Yahoo Finance Lions full-back Stuart Hogg denies biting South Africa’s Willie Le Roux
British and Irish Lions full-back Stuart Hogg denies biting Willie Le Roux in Saturday’s 27-9 defeat by South Africa.
Hogg’s head made contact with the left arm of Le Roux when tempers flared in the second half of a fractious second Test at Cape Town Stadium.
Footage and stills of the incident have been circulated on social media, but the Scotland captain rejects claims that he bit his opposite number.
“Following speculation that has surfaced online, I would like to categorically deny any foul play in last night’s game,” Hogg said in a statement released by the Lions.
“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.”
Biting is treated severely by rugby’s judiciary and carries a low-end punishment of a 12-week ban, rising to in excess of 24 weeks for serious offences. The maximum length of suspension is 208 weeks.
It is considered alongside testicle grabbing and eye-gouging in the length of sanction, with only physical abuse or threatening words or actions towards match officials considered graver offences.
No matter the result, we’re always in this together 👊#LionsRugby #BoksvLions #CastleLionsSeries pic.twitter.com/Qg7GTd7JXI
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) August 1, 2021
Hogg’s tussle with Le Roux as the rivals squared off in one of several flashpoints to disrupt an ugly second Test is among a series of incidents that will interest the citing officer, who has until 7pm on Sunday evening to lodge any complaints.
A clip of Maro Itoje resting his knee on the throat area of Damian De Allende has also been widely viewed on social media.
As Itoje rises to his feet, the protesting De Allende tackles him to the floor and then shapes to throw a punch downwards at the prone Lions second-row, who was man of the match in the first Test.
South Africa made their own contribution to a stormy evening that takes the series to a decider on Saturday.
Cheslin Kolbe was fortunate to be punished with only a yellow card for taking Conor Murray out in the air and the Springbok wing also clattered into Tom Curry with a clumsy head-first tackle that the officials dismissed.
And referee Ben O’Keeffe also brushed over another potentially dangerous challenge by Faf De Klerk, who connected high with Murray.
The threshold for a citing is if the offence is deemed worthy of a red card and teams are also allowed to bring incidents to the officer’s attention within 12 hours of the match finishing.
