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British & Irish Lions statement: Stuart Hogg

Stuart Hogg /Getty

British & Irish Lions fullback Stuart Hogg has ‘categorically’ denied that he bit Springbok fullback Willie Le Roux in yesterday’s 27 – 9 loss to the South Africa in Cape Town.

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After a sour lead-in week, the second Test was a tense affair that flared up on a number of occasions.

After the game, accusations were made on social media around an incident that happened during a scuffle in the aftermath of Cheslin Kolbe’s mid-air hit on Conor Murray. Hogg and opposite number Le Roux wrestled for a few moments and a number of stills and video footage then surfaced online that appeared to show the South African’s arm brush against Hogg’s mouth.

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Matt Dawson and Mike Brown take the not so quick-fire quiz:

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Matt Dawson and Mike Brown take the not so quick-fire quiz:

Hogg has released the following statement in response to the allegations: “Following speculation that has surfaced online, I would like to categorically deny any foul play in last night’s game. I would never bite an opponent and I am annoyed and upset by this unsubstantiated accusation. I’ve always been proud of playing rugby in the spirit of the game.

“Respect to the Springboks for their deserved win yesterday. The squad is hurting after last night’s defeat, but it’s all to play for next week. It’s going to be a cup final and everyone’s going to be up for it.”

The Hogg incident was a number of off-the-ball incidents that were picked up by fans and pundits, with Lions’ second row Maro Itoje also shown appearing to kneel on South Africa centre Damian de Allende’s chest and neck area.

Following the game Lions head coach Warren Gatland opened up about Rassie Erasmus’ online antics during the week which had lead to a unique build up to the second Test.

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“I thought it (Erasmus’ video) was pretty interesting. I won’t be going on social media this week,” Gatland said. “I don’t really want to comment on that because I want other people to take care of it. The last thing we need is a war of words and being accused of doing certain things.

“It’s amazing to me how the narrative changed with regard to the TMO. I didn’t make one comment leading up to the game last weekend about the TMO yet I was accused of questioning his integrity.

“That was the message they were sending out. We’ll keep things to ourselves and keep to the proper channels.

“We’ve got systems and process in place. Hopefully World Rugby looks at that to make sure everyone follows the protocols.

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“We deal with the referees through World Rugby. That’s the process. I just hope it doesn’t get to the situation where we end up with things on Twitter and people airing their views in that way and not through the proper channels.

“I found it quite strange that that approach was taken. It’s definitely not something I’ll get involved with. It’s important that we keep up the integrity of the game as much as we can.”

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Hellhound 46 minutes ago
South Africa player ratings | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

There is this thing going around against Siya Kolisi where they don't want him to be known as the best national captain ever, so they strike him down in ratings permanently whenever they can. They want McCaw and reckons he is the best captain ever. I disagree.


Just like they refuse to see SA as the best team and some have even said that should the Boks win a third WC in a row, they will still not be the best team ever. Even if they win every game between now and the WC. That is some serious hate coming SA's way.


Everyone forget how the McCaw AB's intimidated refs, was always on the wrong side, played on the ground etc. Things they would never have gotten away with today. They may have a better win ratio, but SA build depth, not caring about rank inbetween WC's until this year.


They weren't as bad inbetween as people claim, because non e of their losses was big ones and they almost never faced the strongest Bok team outside of the WC, allowing countries like France and Ireland to rise to the top unopposed.


Rassie is still at it, building more depth, getting more young stars into the fold. By the time he leaves (I hope never) he will leave a very strong Bok side for the next 15- 20 years. Not everyone will play for 20 years, but each year Rassie acknowledge the young stars and get them involved and ready for international rugby.


Not everyone will make it to the WC, but those 51/52 players will compete for those spots for the WC. They will deliver their best. The future of the Boks is in very safe hands. The only thing that bothers me is Rassie's health. If he can overcome it, rugby looks dark for the rest of the rugby world. He is already the greatest coach in WR history. By the time he retires, he will be the biggest legend any sport has ever seen

4 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

No where to be seen OB!


The crosses for me for the year where (from memory);


This was a really hard one to nail down as the first sign of a problem, now that I've asked myself to think about it. I'd say it all started with his decision to not back form and fit players after all the injuries, and/or him picking players for the future, rather ones that could play right now.


First he doesn't replace Perofeta straight away (goes on for months in the team) after injury against England, second he falls back to Beauden Barrett to cover at fullback against Fiji, then he drops Narawa the obvious choice to have started, then he brings in Jordan too soon. That Barret selection (and to a lesser extent Bell's) set the tone for the year.


Then he didn't get the side up for Argentina. They were blown away and didn't look like they expected a fight and were well beaten despite the scoreline in my opinion. Worst performance of the year in the forth game and..


Basically the same problems were persistent, or even exaggerated, after that with the players he did select not given much of an opportunity, with this year having the most number of unused subs I can remember since the amateur days.


What I think I started to realise early on was that he didn't back himself and his team. I think he prepared the players well, don't get me wrong, but I'll credit him with making a conscious choice in tempering his ambition and instead choosing cohesion and to respect (the idea of it being important in himself and his players) experience first and foremost (after two tight games and that 4th game loss). I think he chose wrong in deciding not to be, and back, himself. Hard criticism.


And it played out by preferring Beauden to Dmac on the EOYT (though that may have been a planned move).


I hope I'm right, because going through all the little things of the season and coming up with these bullets, I've got to wonder when I say his last fault is one we have seen at the Crusaders, playing his best players into the ground. What I'm really scared of now is that not wanting a bit of freshness in this last game could be linked with all these other crosses that I want to put down to simple confidence issues. But are they really a sign that he just lacks vision?


Now, that's not to say I haven't seen a lot of positives as well, I just think that for the ABs to go where they want to go he has to fix these crosses. Just have difficult that will be is the question.

27 Go to comments
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