Neil Robertson calls for Ronnie O’Sullivan chalk ban: ‘It’s not really fair’

Chalk controversy has descended upon the Crucible, as Neil Robertson calls for a ban on the brand used by Ronnie O’Sullivan.

It is an intensely nerdy snooker debate, but one that has changed the game in recent years since the rise to prominence of chalk brand Taom.

The Finnish company has become the preferred chalk brand of almost every player on the professional tour, but not the most famous.

O’Sullivan has remained loyal to Triangle, the more traditional chalk manufacturer, which used to be used by the majority of players.

Most have moved over to Taom as it produces fewer kicks (unwanted poor contact between balls) and does not embed in the cloth as much as Triangle.

Looking at snooker matches now, there are far fewer chalk marks on the cloth, in fact they have been largely eradicated.

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O’Sullivan still uses it, though, as he did in defeat to John Higgins on Monday, but Roberson wants to see it banned from the sport.

‘Ban that crap, please!’ Robertson said after beating Chris Wakelin in the second round of the World Championship. ‘All the players hate it, it destroys the game. You get kicks, you get bounces. Not only that, it makes an absolute mess of the table.

‘I know he [O’Sullivan] is good friends with Damien Hirst, but it’s like he’s doing artwork with chalk all over the cloth.

‘I don’t think he does it to put off anyone, he’s not that way inclined at all, but it’s not great. It’s hard enough to play Ronnie O’Sullivan, but he’s the only player, just about, on tour who uses that chalk. Hopefully they bring in a ban, but there’s only a couple of players who use it.’

Asked if he will genuinely raise a ban as a possibility, he said: ‘It’s something to bring up, because it can really ruin the game.

‘It’s not really fair for the players who aren’t using it. It can be used tactically if someone wanted to, which I don’t think should be allowed in the game.

‘Shaun [Murphy] and I were just having a littler chuckle about it, we would love to see it removed from the face of the Earth. Even snooker clubs are banning it! Why are we using it?’

Higgins edged O’Sullivan 13-12 earlier on Monday in a superb Crucible contest between two snooker legends.

The Wizard of Wishaw was not going as far as calling for a ban, but said it was an added challenge of facing the Rocket.

‘I’m just delighted I came to the party in the third session, because the first two sessions, how I was only 9-7 behind, I’ll never know,’ said Higgins after coming from behind to beat O’Sullivan.

‘Ronnie was by far the better player, his cue ball was amazing and that’s what sort of makes you just feel inferior sometimes, when his cue ball is so much better and I’m scrapping about.

‘But there are circumstances why that is because we all know he uses the other chalk and different things, so that’s what makes the table play a little bit bouncy and it’s all messy and different things, so it’s tough to play against, but you’ve just got to try and get it out of your mind.’

Asked if the chalk is an unfair advantage for the Rocket, Higgins said: ‘Listen, I know as players we speak about it. Why wouldn’t you take the advantage when you have got a better cue ball control than every other player?

‘So why wouldn’t you have that advantage? Because if you’re going in at a level playing field, everybody’s using the same chalk, no chalk marks, everything, it maybe gives players more chance of beating them.

‘Now, that’s what people do in every sport, they try to use the little advantage. I don’t know, you’d obviously have to ask Ronnie’s real feelings about that, about using old chalk. I think, yeah, who knows?’

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