I think it is pretty safe to say that at one point in your life, you've watched some big hits at a game or on TV - and proceeded to insist upon this evidence that Rugby players are made of 'different stuff' compared to other popular sports.....Football springs to mind.
Likewise, I am sure we have all sat at a computer on a boring Monday morning and typed into Google, 'Big Rugby Tackle', 'Huge Rugby Hit' or more often than he would like, 'Owen Farrell Tackle'.
That is all well and good, but there are times where the hard tackling, rough playing side of the game can sometimes shine an alternative light on the sport - and quite literally hit different.
One of these moments came in the game between Castres v Bordeaux in the Top 14 - where where Castres Forward Ryno Pieterse put a huge, quite frankly unsafe hit on Bordeaux player Maxime Lucu - the scrum half.
You can see the hit below.
Needless to say - he got a red card.
Now, whilst many have openly said hopefully there is a lengthy ban for the player. Is that enough? Is a longer ban than usual enough? Whilst arguments can be made about rushes of blood to the head in some scenarios, this is premediated, unnecessary and dangerous. Should it have to end someone's career to warrant a heavy punishment? Surely the sensible thing would be to stamp out any potential for incidents like this - and come down with an extremely severe sanction?
For context, here is how retired, respected ex-referee Nigel Owens reacted to the hit...
What do you think? If it were down to you, how would you punish the player? A lengthy ban enough? Or does it need something more severe?
Let us know in the comments below.
2 comments
It’s not soccer, butt. I say fair game and play on. The lad milked it a wee bit. High? Round the shoulders. Late? Maybe a second or two. Deeecent view count though ✅
Totally agree and it’s a shame to this creeping into the game.
Hopefully stronger sanctions would make players think twice about putting in ‘tackles’ like Pietrese’s.