Boks coaches in armband protest over Botha ban

2009-07-04 19:18:03 -

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Coach Peter de Villiers and the rest of the South Africa team officials wore white armbands with the word «Justice» ahead of Saturday's third test against the British and Irish Lions as a protest against Bakkies Botha's two-week suspension which ruled him out of the game.
Botha was cited for a challenge

on Lions prop Adam Jones which left the Welshman with a dislocated shoulder during the Springboks' 28-25 victory at Pretoria, and received the suspension on Sunday.
The Boks appealed against the ruling and the ban but were turned down on Thursday. On the eve of Saturday's game, which the Boks lost 28-9, Lions forwards coach Warren Gatland said he also thought the ban on Botha had been harsh.
Piet Heymans, chief executive of the South African Players' Association, explained the armband protest on SARPA's Web site.
«The Springbok players all feel for Bakkies as he will miss this memorable final test against the British and Irish Lions,» Heymans wrote. «Over an extended period of time numerous other players have charged into rucks without binding but were either not penalized at all or received only a penalty. Bakkies hit a ruck just before this one in question in a similar style and was not penalized. Coaches are coaching players to hit rucks in this manner and therefore this is a major cause of apprehension.