George North cited.

Still only 21 & one of the best wingers the world has ever seen, George North could be facing a lifetime ban for his act of brutality yesterday. 

In a scene reminiscent of the movie Saw, North's disgusting post try celebration at Will Genia was something that children & families did not deserve to see.

The paying public can cope with mild acts of aggression such as ROG's face taking a hammering, Umaga trying to break BOD's neck or Horwill stamping on Jones's face, but when you see a finger wag it's another level of discrace all together. 

Despite apologising on Twitter saying the excitement and the moment got the better of him, not even I can defend North this time. A man of his size and presence should know better and be able to control his temper instead of having an index finger that wanders aimlessly. 

What's next? Players taking their shirt off or screaming right into the camera after scoring a try? Dark times are coming...

......

George was obviously trying to endear him self to the new club he will be joining in September!

Seriously I think it was a reaction to the way the Ref was handling the game, at the breakdown in particular. Not very clever but he has only just turned 21, so he will learn.

I don't really care about these pre-try celebrations/taunts - union is played by people from all kinds of backgrounds now, so you shouldn't always expect a straightforward grounding and handshake.

But those lambasting D Armitage for doing the same thing, should stand their ground in this instance. I haven't got a problem with either.

Is he really one of the best the world has ever seen?

nganboy wrote:Is he really one of the best the world has ever seen?

Mate you have to understand the OP and his words.......... compare him to a small fluffy white cloud on a breezy spring day, one minute in your view the next its gone

North is good, very good in fact, but forgot the world best its just the fluffy white cloud poof gone!

EnglishReign wrote:I don't really care about these pre-try celebrations/taunts - union is played by people from all kinds of backgrounds now, so you shouldn't always expect a straightforward grounding and handshake.

But those lambasting D Armitage for doing the same thing, should stand their ground in this instance. I haven't got a problem with either.

Despite the pointless nature of this thread, I agree with your second para above, EnglishReign - W-ank behaviour from both players, no place for it in rugby and I hope someone kicks young George up his arse for his stupidity

It is a bit juvenile to me whoever does it & GN has let himself down a bit doing something that is lacking class.

Perhaps he picked it up from Phillips earlier on the tour?

But to do it to a guy like Genia who actually is world class is double dumb.

Look at the still and it looks bad. Look at the video in real time and I think he means it to start off as a hand off, but he realises he has got the upper hand and it turns into a taunt. You can see he's pumped up as he walks back. There is no excuse, but there is a context.

The Hypocrisy on 606v2 is amazing.

George North waggles his finger at an opposition player before he scores a try and gets a bit of stick from people, but mostly the re-actions have not been over the top.

Delon Armitage does the exact thing and gets executed on this forum.

Isn't it strange? It's not hypocrisy though, it's sixth sense. Most people know what Armitage is (or North for that matter) having never even met him.

Delon has been a dick rather a lot - so when he is slagged off it is a culmination of his dickishness

Glas a du wrote:Isn't it strange? It's not hypocrisy though, it's sixth sense. Most people know what Armitage is (or North for that matter) having never even met him.

I am sure that moving to Northampton will bring out the best side of George North, who lets face it is not whiter than white.

Like it did for Ashton you mean?

Glas a du wrote:Like it did for Ashton you mean?

Exactly.

Oh dear.

Glas a du wrote:Oh dear.

?

Glas a du wrote:Isn't it strange? It's not hypocrisy though, it's sixth sense. Most people know what Armitage is (or North for that matter) having never even met him.

Thanks for correcting me there Glas. 

As far as I'm concerned the personality of someone shouldn't effect the outcome of the crime they have committed... my mistake for thinking that many people on these forums have enough braincells to realise this

Common mistake, EngInAuk.

We is all fick.

Its all about the cun text.

The best thing about the greatest try ever scored (all blacks vs baa baa's in 73') was the manner in which the score was celebrated. A calm jog back up field. No captain visser salutes, no swan dives, no jeering at the opposition. Over celebrating try's seems very NFL to me. I actually thought north was just putting his hand out to palm off Genia in case he got close, didn't realise he was pointing and jeering at Genia. Shame that really because it was a fantastic try.

bsando wrote:The best thing about the greatest try ever scored (all blacks vs baa baa's in 73') was the manner in which the score was celebrated. A calm jog back up field. No captain visser salutes, no swan dives, no jeering at the opposition. Over celebrating try's seems very NFL to me. I actually thought north was just putting his hand out to palm off Genia in case he got close, didn't realise he was pointing and jeering at Genia. Shame that really because it was a fantastic try.

Bsando I agree with everything you say except the part where you say "I actually thought north was just putting his hand out to palm off Genia in case he got close" Thats absolutly ridiculous. I dont really care that North did this cause it is out of character but it was definitely a mocking gesture and to claim it was an attempt at a hand off is daft.

Glas a du wrote:Like it did for Ashton you mean?

