Rugby Union has seen many players best known for their silky skills and brave tackles, but plenty of others are notorious for different reasons.
Therefore, today we are counting down the top 20 rugby bad boys.
Over the years, punishments have been handed out for all kinds of offences, from gouging, to biting, to kicking, to drug taking and even old fashioned punching.
A lot of the information for this piece was taken from Simon Thomas' fantastic piece for Wales Online.
Here we go:
20. Bakkies Botha - 26 weeks total
Toulon's Bakkies Botha is a giant of South African rugby and boasts a rugby CV that includes Rugby World Cup, Tri-Nations, Super Rugby and Currie Cup success.
A second-row enforcer, Botha made his senior bow against France in 2002 and went on to cement his place in the Springboks' ranks and form what was arguably the strongest second row partnership in world rugby alongside Victor Matfield.
However, at the same time he certainly totted up the bans. Eight weeks for “attacking the face” of Aussie hooker Brendan Cannon in 2003; three weeks for striking another Wallaby, Phil Waugh, in 2009; two matches for an illegal clear out on Adam Jones in the second Lions Test in the same year; four weeks for a similar offence on Gio Aplon in 2010; and nine weeks for a headbutt on Jimmy Cowan in 2010.
19. Kevin Yates - Six months
Yates was found guilty of biting the ear of London Scottish's Simon Fenn in a Tetley's Bitter Cup tie in 1998. He protested his innocence, but was found guilty and banned for six months.
18. Percy Montgomery - Six months
South Africa full-back Percy Montgomery was banned from playing rugby for six months after being found guilty of assaulting a match official.
The Welsh Rugby Union disciplinary committee handed Montgomery a two-year ban after he pushed touch judge Peter Rees to the ground in a Welsh Premiership match, but 18 months of it was been suspended.
17. Neil Back - Seven months in total
England flanker Back was in big trouble from the moment he pushed referee Steve Lander to the ground on the final whistle of Leicester’s 1996 Pilkington Cup final defeat against Bath. An absolute legend of the game but he lost his head a few times too many.
16. Calum Clark - 32 weeks
This was minging.Saints fanker Clark was found guilty of intentionally breaking the arm of Leicester hooker Rob Hawkins during the 2012 LV cup final. The ban was initially for 64 weeks, but was halved due to his guilty plea.
Start at
0:00
15. Kevin Moseley - 32 weeks
The Wales lock overstepped the mark literally against France in 1990 when he was sent off for stamping on wing Marc Andrieu. He was handed a 32-week ban, which at the time was the longest ever issued.
14. David Bishop - 11 months
The scrum-half was handed an 11 month ban by the WRU after breaking the jaw of Newbridge second row Chris Jarman.
13. Dylan Hartley - 60 weeks in total
April 2007 - banned for 26 weeks after being cited for eye-gouging Wasps forwards James Haskell and Johnny O'Connor.
- received an eight-week suspension after being cited for biting the finger of Ireland back row Stephen Ferris while playing for England in a Six Nations game. - banned for two weeks after being cited for punching Ulster hooker Rory Best during a Heineken Cup match. - sent off for verbally abusing referee Wayne Barnes during the Premiership final against Leicester at Twickenham. Received an 11-week suspension that prevented him from taking his place on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
December 2014 - sent off for elbowing Leicester centre Matt Smith in the face. Banned for three weeks.
May 2015 - banned for four weeks after head-butting Saracens' Jamie George in Northampton's 29-24 Aviva Premiership semi-final defeat to Saracens. As a direct consequence, England ruled Hartley out of their World Cup plans.
December 2016 - sent off for striking Leinster flanker Sean O'Brien with a swinging arm. Suspended for six weeks.
READ MORE:
Six badass rugby girls you need to follow on Instagram
Eight great players to represent more than one country
Girlfriends who are as successful as their rugby partners
12. David Attoub - 70 weeks
The 28-year-old was found guilty of gouging Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris during the Irish province's 23-13 Heineken Cup victory over Stade at Ravenhill on Dec 12, 2009.
11. Penygraig players - 18 months
Nineteen players from a south Wales rugby club were suspended from the game for 18 months in 2003 after refusing drug tests.
The secretary of Rhondda club Penygraig was also banned from holding any position in Welsh rugby for three years.
10. Johan le Roux - 18 months
During a 1994 clash between the All Blacks and South Africa, Springbok prop Johan le Roux was spotted biting Sean Fitzpatrick. The incident angered fans and saw le Roux given a 19 month ban. After the incident le Roux unapologetically said, ‘For an 18-month suspension, I feel I probably should have torn it off. Then at least I could say, “look, I’ve returned to South Africa with the guy’s ear’.”
9. Lee Evans - Two years
Neath back-row and former captain Lee Evans was been banned from playing rugby for two years after testing positive for an anabolic steroid. Evans tested positive for drostanolone on 28 July 2014.
8. Paul Jones - Two years
In 1996, the Llanelli and Wales B second row forward was banned for two years after being found guilty by the WRU of drug misuse.
7. Richard Nones - Two years
The ex-Colomiers prop is the only pro to have been given the maximum two-year ban for eye-gouging.
6. Richie Griffiths - Two years
The first man in world rugby to be banned for a drugs-related offence. The centre, who represented Wales at Schools, Youth and B level, failed a drugs test after playing for South Wales Police in a First Division match against Aberavon in December 1991
5. Wendell Sailor - Two years
Wallaby winger Sailor was given a two year suspension after testing positive for cocaine after playing a match for the NSW Waratahs in April 2006. The dual code star returned to rugby league in 2008.
4. Dean Richards - Three years
It all began with the purchase of fake blood capsules from a joke shop in Clapham and ended with Harlequins coach Richards being banned for three years for his role in the Bloodgate saga
3. Trevor Brennan - Five years
Back in 2007, Trevor Brennan was preparing to come for Toulouse during a Heineken Cup match against Ulster. As he conducted his warm up, Brennan allegedly heard an Ulster fan insulting his mother.
Toulouse, FRANCE: Toulouse's Irish player Trevor Brennan punches an Ulster's fans during the European cup rugby union match Toulouse vs. Ulster , 21 January 2007 at the Ernest Wallon stadium in Toulouse. AFP PHOTO PASCAL PAVANI (Photo credit should read PASCAL PAVANI/AFP/Getty Images)[/caption]
The abuse got too much for the Irish flanker, who charged into the crowd punching the supporter. The authorities came down hard on Brennan, handing him a lifetime ban. However after appealing the decision, Brennan had the ban reduced to five years. He retired soon after the incident.
2. Dean Colclough - Eight years
Former Swansea hooker Colclough was suspended from all sport for eight years in 2014 for possessing and distributing steroids. He ran a company which produced and distributed muscle-building supplements.
1. Chris Jones - Banned for life - TWICE
The former Treorchy prop has the unique distinction of having been banned for life, not once, but twice! “I would kick or stamp on an opponent’s head without a second thought,” he once said, looking back on his playing career.
“I had a terrible reputation. Absolutely terrible. People used to call me a psychopath and a wild man.” A terror on the pitch, he’s been a changed man for years.
A born-again Christian, he’s done fantastic work for charity and as a junior coach up in the Rhondda, having had previous spells coaching Pontypridd and Treorchy alongside his brother Clive.
On a positive note, he's gone on to be one of the most successful junior coaches the game has ever seen, winning the Dewar Shield nine times with Rhondda Schools and developing a host of future regional and international players.
READ MORE:
TRENDING
LATEST NEWS
LATEST COMMENTS
Loading