Sharks loose-forward-cum-centre-cum-battering-ram Epi Taione has been handed a six-week suspension for a reckless head butt that saw him red carded in the game against the Hurricanes on Saturday.
The suspension means Taione will miss all of the Sharks tour, as well as the two remaining games back in South Africa, against the Cheetahs and the Chiefs. Should the Sharks make the semi-finals, which looks a reasonable bet at this stage, the Tongan would be available for that game, assuming the Sharks opt to keep him that long.
Nicholas Davidon, the Judiciary Officer in charge of the hearing, ruled that the act was “grossly reckless”, despite Taione’s protestations that the head butt was unintentional. The player’s former misconduct, including a suspension for biting a few years ago, was taken into account when determining the sentence.
Loose forward Jean Deysel has been placed on standby to join the squad pending the result of an appeal, which would appear unlikely to be fruit at this stage.
Lions tight head prop Ross Geldenhuys fared better; he was found not guilty of intentionally striking a player with his knee during his side’s loss to the Highlanders and will be able to play against the Crusaders this weekend.
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Dumb ass.. quite an expensive little mistake for the Sharks. He probably played all of 40 minutes.
Why would we play him in the Semi’s?
Let’s just hope he stays for the CC and makes up for this BIG TIME!
agree completely. This is a big setback. Fortunately Deysel was showing such promising form
So die Epi gaan nie sy trade klamaakie?
six weeks seems a little harsh!
08.04.08 09:26:06 – billy
The player’s former misconduct, including a suspension for biting a few years ago, was taken into account when determining the sentence.
They probably added a week or two for when he did a Tyson…
did he sign with us for the Currie Cup as well?
Must be able to try and get some of the money back… he can mow lawns for Sharks supporters!
rob – they said he and Fred have an option to stay for the CC…
The committee decided that his actions were premeditated…he did shave his head before using it as a weapon of mass destruction… 😆
how tough must that Jeremy Thrush chap be, to not go off concussed? Bloody amazing.
Hope Epi doesn’t develop thrush on his head to go with all his other problems.
bryce – maybe they can use him back at Sharks HQ. As a paperweight, or maybe a doorstop.
They must throw him in the Shark-Tank at Ushaka Marine…
wouldn’t that be cruel? To the other Sharks? 😉
this is a real shame, sharks could have used him big time agains thte Tahs and the Saders…Tahs pack looking back to its best, they destroyed the Blues a bit, no mean feet, tough tour for sharkies.
08.04.08 10:03:58 – robdylan
I guess it wouldn’t fly well with the SPCA…
cab- agree…he was gonna be very useful in the 2nd half for all our remaining games…but as fate would have it…he didn’t use his head…or did he?
Deysel is also a pretty big unit. We’ll be ok.
6 weeks quite harsh? Considering that guys who throw punches only get a couple of weeks?
Blackshark – yeah so keen to make an impression that he lost his head.
RobD – Palu, Tuali, Epi – 120kgs+ whereas Deysel < 110kgs.
sharks will not be happy.
We’re not going to go into the ” does size matter?” discussion…
😈
sorry, I fail to buy that… you don’t need to be 120kg to play loose forward any more
Keegan Daniels shows that weight is only part of the story.
yep…no-one wants a banana for a loosie but a good combo of speed, agility and strength does the trick.
banana?
think its balance as blackshark says, and it seems that all the top teams have that, but perhaps you’re right about the botes-daniel effect being an option with the ELVs, time will tell.
for me, i think botes and daniel should be competing for the fetcher birth or being told to burn themslves out for a half each, kanko playing th ewhole game at 8 brings skill and speed, but need a powehouse ballcarrier at 7 to get go-forward and get over adv line. think also perhaps why the sharks have looked less attacking than last year with a younger AJ at 7.
I have just watched the replay of this incident on YouTube.
Epi was lucky he didn’t get 6 months.
Guess this makes him a hammer-head shark. I think the sentence is a bit harsh.
ha ha Fish.
You think it’s harsh? Dude, it was a blatant head butt…
Well if he is around for the CC, then he will be a damn good CC player. 😉
Playing for the Bulss?? 😉
“how tough must that Jeremy Thrush chap be, to not go off concussed?”
With a surname like that he’d have had years of punch-ups on the playground…
“sorry, I fail to buy that… you don’t need to be 120kg to play loose forward any more”
We’re talking about freaks of nature here that can step, off load in the tackle and hit gaps (and heads) at pace… not our boeresuens…