Yes, we took him from league and made him into a good union player. He played pretty well whilst at Northampton for club and country, until his move to Sarries was announced and his confidence hit rock bottom. He has played comparatively poor since being at Sarries.

GunsGerms wrote:

bsando wrote:The best thing about the greatest try ever scored (all blacks vs baa baa's in 73') was the manner in which the score was celebrated. A calm jog back up field. No captain visser salutes, no swan dives, no jeering at the opposition. Over celebrating try's seems very NFL to me. I actually thought north was just putting his hand out to palm off Genia in case he got close, didn't realise he was pointing and jeering at Genia. Shame that really because it was a fantastic try.

Bsando I agree with everything you say except the part where you say "I actually thought north was just putting his hand out to palm off Genia in case he got close" Thats absolutly ridiculous. I dont really care that North did this cause it is out of character but it was definitely a mocking gesture and to claim it was an attempt at a hand off is daft.

Sorry mate, I meant before I saw the replay of the try during live play. I thought it was a bit weird because Genia was pretty far away but it made sense when I saw the replay of north jeering at him. It sets a bad example for young players. 

Best PE lesson I ever had in school was when we were being taught how to play volleyball. Our team was thrashing the other one and every time we scored a point we celebrated excessively. Once we won our teacher said "You won and played very well, but I am deducting all your points because your sportsmanship was terrible, so the other team wins." We then had to do laps of the oval.

Fair enough Bsando. I went to a rugby school and from age 13 celebrating tries was always discouraged by our coaches. Taunting oposition was not tolerated because as my coach would say your opposition will usually be good enough without giving them extra motivation.

One year my school played Wesley college in the senior cup in Landsdowne road. Wesley arent traditionally good but they had an unbelievable player that year who the team targeted for special treatment. All match we chanted "Millar for breakfast" from the sidelines which seemed to spur the Wesley side on until Millar got a suspicious ankle injury.

When we got back from the match the headmaster was disgusted with the team on the pitch and the fans off it. Instead of celebrating we learned the harsh lesson that rugby is a game of dicipline and principle and our collective attitude stank. Wesley werent able to punish the taunts themselves on the field but our headmaster did instead. Thankfully Eric Millar recovered and became a Lion a few years later.

What a lot of hype over nothing at all.  YES one of the world best players and at such a young age, ran 60 meters and skinned everyone in one of the Lion's best try's.

Anyone recall a world class Welsh winger doing the "Where are you?" gesture to a certain S African winger.

Nowt wrong with a celebration.

u dont know what's goes on  or  what has been said on the pitch . could be a retaliation .

I genuinely thought he was doing the right thing and getting his right arm up to protect himself and the ball to made sure he scored. I havent exactly watched it back since the game though, so I'll take your words for it.

Not great then.

I'd probably suggest its gonna be a bit of an 'in yo face willy' at Genia, hes a scrumhalf, a fxking good one, he will certainly run his mouth during the game.

Maybe it was a bit immature, but nothing wrong with getting under your opponents skin

Glas a du wrote:Look at the still and it looks bad. Look at the video in real time and I think he means it to start off as a hand off, but he realises he has got the upper hand and it turns into a taunt. You can see he's pumped up as he walks back. There is no excuse, but there is a context.

Agreed. It was going to be a hand off - then he realised he had already skinned Genia and the hand transmogrified into a small gesture. Nothing to see here folks, so  please movwe along.

gregortree wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Look at the still and it looks bad. Look at the video in real time and I think he means it to start off as a hand off, but he realises he has got the upper hand and it turns into a taunt. You can see he's pumped up as he walks back. There is no excuse, but there is a context.

Agreed. It was going to be a hand off - then he realised he had already skinned Genia and the hand transmogrified into a small gesture. Nothing to see here folks, so  please movwe along.

I didn't even notice it until I saw this thread, as I thought it was a case of putting the hand out to let Genia know he was going to be thrown off if he attempted to tackle him, the way the big kids put their hand out when running to a little kid in school, knowing the little kid will back off.

George does every now and again have a tendancy to do niggly things, when he first started for the Scarlets I remember him really getting into the face of Van Zyl (or another big Italian lock), I think George tackled him hard, and then the next time the lock knocked on Geroge rushed over and patted him on the back laughing. So if it was a wagging finger I wouldn't be too suprised.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

EnglishReign wrote:I don't really care about these pre-try celebrations/taunts - union is played by people from all kinds of backgrounds now, so you shouldn't always expect a straightforward grounding and handshake.

But those lambasting D Armitage for doing the same thing, should stand their ground in this instance. I haven't got a problem with either.

Despite the pointless nature of this thread, I agree with your second para above, EnglishReign - W-ank behaviour from both players, no place for it in rugby and I hope someone kicks young George up his arse for his stupidity

That was deliberate, wasn't it?

