1. It's conveniently gone from being late to missing a whole day at work. The having one beer at the weekend argument is weak also because my employer doesn't have rules preventing me having a drink at weekend.

2. You are totally missing the point that a drinking rule means no drinking regardless of it being one or ten.

3. Do you think Hock would have been dropped from the squad had he not been drinking and then overslept?

Look I'm not defending Hock I'm just saying he's taking all the flak when six other players have stepped out of line also.

1. That was the whole day's activies for the squad as far as I'm aware. Change it to 1 beer vs 30 minutes late if you want.
2. In motoring there is a "no speeding" rule but we treat 31mph in a 30 zone differently to 180mph in a 30 zone. Do you think that is wrong.
3. Yes.

1. Insider knowledge have we Richie?

2. That's irrelevant to this argument. If you break the speed limit and get caught you face punishment. Are you now trying to use an anology that the other six players were doing 31mph and Hock was doing 180mph in drinking terms?

3. That's ridiculous. Would you feel the same way if Tomkins, Westwood, Roby or Sinfield were dropped from the squad and publicly humiliated for simply oversleeping?

hasn't Hock admitted giving McNamara a verbal assault too when he rang him?

The other players have seemingly been dropped for this weeks game for going out drinking, and accepted their punishment. Hock didnt turn up for training, then lost it with the coach.

I'm baffled that some people still perceive Gareth Hock as having been treated unfairly in this situation; he has been treated differently, but given his past misdemeanours, it's entirely appropriate that any sanction against him is more serious than against those who have a clean sheet.

In a work situation, if you're on a final written warning and I'm not, and we both get caught in a breach of the company rules, you'll get sacked and I won't; it's not that complicated to understand.

The way I understood it was Hock lost his cool with McNamara when he was told he was out of the squad.

If the other rule breaking players are now being punished at least it's been acknowledged. I just can't imagine the other players copping hardly any criticism despite their actions also weakening England's chances on Saturday.

1. No, just the same public domain information that has mentioned two parts of training and nothing else.
2. I'm pointing out the illogical nature of your absolute stance. See the earlier question on your definition of "on the lash"
3. Hock did not "simply oversleep" he missed training.

1 . It's irrelevant to the previous argument because a whole day can't be compared to an hour.
2. Abolitional stance, hardly read my previous comments. I don't have an issue with the punishment I just have an issue with others persecuting Hock and failing to acknowledge other players broke team rules to.
3. Yes Hock simply overslept and missed training. The same question applies.

1. If your working day is one hour long, it is. Hock missed the whole day. It doesn't matter if training is 10 minutes or eight hours. It doesn't matter if it's a swim or walkthroughs. Players cannot miss training.
2. I have read your previous comments. I can only think you didn't understand mine, which (in other words) pointed out the fallacy of you wanting to treat half a pint the same as sixteen.
3. Any player missing training, without pre-agreement or a hell of an excuse, should face severe sanctions.

I want to feel sorry for Hock... but then I remember he is a thug who hasn't got 2 braincells to rub together and I can't.

Has anyone heard him speak about the incident to the BBC? He makes Jamie Peacock and Kevin Sinfield sound like MENSA candidates.

www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/rl/e ... -1.1093453 [i“But we reviewed it the day after and put it to the back of our minds."[/i so as well as missing a 10 minute swim, and a medical, it also looks like he missed the review session of the Italy game.

www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/rl/e ... -1.1093453 [i“But we reviewed it the day after and put it to the back of our minds."[/i so as well as missing a 10 minute swim, and a medical, it also looks like he missed the review session of the Italy game.

Being reported McNamara has walked out of today's press conference after fielding an onslaught of questions on Hock and Graham.

Just gets better...

If you ever wanted a bunch of people to pick up a negative and run with it to the exclusion of all the positives around them, you can usually trust the RL press.

It's almost like some of them don't want to be employed any more.

That said, all McNamara had to do was go into Mourinho mode and just keep saying "It's dealt with. Next question."

Good on him. I think McNamara's handled the situation well.

Nice one Steve! We finally get media attention on the World Cup and you walk out of a press conference. This could have been dealt with straight away, say what's happened, say you find it unacceptable and say why they have been punished. End of. The media will ask
A few Questions about it but if you answer them they will move on.

Walking out of a press conference just intensifies speculation! Maybe Hock was scapegoated...

Or maybe he's fully focussed on the game and doesn't want to be distracted by talking about childish idiots like Hock.

Only in his own head.

Half a dozen players allegedly broke the drinking ban. Only one failed to make it on time to the rehab and review session the following morning.

If everyone had committed the same indiscretions Hock might have had a point. However, as usual with Gareth, he had to go that bit further than everyone else.

Poor comparison
Neither Sinfield nor Peacock are unintelligent, they just are not excitable speakers.
Sinfield speaks very intelligently, just not media freindly

By that example Hock just has a problem presenting himself.
Clearly he has a problem even dressing himself.

Hock I could understand to an extent, but the questions were about Graham. Our Sport needs media attention, unfortunately media attention isn't all happy and praising fantastic tries. They are times when uncomfortable questions will be asked. Can't stand the heat, don't become the national coach.

If England won the World Cup and none of the journalists turned up, the board would go in to melt down about our coverage!

Tomorrow will sure how well we are prepared.

Fully agree.

I might not rate McNamara but some brain dead players have put him in a tough position and he's handled it all pretty well. This isn't a jolly boys outing, its a World Cup and the lads should feel honoured enough in having this opportunity, that they fall in line with what the coach wants. The lads that haven't have been punished and a line has been drawn under it within the squad.

We've got bigger fish to fry then wasting time discussing why Graham has been left out and Hock thrown out. It's obvious what's gone on so there's nothing to be added.

I just despair at the whole situation.

For years we’ve been building up to this W.C, yet with only a week to go a number of players decide to break the rules.

It appears Hock’s misdemeanours warranted expulsions from the group, but didn’t he state there were about six of them?

I’ve no idea who the “stupid six” are, but come on, why would they flout the house rules, is it simply endemic of our society?

Graham has allegedly been dropped as part of the fiasco, but what of the others, have they all received the same punishment?

McIlorum and Hardaker were rumoured to be two more and they're not in so that's four altogether along with Graham and Hock.

Hock said six or seven but the poor lad probably struggled adding them all up and got his fingers in a muddle.

The press are there to get a story. What do you expect them to do? He could have said something along the lines of Gareth's entitled to his opinion but we felt differently and the matter's now closed. He should also have had a reply ready to go about Graham because it's a fecking obvious question for them to ask. We keep banging on about being treated like the bigger sports and when we are (it's not always going to be positive) we bottle it and run away. Pathetic and handled poorly from the start...

Exactly.

McNamara could have used a bit of humour or at least prepared answers to obvious questions. Instead to walks out after 6 minutes. totally out of his depth. But he did not pick himself as England coach..that will be down to Wood and his mates.

Graham is one of the top players in the World, and hasnt been selected, and McNamara has not provided any explanation as to why not. He might have expected there would be a question or two about it.

All he had to do is put a statement out similar to the Hock one; "Graham has broken one of the team rules, and has been stood down for the game". Story over.