Schoolboy banned till 2015
A Kimberley schoolboy has been banned from playing rugby for 80 weeks, that is till 2015.
Luaan Dowie of Noord-Kaap, the strongest rugby school in Griqualand West has been banned from the game for 80 weeks following an incident in his school's 1st XV match against Waterkloof in Kimberley, a match which Noord-Kaap won 34-30.
Dowie appeared before a Griqualand West disciplinary committee which found him guilty of first punching Juandré de Beer of Waterkloof and then butting him with his head.
Dowie was playing flank, De Beer lock.
Dowie is reported to have punched De Beer and then, on being shown a red card, headbutted him.
Arni van Rooyen, CEO of the Griqualand West Rugby Union, said the ban would send "a very strong message out that foul play like that won't be tolerated".
De Beer, Waterkloof's lock who suffered the attack, said the punishment is harsh but "one has to think twice before committing foul play".
De Beer described the incident: “It was early in the game. There was a ruck and I had to clean out the player (Dowie). When I turned around he pulled me back. I fell on my back.
"My hand scraped him during the fall. Then I felt a punch in the face. I stayed on the ground. He received a red card.
"Then he approached me again. I only saw him out the corner of my eye when the first aid people were already attending to me. He head-butted me on my lip and I fell. There were more punches, but I just held on to my head and closed my eyes.
"My head hurt and my lip was split open, but I played on. You always expect a tough game."
Dowie reportedly head-butted De Beer while the referee put the red card back in his sock. He claimed De Beer provoked him by poking him in the eye.
The IRB has recommendations for foul play. For punching the nor is two to eight weeks but with a maximum of 52 weeks. For headbutting the norm is four to 12 weeks but with a maximum of 104 weeks. Dowie has certainly been hit hard.
