]

Rolland-gate: The undercover Frenchman conspires with his secret compatriots to get rid of one of Wales' most influential figures with an unprecendented soft sending off and deal Welsh morale a fatal blow, thus robbing us of a historic RWC final if not the trophy itself. They even hired a footballer to play-act for them

what the heck have you been smoking? Under the IRB guidelines/rules/laws it was a sending off offense. look at the replays and you'll see Alain was in a perfect postion to witness Sammy's foul play. It wasn't rollandgate; instead it should be applauded for a ref having the balls to follow the rulebook in an important game.

Interestingly, the penalty at the end which Halfpenny almost kicked should have gone to the French. So here is Alain unfairly giving the Taffs a chance to win. Yet your lot still whinge...

You were lucky France stopped playing once Warburton got sent off. If they kept playing they would have won by 30. Instead you got a sniff of a win, but poor Welsh goalkicking let your lot down. Not the ref.

Not really in the spirit of the thread, which should be about your favourite controversy or most important. But all valid points none the less.

[Knowsit17]

Rolland-gate: The undercover Frenchman conspires with his secret compatriots to get rid of one of Wales' most influential figures with an unprecendented soft sending off and deal Welsh morale a fatal blow, thus robbing us of a historic RWC final if not the trophy itself. They even hired a footballer to play-act for them

what the heck have you been smoking? Under the IRB guidelines/rules/laws it was a sending off offense. look at the replays and you'll see Alain was in a perfect postion to witness Sammy's foul play. It wasn't rollandgate; instead it should be applauded for a ref having the balls to follow the rulebook in an important game.

Interestingly, the penalty at the end which Halfpenny almost kicked should have gone to the French. So here is Alain unfairly giving the Taffs a chance to win. Yet your lot still whinge...

You were lucky France stopped playing once Warburton got sent off. If they kept playing they would have won by 30. Instead you got a sniff of a win, but poor Welsh goalkicking let your lot down. Not the ref.

I maintain it wasn't worth a red, twas definitely a yellow but never a red. That's just my opinion and I'm braced for many disagreeing, maybe even a few incredulous insults here and there which I'll ignore. You're allowed your own opinion and mine hasn't changed since the day, it was an awkward tackle with an unintentional result.

Once tip-tackles as bad as Warburton's are permanently adjudged to be red card offences I'll agree it was a justified red. As it stands I've seen many as bad or worse since that have gotten off scot free in comparison. So you can't tell me that Warbs is a red-handed criminal when most of the time the refs just turn a blind eye towards the seriousness of tip tackles. Very convenient timing by Mr Rolland

[dallym]

just because the other refs are too scared to follow the rules doesn't mean that when the refs does have guts to adjudicate properly that he gets slammed for it.


and the biggest controversy? DEANS DID SCORE

[disneychilly]

How about the Scots not playing the Invincibles in 1924 due to a row over expenses, denying Cliff Porter's side what should have been NZ's second Grand Slam (assuming of course Deans was awarded the try lol)

[Knowsit17]

Tell me how it's fair that in fixtures of less significance and out of a host of tip-tackles we've seen over the years, those which are clearly more malicious or reckless (Davies on Ryan yellow; Ellis on Carter not even carded etc) the culprits are left to skip away into the blue, while in a game which means far more to the fans and players involved, in which case the tackle wasn't intended as such, it's unquestionably justifiable to snap out a red! That's the stance everyone seems to be taking now. Explain to me how that works.

[boomeranga]

Once tip-tackles as bad as Warburton's are permanently adjudged to be red card offences I'll agree it was a justified red. As it stands I've seen many as bad or worse since that have gotten off scot free in comparison. So you can't tell me that Warbs is a red-handed criminal when most of the time the refs just turn a blind eye towards the seriousness of tip tackles. Very convenient timing by Mr Rolland

poach-gate

[boomeranga]

Tell me how it's fair that in fixtures of less significance and out of a host of tip-tackles we've seen over the years, those which are clearly more malicious or reckless (Davies on Ryan yellow; Ellis on Carter not even carded etc) the culprits are left to skip away into the blue, while in a game which means far more to the fans and players involved, in which case the tackle wasn't intended as such, it's unquestionably justifiable to snap out a red! That's the stance everyone seems to be taking now. Explain to me how that works.

