Inviato: 6 feb 2006, 12:53
O'Driscoll protests his innocence
<BR>Monday February 06 2006
<BR>'They were trying to slow our ball down'
<BR>Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has shrugged off the stamping accusations thrown at his side by the Italian camp in the wake of the Azzurri's tense 26-16 defeat in Dublin on Saturday.
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<BR>Brian O'Driscoll: Faces a citing
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<BR> Italy coach Pierre Berbizier, Italy captain Marco Bortolami and Italy Rugby Federation president Giancarlo Dondi all expressed their disappointment after match referee Dave Pearson failed to pick up on three alleged incidents of stamping - two by O'Driscoll and one by Munster No.8 Denis Leamy.
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<BR>In each incident, Pearson decided against the prone Italian players and awarded penalties to the home side.
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<BR>The Italians have referred the incidents to citing commissioner Rob Flockhart who has until 15.30 GMT on Monday to decide whether or not O'Driscoll and Leamy have a case to answer.
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<BR>Bortolami was adamant that his opposite number was guilty of foul play,
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<BR>"I don't know if Brian O'Driscoll will be cited but I hope he is because he deserves to be," said the Italian skipper.
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<BR>"He clearly stamped on Fabio's [Ongaro] head when the ball was not there. That is not acceptable. He does not need to do this. He is a great player but he has let himself down and he should be punished accordingly."
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<BR>But O'Driscoll, himself a self-proclaimed victim of the alleged inadequacies of the law, felt he and his team-mates had done nothing wrong.
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<BR>"Situations arose during the course of the match when they were trying to slow our ball down, and rucking the ball is part of the game," said the Leinster star.
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<BR>"If your find yourself on the wrong side of the ruck, and you're trying to slow the ball down, you have to expect to be rucked off it.
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<BR>"And, as far as I'm concerned, that's exactly what I was doing."
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<BR>Flockhart will also rule on whether an Italian player, reportedly replacement prop Martin Castrogiovanni, must face charges that he allegedly bit Simon Easterby.
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<BR>Asides the allegations, O'Driscoll felt that the game was an ideal reintroduction to the rigours of international rugby.
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<BR>"It's a big step up, but the way game was constantly stopping and starting, I don't think it was one of the more intense internationals I've been involved in," said O'Driscoll, who was playing his first Test match since dislocated shoulder injury during the Lions tour,
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<BR>"For me, it broke me back into the trend of playing Test matches perhaps a little easier than a free-flowing game would have done.
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<BR>"The intensity of the game was manageable, and the fitness managed to stand up to it, so I'm one more game down the line to being where I want to be."
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<BR>Monday February 06 2006
<BR>'They were trying to slow our ball down'
<BR>Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has shrugged off the stamping accusations thrown at his side by the Italian camp in the wake of the Azzurri's tense 26-16 defeat in Dublin on Saturday.
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>Brian O'Driscoll: Faces a citing
<BR>
<BR> Italy coach Pierre Berbizier, Italy captain Marco Bortolami and Italy Rugby Federation president Giancarlo Dondi all expressed their disappointment after match referee Dave Pearson failed to pick up on three alleged incidents of stamping - two by O'Driscoll and one by Munster No.8 Denis Leamy.
<BR>
<BR>In each incident, Pearson decided against the prone Italian players and awarded penalties to the home side.
<BR>
<BR>The Italians have referred the incidents to citing commissioner Rob Flockhart who has until 15.30 GMT on Monday to decide whether or not O'Driscoll and Leamy have a case to answer.
<BR>
<BR>Bortolami was adamant that his opposite number was guilty of foul play,
<BR>
<BR>"I don't know if Brian O'Driscoll will be cited but I hope he is because he deserves to be," said the Italian skipper.
<BR>
<BR>"He clearly stamped on Fabio's [Ongaro] head when the ball was not there. That is not acceptable. He does not need to do this. He is a great player but he has let himself down and he should be punished accordingly."
<BR>
<BR>But O'Driscoll, himself a self-proclaimed victim of the alleged inadequacies of the law, felt he and his team-mates had done nothing wrong.
<BR>
<BR>"Situations arose during the course of the match when they were trying to slow our ball down, and rucking the ball is part of the game," said the Leinster star.
<BR>
<BR>"If your find yourself on the wrong side of the ruck, and you're trying to slow the ball down, you have to expect to be rucked off it.
<BR>
<BR>"And, as far as I'm concerned, that's exactly what I was doing."
<BR>
<BR>Flockhart will also rule on whether an Italian player, reportedly replacement prop Martin Castrogiovanni, must face charges that he allegedly bit Simon Easterby.
<BR>
<BR>Asides the allegations, O'Driscoll felt that the game was an ideal reintroduction to the rigours of international rugby.
<BR>
<BR>"It's a big step up, but the way game was constantly stopping and starting, I don't think it was one of the more intense internationals I've been involved in," said O'Driscoll, who was playing his first Test match since dislocated shoulder injury during the Lions tour,
<BR>
<BR>"For me, it broke me back into the trend of playing Test matches perhaps a little easier than a free-flowing game would have done.
<BR>
<BR>"The intensity of the game was manageable, and the fitness managed to stand up to it, so I'm one more game down the line to being where I want to be."
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