When he gets to Saints we will teach him how to waggle TWO fingers at the oposition whilst completing a swallow dive that Tom Daley would be proud of. The sort of celebration all young Englishmen are taught from birth.

Luckless P, I suspect you would hurt your foot.

EngInAuck wrote:The Hypocrisy on 606v2 is amazing.

George North waggles his finger at an opposition player before he scores a try and gets a bit of stick from people, but mostly the re-actions have not been over the top.

Delon Armitage does the exact thing and gets executed on this forum.

I see no difference between the 2, I was going nuts when he scored the try and didn't see his taunt to begin with.

When watching the replay I was a bit disapointed.

I compared the try to BOD's in the 1st test in 2001 sublime stuff that will get played for generations to come, such a shame he ruined it with the finger pointing.

Now every time I see it I'll be a wee bit gutted that he didn't have the good grace just to down the ball and walk back to his teammates like a man rather than a gloating child saying "nah nah nah nah you can't catch me"

In the other gentlemen's game of cricket it is long since de rigeur to verbally sledge esp in Ashes tests. Cricketers have all the time in the world at crease or outfield to dream up sometimes ingenious &  v witty verbal sledgings.
Now in rugby the play is light years faster, less time to think, or talk, and only much simpler sledgings are available to the backs. Wagged finger, hand gesture, swallow dive. Not very articulate and seemingly more juvenile.

The front row seem to get the best opportunites. Hookers often the most vocal of sledgers. A NZ hooker once said of his (English ?) opponent approximately:

" I heard more talk from him in the last  80 minutes, than from my missus all previous week"
Might have been about 'Ronnie Regan' I think.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Every time I see it I'll be a wee bit gutted that he didn't have the good grace just to down the ball and walk back to his teammates like a man rather than a gloating child saying "nah nah nah nah you can't catch me"

Yep.

I also should add mocking Genia... IMO possibly the best player in the world right now might come back to bite us in the erse as we march through the test series.

I do think there's a fair bit of truth in the handoff thing. You can see in the face he's pulling that it's hardly a mocking face, more one that looks aggressive. I don't think you're completely mocking somebody with the face he's pulling

Still, not really needed. The man was beaten so I don't know what the point in it was.

Being a former front rower myself I'm no stranger to exchanging pleasantries in the scrums, however that (North's) type of mocking / taunting whatever you want to call it isn't done in great taste and is ill advised, especially with the result still (as it was at that time) far from assured.

Rugby is a game where the mental edge is important, you only need to look at Rory Best, a guy with all the physical abilities but prone to seismic psychological wobbles to know where I am coming from.

By all means wind the opposition up in the tight, talk some trash at the scrums, breakdowns and lineouts but let's leave the arrogant taunting during scores to the footballers.

Rugby is a game of hypocrisy.

Cheating and unsporting behaviour is a serious no-no if out in the open.
Do it hidden away and it's fine.

No, rugby is a viciously physical team game where large parts of it (by design) go unseen. You can't prove things happen that you can't see so best judge those things you can see - or let's forget rules at all and let props attack their opposite numbers with hatchets

Radge, so its all good and fair to taunt and niggle opposition if your a big hairy bummed forward (scrums, rucks and lines) but not if your a pretty boy back.

Is a finger wag any worse as patting a beaten prop on the head post collapse?

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Radge, so its all good and fair to taunt and niggle opposition if your a big hairy bummed forward (scrums, rucks and lines) but not if your a pretty boy back.

Is a finger wag any worse as patting a beaten prop on the head post collapse?

nope, I hate that pat on the head rubbish. Mind you pushing youself up by pressing down on the back of your opponents head is worse. The lazy, cynical and evil knee in the back of the try scorer is my biggest peeve though.

LT their all the sort of thing that makes you curses them if their opposition players, and turn a blind eye or blame heat of the moment if their one of yours.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:LT their all the sort of thing that makes you curses them if their opposition players, and turn a blind eye or blame heat of the moment if their one of yours.

Never!!!!!???? Couldn't happen. We're all purists here.

I dislike all of that unsporting behaviour. The pats on the head, the little verbal when you win a penalty, the try celebrations - just disrespectful rubbish I reckon. And I mean that for all teams ABs and Hurricanes included.

Sometimes I think there is a place for this sort of actions. In many games you have to match teams in all departments... be it physical, mental or verbal.

I used to play rugby with a northern (ex. league) chap who played centre. At lineouts and scrums he would give his opposite number verbals all day, shouting at him from our line every move telling them how in the next move he would smash them to bits, either attack or defence.... and fair play to him, he often did. You could see people get uptight about it but what can you do... if you can bring it then Kudos for calling it beforehand.

Simple solution for anyone who wags a finger when in the act of scoring - right from the medical profession:

Which ever finger is used to wag is immediately summoned to check the prostate of a bloke in prison for........

Getting a little technical there, doc.