From the squirrel grip to using the pitch as an impromptu urinal, some athletes resort to devious means to gain an advantage
The former NRL player Anthony Watts has been in the news for allegedly biting an opponent's penis. As you do. Watts may go down as a thug, but at least he's not alone in the world of genital biting. Back in 2001, Francisco Gallardo of Sevilla FC got a bit carried away with a post-goal celebration and bit a team-mate's scrotum (video not safe for life).
We can't explain nipping your team-mate, but in the high pressure world of professional sports some athletes feel the need to go the extra mile. Cross your legs and enjoy some of the lowest (sometimes literally) on field tactics.
*The squirrel grip*
It's been a big year for rugby league and genital-related mishaps. No, Watts is not the first player to find himself south of the border (and we're not talking about NSW) in 2013. No, that dubious honour goes to Sam Burgess of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, who just completed a two-match ban for a "Squirrel grip" incident. "Squirrel grip" sounds kind of cute, but refers to an enthusiasm for nuts, rather than adorable tree-dwelling rodents.
Of course, keeping your eye on the ball(s) isn't restricted to rugby league. The rarefied world of rugby union was shocked in June when Samoa fullback James So'oialo said'alo to Adriaan Strauss's nether regions. Rugby union fans can sleep easy knowing that they're a better class of ball-grabber, though; the incident was ruled "accidental".
*Biting*
Before Watts, when you said biting, Mike Tyson having a little snack during his 1997 heavyweight title fight with Evander Holyfied came to mind. Rugby players, of course, are a better class of ear biter. All Black Johan Le Roux felt his suspension for biting Sean Fitzpatrick's shell-like was a little harsh, considering he had the decorum to leave it attached: "For an 18-month suspension, I feel I probably should have torn it off," he said.
It's not just boxing and rugby, either. Why just this year Liverpool forward Luis Suárez bit off more than he could chew, copping a 10-week ban for sinking his teeth into Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. Suárez wasn't a first time offender, either. Ever the gourmand, he sampled a little piece of PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal back in 2010.
*The Hoppa*
The Footy Show audience laughed last week when Paul Vautin asked Danny Weidler whether accused drug cheat Sandor Earl had "fingered any other players", but it wasn't so long ago that John Hopoate actually, uh, fingered other players. Yes, who could forget "Hoppa" and his infamous finger? Ever since, he's been referred to as an "NRL bad boy", a very strange euphemism indeed.
*Eye gouging*
Of course gentlemanly rugby union players don't put their fingers in orifices below the waist. It's much more civilised to put one's thumb in somebody else's eye. But in the heat of a ruck, who hasn't sunk a digit knuckle deep into an eye socket? Just last week Sanzar found there was insufficient evidence to suspend Argentina's Pablo Matera for gouging Springbok Francois Louw (though in another one for the bite file, Leonardo Senatore copped a nine-week ban). In the chaos of rugby, gouging is often hard to prove, but god knows how Aurélien Rougerie got away with raking Richie McCaw's face in the 2011 World Cup final. Obviously the French, who are also known to eat insects and small amphibians, enjoy a good eye gouge - David Attoub was suspended for more than a year for what an official described as "The worst act of contact with the eyes that I have had to deal with."
*The call of nature*
While not exactly a dirty tactic, many an athlete has sought to relieve their nerves or lighten themselves by a few hundred grams by answering nature's call on field. Unlike Tour de France riders, footballers don't enjoy the forgiveness of an in-seat sponge and in June Warriors prop Russell Packer joined the long list of athletes who've been busted for being busting to go over the years. Rugby union players, of course, are a better class of on-field wee-ers – Jerry Collins at least knelt down to relieve himself in 2006. It's difficult to explain why the England cricket team decided to urinate on the pitch at The Oval, though, seeing as they'd already won the Ashes. Maybe they just wanted to do British headline writers a favour.
*Stop hitting yourself*
And while it mightn't be as dirty as the other tactics on the list, Chile's Bryan Carrasco gets huge credit for reviving this hilarious childhood game. Then playing for the under-20 side, Carrasco managed to earn a free kick hitting himself in the face with his opponent's hand. Our hats go off to you Bryan, and good job on not involving anyone's genitals or ears. Reported by guardian.co.uk 20 hours ago.
