Tom Croft possible citing?

Been shown a fair bit on other rugby forums. Some footage which looks like Tom Croft spiting in Leigh face allegedly. It's not very clear so I let you guys make your own mind up. Here's the link:


http://prem0.hiboox.com/images/1113/diapof2b5828c8a6793cf547f693c5b0bcafa.gif

Hopefully the link works.

hmmm, doesn't look great

Interestingly Croft just tweeted about that saying, "Just to clarify, I did NOT spit on @LeighHalfpenny1 during the Eng v Wal match, I think it's disgusting and has no place in the game.

https://twitter.com/tomcroft6/status/313712975766749184

He might well of spat on the floor, it's hard to tell if the players are alligned properly. To me it looks like he spits over the top of his head.

Looking at Croft though, he is not being malicious to 1/2p, he could easily drive his knee in to the side of 1/2p leg, or rough him up on the ground. It looks like he is guarding the side of the ruck and making sure he is doing his job but also so he isnt going to risk injuring the player on the ground, and no Welsh player reacts to Croft which means they havent seen anything bad either.

Give Croft the benefit of the doubt on this one.

No, he clearly spits over his head, Croft isn't a dirty player, he looked up and then spat.

It doens't look good at all, and isn't helped by Croft having both hands pretty needlessly on 1/2p's head.

Not saying Croft did it, he isn't a dirty player in general but that footage looks pretty damning.

Thing is you cant actually see where the spit goes, Croft putting his head on 1/2penny head isnt great but happens constantly throughout the game, well has happened to me a lot anyway when at the bottom of a ruck. Also considering Crofts denial on twitter I would be surprised if it got taken up. Definitely isnt "damning".

Does not look good at all.

Gents, such speculation si damaging and inappropriate, be careful what you write....any such debate should only take case in the event of a citing and then with caution. Has Halfpenny said anything to support this?

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:Thing is you cant actually see where the spit goes, Croft putting his head on 1/2penny head isnt great but happens constantly throughout the game, well has happened to me a lot anyway when at the bottom of a ruck. Also considering Crofts denial on twitter I would be surprised if it got taken up. Definitely isnt "damning".

Damning wasn't the right word, I think I meant more like the validity of the suggestion isn't unreasonable

Can't really tell from that. It's not something Croft would do. He comes across as a gentleman both on and off the pitch. Maybe he can be too much of a gentleman on the pitch.

Seeing as there's no spittle evident you can't draw any conclusion. There's movement of the head but that could be speech related as much as spitting, also if he was looking for a cheap shot, on Halfpenny who he had pinned to the floor (wisely given the Welsh precident of playing the ball in the ruck), he could easily have 'lost' his footing and driven a knee to the body or forearm/elbow to the head. With the ref and TJ likely to miss it.

Croft has a very clean slate in terms of previous so it would be massively out of character. The denial really should end this unless someone actually has resolution footage.

What an unbelievable accusation.

The only player I can recall spitting at another player was Chabal.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Seeing as there's no spittle evident you can't draw any conclusion. There's movement of the head but that could be speech related as much as spitting..........

Looks to me like Croft was blowing a kiss to Halfpenny. Just a little air-peck. Cripe, why make more of it than that?

Pressure makes even the nicest of people do the stupidest of things.
That footage looks disgusting.
How any one can defend that is just one eyed.

If Tom Croft spat at anyone I will not defend him.

The link provided is too small and too low quality for me to have any idea what has happened. The lack of any reaction during the game suggests nothing happened, but I guess we will find out.

Time will tell,
but i just called the missus over , told her nothing of what was alleged and just showed her that clip!
She said "disgusting he just spat in his face".

You and your missus can see spittle in that clip? Highly impressive.


ps Morg claimed that your missus was inflatable last week, you may want to be having words.

Beautiful
This should be closed down now.

I can't imagine him doing it, but I did laugh when it was mentioned that he's denied it, so that's it over with. He's hardly going to cough for it, is he?

I am pretty sure Halfpenny would've mentioned it by now.

LondonTiger wrote:You and your missus can see spittle in that clip? Highly impressive.


ps Morg claimed that your missus was inflatable last week, you may want to be having words.

Oh i see your throwing personal insults because you don't like what i say, will the mods look at this? doubt it.
Can't see the spit but watch his motion and then Halfp moments later move his head like he just got spat at.

Anyone else use google chrome? watch the vid in the new tab then zoom to 300% from the control panel!
If you don't use chrome lets just say that isn't a word leaving his mouth.

I thought Ashton should have been cited over his frantic attempts to stamp on a Welsh player, but my partner pointed out that even in that he was ineffectual

Yea he seemed to be stamping all over Jamie Roberts even thou he wasn't near the ball.
All these cheap shots and foul play suggest Lancaster is not as humble as he makes out! almost seems to be encouraged.

I was up in arms about it on Saturday, as Doc was tied in and couldn't roll away. Did seem over the top, especially the way it wasn't just one stamp or rucking motion. Surprised it hasn't been mentioned anywhere (that I've seen till now), even if it was fair rucking.

