News

Brian Moore: 'I can tell you that the day after Armitage did his mocking wave it was copied in school games and at rugby festivals' © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Foul-mouthed Armitage in the firing line

Players/Officials: Brian Moore

Former England hooker turned TV pundit Brian Moore has reignited the debate over Delon Armitage's controversial try celebration on Saturday, saying that "ludicrous try celebrations is a path with only one end; see where football has gone".

Reacting to comments in ESPNscrum's Crooked Feed column, Moore said there was "a gradually increasing disrespect for officials and fellow players at the top end of the game" and flagged that he was not alone in condemning Armitage's behaviour.

In the column, Richard Seeckts argued there was a disconnect between Moore's on-field behaviour and his comments on Armitage.

"There is no point in pointing to my day," Moore countered. "We are not in my day and we didn't get well paid and sign contracts with disrepute clauses. If you say my career precludes me from commenting on today then any retiree without an entirely blameless career, which is virtually nobody, cannot comment thereafter.

"I still have contact with every level of the game, from Lions to junior rugby and Minis and I can tell you that the day after Armitage did his mocking wave it was copied in school games and at rugby festivals, causing trouble and stern warnings."

On his Twitter account on Saturday, Moore wrote: "If a player did to me what Armitage has just done I'd have to chin him after the touchdown."

Armitage responded: "'Anytime you fat p****! Go write another s*** book," a reference to Moore'saward-winning autobiography Beware of the Dog. The tweet has since been deleted. Moore responded in kind by saying, "Delon, at least I can write," before thanking Armitage for mentioning his book and providing a link to where it could be purchased.