The former NRL player Anthony Watts has been in the news for allegedly biting an opponent's penis. As you do. Watts may go down as a thug, but at least he's not alone in the world of genital biting. Back in 2001, Francisco Gallardo of Sevilla FC got a bit carried away with a post-goal celebration and bit a team-mate's scrotum (video not safe for life).
We can't explain nipping your team-mate, but in the high pressure world of professional sports some athletes feel the need to go the extra mile. Cross your legs and enjoy some of the lowest (sometimes literally) on field tactics.
*The squirrel grip*
It's been a big year for rugby league and genital-related mishaps. No, Watts is not the first player to find himself south of the border (and we're not talking about NSW) in 2013. No, that dubious honour goes to Sam Burgess of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, who just completed a two-match ban for a "Squirrel grip" incident. "Squirrel grip" sounds kind of cute, but refers to an enthusiasm for nuts, rather than adorable tree-dwelling rodents.
Of course, keeping your eye on the ball(s) isn't restricted to rugby league. The rarefied world of rugby union was shocked in June when Samoa fullback James So'oialo said'alo to Adriaan Strauss's nether regions. Rugby union fans can sleep easy knowing that they're a better class of ball-grabber, though; the incident was ruled "accidental".
*Biting*
Before Watts, when you said biting, Mike Tyson having a little snack during his 1997 heavyweight title fight with Evander Holyfied came to mind. Rugby players, of course, are a better class of ear biter. All Black Johan Le Roux felt his suspension for biting Sean Fitzpatrick's shell-like was a little harsh, considering he had the decorum to leave it attached: "For an 18-month suspension, I feel I probably should have torn it off," he said.
It's not just boxing and rugby, either. Why just this year Liverpool forward Luis Suárez bit off more than he could chew, copping a 10-week ban for sinking his teeth into Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. Suárez wasn't a first time offender, either. Ever the gourmand, he sampled a little piece of PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal back in 2010.
*The Hoppa*
The Footy Show audience laughed last week when Paul Vautin asked Danny Weidler whether accused drug cheat Sandor Earl had "fingered any other players", but it wasn't so long ago that John Hopoate actually, uh, fingered other players. Yes, who could forget "Hoppa" and his infamous finger? Ever since, he's been referred to as an "NRL bad boy", a very strange euphemism indeed.
*Eye gouging*
Of course gentlemanly rugby union players don't put their fingers in orifices below the waist. It's much more civilised to put one's thumb in somebody else's eye. But in the heat of a ruck, who hasn't sunk a digit knuckle deep into an eye socket? Just last week Sanzar found there was insufficient evidence to suspend Argentina's Pablo Matera for gouging Springbok Francois Louw (though in another one for the bite file, Leonardo Senatore copped a nine-week ban). In the chaos of rugby, gouging is often hard to prove, but god knows how Aurélien Rougerie got away with raking Richie McCaw's face in the 2011 World Cup final. Obviously the French, who are also known to eat insects and small amphibians, enjoy a good eye gouge - David Attoub was suspended for more than a year for what an official described as "The worst act of contact with the eyes that I have had to deal with."
*The call of nature*
While not exactly a dirty tactic, many an athlete has sought to relieve their nerves or lighten themselves by a few hundred grams by answering nature's call on field. Unlike Tour de France riders, footballers don't enjoy the forgiveness of an in-seat sponge and in June Warriors prop Russell Packer joined the long list of athletes who've been busted for being busting to go over the years. Rugby union players, of course, are a better class of on-field wee-ers – Jerry Collins at least knelt down to relieve himself in 2006. It's difficult to explain why the England cricket team decided to urinate on the pitch at The Oval, though, seeing as they'd already won the Ashes. Maybe they just wanted to do British headline writers a favour.
*Stop hitting yourself*
And while it mightn't be as dirty as the other tactics on the list, Chile's Bryan Carrasco gets huge credit for reviving this hilarious childhood game. Then playing for the under-20 side, Carrasco managed to earn a free kick hitting himself in the face with his opponent's hand. Our hats go off to you Bryan, and good job on not involving anyone's genitals or ears. Reported by guardian.co.uk 20 hours ago.