From: conrad@actrix.gen.nz (Conrad Bullock)
Subject: Richard Loe banned from all Rugby for 9 months
Organization: Actrix Information Exchange
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 21:21:37 GMT

On the front page of the Dominion this morning:

Dominion, Wellington, NZ, 9th Oct 1992 - All Black and Waikato Prop
Richard Loe was last night suspended from rugby for 9 months.
   The suspension, the heaviest imposed on an All Black by the New
Zealand Rugby Union, starts on April 1 next year.
   Loe was found to have eye-gouged Otago fullback Greg Cooper during
last Sunday's national championship final at Hamilton.
   The ban was announced after an 8.5-hour disciplinary committee meeting
in Wellington
   The committee, Tim Gresson, Rob Fisher, and Graham Atkin, viewed
videos and considered written and medical evidence. Before the
decision was announced, Loe and his legal advisers were spirited out
of the building which houses the Rugby Football Union.
   Mr Gresson, committee chairman, said: "We find Richard Loe
deliberately inserted his fingers into Greg Cooper's" eyes with
considerable force."
   Loe's legal adviser, Stephen Clark, made submissions saying Loe had
made arrangements to play rugby in France throughout the New Zealand
off-season.
   Loe and his family were due to leave New Zealand shortly and had
already leased their home and farm.
   The deferring of the sentence till next year had not been taken
lightly, the disciplinary committee said in a seven-page document
detailing the hearing.
   Though the committee felt sentences should begin immediately, it
had taken into account the personal circumstances in deferring
commencement till the New Zealand domestic season.
   The suspension, from April 1, 1993 till December 31, 1993, means
Loe will miss the domestic season and the following French season.
   "To date, in New Zealand rugby, eye-gouging in any form has not
been commonplace. Such conduct is to be deplored and will not be
tolerated," the committee said. "In this case the committee has found
that Richard Loe's actions were deliberate rather than reckless. The
action was repeated and the force applied to a particularly vulnerable
part of the body."
   "Fortunately for all concerned, no serious of lasting injury
eventuated. However the potential was certainly there."
   The committee heard evidence from Cooper and Loe and considered
written reports from referee Dave Bishop and touch judges Alan Riley
and Hugh Chisholm.
   Video evidence was considered in the presence of Loe and his
solicitor, with the committee satisfied the incident was clearly
identifiable.
   Loe read a prepared statement to the committee in which he stated
he attempted to hold and pull down Cooper on to the Waikato side of
the maul and that his left hand came in contact with his face.
   He stated there was no intention on his part to deliberately
inflict any harm on Cooper or deliberately attempt to eye-gouge him.


On the back page, an editorial comment:

End of career for Loe - Lindsay Knight, Comment - Richard Loe last
night copped a severe penalty from the Rugby Union's disciplinary
hearing, one which has virtually ended his All Black playing career
even if it has left him able to pursue his presumably lucrative
activity in France over the off-season.
   Most probably agree that Loe got his just desserts. His offence,
graphically caught by a television replay, was inexcusable and
something alien to the New Zealand rugby philosophy.
   It is sad that an otherwise illustrious All Black has had such a
blight cast over the latter stages of his playing days.
   It's also regrettable that this controversy should now have
overshadowed both Waikato's triumph in the inaugural national
championship final and the successful promotion of the championship's
new format.
   But all of that is secondary to the fact that for the sake of the
game's image the rugby authorities had to act with alacrity and impose
a stiff penalty which on a top player in this country is almost
without precedent.
   What has been most disturbing about this case is that for Loe this
was the third time this sason he has been involved in an unsavoury
incident. It has to be emphasised that what happened in the two
previous incidents in Australia was not relevant to yesterday's
hearings.
   Loe was judged solely on his action in last Sunday's match against
Otago and what caused Greg Cooper's eye injury. It can be taken for
granted that the juducial members, with their strong legal backgrounds
and vast experiences in rugby administration, were meticulous in their
deliberations.
   But having dealt with Loe's offence appropriately the Rugby Union
still needs to apply itself to at least two fundamental questions.
   One is whether the union's judicial procedures, admirable and
trailblazing as they have been, in rugby anyway, need further
streamlining.
   The logistics were obviously difficult in getting all the
principals together, particularly as this was a case which could only
have arisen through the study and analysis of a videotape.
   But it would have been much more satisfactory had this hearing been
conducted closer to Sunday. the four-day delay meant that Loe
inevitably was tried by media. Had the rules of subjudice which apply
in everyday court cases been applied to the union hearing then it
would have been impossible to have made any proceedings against Loe.
   The Rugby Union must now be wondering about its own wisdom in
failing to take action against Loe for the broken nose incident
involving the Wallaby wing Paul Carozza in the second Bledisloe Cup
test in Brisbane.
   Many New Zealanders shared the conviction of Australians that Loe
was lucky to escape penalty after that clumsy piece of play and
there's not much doubt that on that occasion and in hindsight it can
be seen the decision to excuse Loe was not made with a due detachment.
   Who knows, had Loe been reprimanded then, perhaps a two-match
suspension, then he may have been sufficiently prodded to have been
more careful in channeling his aggression in the remainder of the
season?
--- End

Spelling errors are probably mine.

I entered this last piece as probably representative of what most NZers
think.

Me? I always thought the guy was a prick and should be dropped :-)

As for the suspension not taking place immediately, I thought it was
probably fair enough - he has in fact already organised all aspects of
his off-season, including leasing out his house..... and the way some
of those French forwards play, they probably deserve him...

Remember Nantes '86? Buck Shelford sure does....

It could have been longer though, but it does in effect end his All-Black
career, and probably Waikato too.

So, will they bring back Steve McDowell? I suspect not....