Ulster Rugby star John Cooney has weighed into the controversy surrounding Ardie Savea's throat-slitting gesture during a game.
Savea offered an apology in the wake of the gesture which was directed at Melbourne Rebels scrum-half Ryan Louwrens on Friday.
The Wellington Hurricanes captain had just been sin-binned when the heated incident happened at AAMI Park.
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The 29-year-old issued an apology afterwards and admitted the threatening behaviour was a bad look for the game of rugby.
He said: "I can understand the fans are furious around the gesture that I made.
"Kids are watching us....that was out of character for me, so I put my hand up first and I apologise for that."
Savea added: |We're trying to clean up the game. I understand that, there's no excuse for me, I have to be better."
Many rugby fans were quick to condemn Savea's actions, with one observer stating: "Absolutely no place for that in the game. Wonderful player. But no."
Ulster scrumhalf Cooney joined the debate on social media, and appeared to play down the incident when he said: "Sorry but there is nothing wrong with this. He’s not watching on tv. He’s physically competing with 100kg + people.
"He’s competing in a contact sport. If he did it to me it would not bother me (bar me s******* myself).
"I’m sure it happens all the time across club level!"
One fan disagreed, saying: "Have to disagree, John. He’s a professional which equates to acting professionally when the pressures of the job are at a maximum.
"Personal conduct is everything. You, for example, wouldn’t do that to another player. The difference between this and club level is professionalism."
Clooney replied: "Yeah I wouldn’t cause I wouldn’t physically dominate anyone. What’s he done wrong? Said he was gonna kill someone on a field!?!?!wow."
When one fan pointed out Savea's apology, and an admission of doing wrong, Cooney added: "He apologised cause he probably realised it would be death by social media!"
Meanwhile, former Australia star Justin Harrison criticised the gesture during his commentary for Stan Sport.
'I don't think I've [ever] seen any player make that sort of action and gesture in a game,' he said.
'There's better ways to get a message across.'
According to rugbypass, governing body SANZAAR will investigate the incident.
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