There's no explanation Knowsit, but its been several months and you just have to let it go. You will win no friends, gain no sympathy, nor find an explanation that makes it any different to how it lies now. Next time it goes your way and the other team's fan's are asking similar questions, smile and say fair enough. The circle continues.

And once you've had that Zen moment, turn to the nearest poster's from whatever country you have just beaten and tell them they are the biggest bunch of whiney, wind bagged, cry baby f--tards you have ever had the misfortune to see your dog cough up, and that you honestly suspect that men from that country are born without testicles.

[Knowsit17]

I honestly don't mind how many friends I make as a result of continuing to touch of the subject of Rolland-gate. Nor am I losing any sleep over it, it's in the past as you say.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have the same opinion of it now as I did when it happened. While we're on the topic of controversy which this thread provides I saw fit to bring it up as I still find it to be very controversial, so did a lot of other people at the time. Simple as. Ugly fact about debate: some of it is controversial and sensitive and some people don't like bringing it up. No reason to taboo it for the benefit of those who disagree with you.

I'm not still basking in self-pity over that fateful game if that's what you mean, I'm simply challenging those with a contrary view to my own to back it up

[anotherworldofpain]

Tell me how it's fair that in fixtures of less significance and out of a host of tip-tackles we've seen over the years, those which are clearly more malicious or reckless (Davies on Ryan yellow; Ellis on Carter not even carded etc) the culprits are left to skip away into the blue, while in a game which means far more to the fans and players involved, in which case the tackle wasn't intended as such, it's unquestionably justifiable to snap out a red! That's the stance everyone seems to be taking now. Explain to me how that works.

There's no explanation Knowsit, but its been several months and you just have to let it go. You will win no friends, gain no sympathy, nor find an explanation that makes it any different to how it lies now. Next time it goes your way and the other team's fan's are asking similar questions, smile and say fair enough. The circle continues.

And once you've had that Zen moment, turn to the nearest poster's from whatever country you have just beaten and tell them they are the biggest bunch of whiney, wind bagged, cry baby f--tards you have ever had the misfortune to see your dog cough up, and that you honestly suspect that men from that country are born without testicles.

I suspect because the IRB already said they would cracking down on tip-tackling in the RWC, then advised three different times that it would be unacceptable. Then Warburton did it in the semi-final, a very high profile game. The referee simply had no choice (unless he would say he was "too near" to decide...)

[boomeranga]

I honestly don't mind how many friends I make as a result of continuing to touch of the subject of Rolland-gate. Nor am I losing any sleep over it, it's in the past as you say.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I have the same opinion of it now as I did when it happened. While we're on the topic of controversy which this thread provides I saw fit to bring it up as I still find it to be very controversial, so did a lot of other people at the time. Simple as. Ugly fact about debate: some of it is controversial and sensitive and some people don't like bringing it up. No reason to taboo it for the benefit of those who disagree with you.

I'm not still basking in self-pity over that fateful game if that's what you mean, I'm simply challenging those with a contrary view to my own to back it up

Yeah, sorry about that Knowsit. I'd been to the pub all arvo and must have thought I was full of wisdom when I was really just full of grog.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

At least you made a mistake with making a post. It could've been much worse with beer goggles on mate.

[kiakahaaotearoa]

I forgot

[boomeranga]

[Morgannwg]

NZ, Choke Gate; All Blacks choke at the RWC in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007 but lay the blame elsewhere on every occassion.

NZ, Joubert Gate; Joubert gifts NZ cheats the 2011 RWC after France play them off the park but undeservedly lose.

Anyway AWOP, that's quite some hate for Barnes. He's involved in not one, not two, but three gates apparently.

How about chipontheshouldergate where Morgan places ABs as favourites despite not being the best team.

That was an attempt to wind up grey ghostie, not yourself . Couldn't you have come out with a better response than something along the lines of chips on shoulders? I feel it gets used to much on here.

[dallym]

if you want a wales RWC semi final controversy with a red card, how about Huw getting red carded for getting knocked out by Buck Shelford!

[nganboy]

Huw was dirty and got red carded fairynuff.
The knock out was just a bonus.

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