Risca Rev wrote:I was up in arms about it on Saturday, as Doc was tied in and couldn't roll away. Did seem over the top, especially the way it wasn't just one stamp or rucking motion. Surprised it hasn't been mentioned anywhere (that I've seen till now), even if it was fair rucking.

Noticed that during the game, however AWJ (I think it was) dealt with Ashton and sent him flying out of the ruck!

Yes - just tossed way the naughty naughty boy-hilarious

GLove39 wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:I was up in arms about it on Saturday, as Doc was tied in and couldn't roll away. Did seem over the top, especially the way it wasn't just one stamp or rucking motion. Surprised it hasn't been mentioned anywhere (that I've seen till now), even if it was fair rucking.

Noticed that during the game, however AWJ (I think it was) dealt with Ashton and sent him flying out of the ruck!

What time on the clock did this happen? Would like to see Ashton get blown by AWJ. Will check on iPlayer.

doctor_grey wrote:

GLove39 wrote:

Risca Rev wrote:I was up in arms about it on Saturday, as Doc was tied in and couldn't roll away. Did seem over the top, especially the way it wasn't just one stamp or rucking motion. Surprised it hasn't been mentioned anywhere (that I've seen till now), even if it was fair rucking.

Noticed that during the game, however AWJ (I think it was) dealt with Ashton and sent him flying out of the ruck!

What time on the clock did this happen? Would like to see Ashton get blown by AWJ. Will check on iPlayer.

53rd minute of the game, about 1 hour 45 minutes in on iplayer.

Well think we can put this case to bed, tweet from Halfpenny...
"@LeighHalfpenny1: Guys, just to confirm @tomcroft6 didn't do what's being alleged of him. He's a top bloke and a great player!"

https://twitter.com/leighhalfpenny1/status/314126944000172032

GLove39 wrote:Well think we can put this case to bed, tweet from Halfpenny...
"@LeighHalfpenny1: Guys, just to confirm @tomcroft6 didn't do what's being alleged of him. He's a top bloke and a great player!"

https://twitter.com/leighhalfpenny1/status/314126944000172032

im sure that won't be enough for a few folk on here...

Yeah nice of Leigh to say what he did. I think the majority of people realised it wouldn't have happened anyway.

Risca Rev wrote:Yeah nice of Leigh to say what he did. I think the majority of people realised it wouldn't have happened anyway.

Majority not being a few welsh wums.

I thought Ashton should have been cited over his frantic attempts to stamp on a Welsh player, but my partner pointed out that even in that he was ineffectual

The Welsh player was lying on the ball and as soon as he moved Youngs had the ball. Ashton's attempted shoeing had less impact as the Welsh player waited until the threat from the ref until he moved. Someone needs to teach the RL convert how to use his studs in the proper backwards motion if he's actually going to do it he may as well get it right.

Lying on the ball and slowing it down was a Welsh tactic throughout and they executed excellently. Leaving it just the right amount of time so as not to get on the right side of the ref.

Nice comment from Halfpenny, as pretty much everyone suspected it's a complete non-story.

This thread's a bit redundant now after halfpenny's tweet. Im a bit surprised so many were ready to throw the book at Croft with little evidence on here.
Well done Halfpenny, it's easy to say nothing in that position but for the sake of the other professionals and the game Im glad he spoke out.

nathan wrote:

GLove39 wrote:Well think we can put this case to bed, tweet from Halfpenny...
"@LeighHalfpenny1: Guys, just to confirm @tomcroft6 didn't do what's being alleged of him. He's a top bloke and a great player!"

https://twitter.com/leighhalfpenny1/status/314126944000172032

im sure that won't be enough for a few folk on here...

He said between gritted teeth...course he spat at him , probably wedgied him and stuck hi sfinger up his bntt too!

as i said on the other thread, ball out, get up and play rugby croft.
too much attention to the welsh players and not enough on the game.

Why are you surprised overlord? Croft's an English player - that's all the excuse some people need.


Nice post btw.

Not that I'm in anyway saying Croft did spit at 1/2p, but of course 1/2p was going to come out in his defence, he might tour with him in a few weeks, and he has just won against him convincingly, what would 1/2p have to gain from admitting a spit???

Similarly that the NZ performance v England wasn't top class because Mccaw came out and said Norovirus didn't play a part...

Well there you go, sorry to Croft i thought he did it, and well done halfp for speaking up.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Not that I'm in anyway saying Croft did spit at 1/2p, but of course 1/2p was going to come out in his defence, he might tour with him in a few weeks, and he has just won against him convincingly, what would 1/2p have to gain from admitting a spit???

Similarly that the NZ performance v England wasn't top class because Mccaw came out and said Norovirus didn't play a part...

Can you run it through your software to track to position of the spit? That would be definitive. Classic "I'm not ... but ... "

viewtothegym wrote:Well there you go, sorry to Croft i thought he did it, and well done halfp for speaking up.

very decent of you view.

Well there we go, all sorted.

As for the Ashton stamp/rucking, presumably it was decided that it was as ineffectual as his 'tackling' and so wasn't worth citing?