Rugby’s bad boys

The bans imposed last weekend on South Africans Robbie Kempson and Bakkies Botha for, respectively, a late cheap shot on Toutai Kefu and “deliberately attacking the face” of Aussie hooker Brendan Cannon, has highlighted once more the basic fact that rugby probably has more ‘bad boys’ than most sports. Declan Colley looks back at some of the sport’s anti-heroes.

WICKUS VAN HEERDEN

Coastal Sharks rugby forward van Heerden's career effectively ended in disgrace in April 1998 when an Australian judicial hearing suspended the 32-year-old from rugby for 18 months. This was after he pleaded guilty to biting New South Wales prop Richard Harry in a Super 12 match in Sydney.