Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling involved in X-rated exchange with TNT Sport presenters over pre-match incident
Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling had an X-rated exchange with TNT Sport presenters ahead of their Prem Rugby match against Gloucester.
The footage shows Leicester players warming up before the match at Villa Park, where Gloucester chose to stage a flashy match.
On-field presenter Craig Doyle challenged Liam MacDevitt to attempt a conversion at the posts, joking that it was part of an attempt as he was a new member of his team.
Doyle said: ‘You’re going to kick this ball’ and former footballer-turned-presenter MacDevitt joked ‘this will be a defining moment for the first time’ as he prepared to take the kick.
Parling and a member of the coaching staff could be seen approaching the TNT presenters as MacDevitt ran and hit the ball towards the posts close to the Leicester players.
Doyle first congratulated him on a ‘good effort’ and jokingly asked ‘Will you sign him, Geoff?’ he asked. As the Leicester boss approaches.
WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE
Presenter Liam MacDevitt attempted the conversion as part of a reluctant acceptance into the TNT Sports team but it caught the eye of Leicester Tigers boss Geoff Parling.
Parling was seen approaching presenters Craig Doyle and MacDevitt; He was visibly unhappy about the ball being thrown towards his players who were warming up.
Parling was seen pushing Doyle and said “Nothing’s going right” as he told the presenters to leave the pitch
But Parling was less than impressed with the Leicester coach telling the presenters: “That’s not obvious, that’s absolutely not obvious.” ‘Get off the field.’
The Leicester coach was seen pushing Doyle, who later apologized.
“I’m sorry Geoff isn’t happy about this,” Doyle said.
‘I apologize for the language I used, Geoff is understandably upset about this, let’s leave the pitch for a second.’
TNT news viewers, who pay around £40 million to show Prem Rugby each season, were divided over the incident.
While some argued that Parling overreacted to the incident, others criticized the TNT presenters’ interruption of Leicester Tigers’ warm-up before the match.
Parling, however, later confirmed that Prem had received an apology from his official TV broadcaster.
Leicester Tigers recorded a 36-17 win against Gloucester in the early kick-off to lift Parling’s side into third place.
As a result, Leicester won the Slater Cup, with the fixture between the teams played in their former player’s honour. Ed Slater suffers from motor neurone disease.
The match at Villa Park helped raise money for 4Ed, the charity set up in his name.
Before the match, Lewis Moody, who also has MND, rode a charity bike ride with his 2003 World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson.
