Law question - TPN's tackling technique

[TheKing]

By instituting a contact above the knee rule, how would the IRB word it so that last ditch efforts like the shoelace tackle and the ankle tap aren't legislated against. Tackling from the ground, let's say for example Player A is bumped off a tackle, attempting to tackle Player B. If Player C resumes the tackle that A fell off, but B offloads to a fourth player D, is A prohibited from trying to tackle D simply because he is on the ground? (in reference to 14.1(d) that Scott Austin mentioned).

I see far too many problems with other elements of the game for a rule change to specifically stop TPN or SF tackling styles.

Changes like these would eventually lead to other changes that would negatively effect rugby as an entertainment sport.

 

[Dumbledore]

Without wanting to get the Queensland boys circling the wagons, surely this is a shoulder charge by Saia. Makes absolutely no effort to wrap his arms, just runs his shoulder into Neville at around knee-height.

 

[qwerty51]

If you want to use your head on someone's legs go for it... I know I wouldn't

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

(Apparently this technique does result in a few bad broken legs) And apparently SANZAR have woken up to it and are going to direct their own refs, and the sanzar unions to penalize it. I reckon we've seen the last of these tackles in super15.

 

[Orange Peeler]

The grass cutter tackle is a calculated tactic by a player to cause serious injury to another player. It should be outlawed immediately due to the severity of the injuries it can cause.

edit: this is getting very close to the line, we can't go around suggesting that players consciously go out maim players - FP

 

[qwerty51]

Direct me to an injury from it.

 

[Dumbledore]

The grass cutter tackle is a calculated tactic by a player to cause serious injury to another player. It should be outlawed immediately due to the severity of the injuries it can cause.

Don't believe that at all. I think it's just the quickest and most brutally effective way to chop a player down while landing them in a position that makes ball retention difficult. Still, I think when it turns into what Fainga'a is doing above - a shoulder charge at the general knee area - then it becomes dangerous and should be penalised. Would like to see the referees have a closer look at them is all.

 

[Groucho]

The grass cutter tackle is a calculated tactic by a player to cause serious injury to another player. It should be outlawed immediately due to the severity of the injuries it can cause.

I'm sorry but I just don't believe you.

What does worry me is that people are openly traducing a true contributor to the game. TPN is a wonderful player and a club man who gives back more to rugby than most posters on here could ever dream of.

To suggest he's deliberately aiming to hurt people is despicable and I'd rather not hear it from you, Orange Peeler. Please take it somewhere else.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I'm sorry but I just don't believe you.

What does worry me is that people are openly traducing a true contributor to the game. TPN is a wonderful player and a club man who gives back more to rugby than most posters on here could ever dream of.

To suggest he's deliberately aiming to hurt people is despicable and I'd rather not hear it from you, Orange Peeler. Please take it somewhere else.

Orange Peeler is entitled to his view just as you are and he's entitled to post it. You could block him if you dont want to see it.

 

[Dumbledore]

Orange Peeler is entitled to his view just as you are and he's entitled to post it. You could block him if you dont want to see it.

It's a pretty grubby thing to suggest. It's hardly Victor Matfield swinging a titanium arm-guard at someones head. I genuinely don't think there's an intent to injure, but I worry for the safety of TPN and the player being tackled every time it happens.

 

[Braveheart81]

Looking at the screenshot of Saia Fainga'a, his technique is quite different to TPN.

TPN has been getting really low to the ground (on one knee in one instance) and trying to make a more legitimate tackle around knee height or slightly higher with his arms being actively involved in the tackle.

Fainga'a starts from much higher and then burrows down such that the angle of his back/head is pointing towards the ground. This makes it impossible for his arms to grasp the tackled player and makes it far more likely for the player to get flipped in the air.

 

[Groucho]

Orange Peeler is entitled to his view just as you are and he's entitled to post it. You could block him if you dont want to see it.

I'm saying it should be against the rules of this place to make those kind of accusations against players. We decided at the outset to be respectful to each other and to people in the game. I've reported Orange Peeler in preference to blocking him.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'm saying it should be against the rules of this place to make those kind of accusations against players. We decided at the outset to be respectful to each other and to people in the game. I've reported Orange Peeler in preference to blocking him.

I agree. No one can judge what they are thinking when they make these tackles.

If you believe it to be the case, you can say that these tackles have a high likelihood of injuring someone. You can't say that they are tackling with this method to purposefully try and injure someone. No one knows that.

 

[Slim 293]

L
TPN has been getting really low to the ground (on one knee in one instance) and trying to make a more legitimate tackle around knee height or slightly higher with his arms being actively involved in the tackle.

The only issue I could see here, and I think it's already been mentioned, that if TPN is on his knee is he technically in a legal position to be making a tackle?

Anyways, I see no problem with these tackles as long as they fit into boundary of the laws (arms used etc)......... but they're probably more likely at risk of injuring themselves than the ball carrier.........

 

[fatprop]

The grass cutter tackle is a calculated tactic by a player to cause serious injury to another player. It should be outlawed immediately due to the severity of the injuries it can cause.

rubbish, it is a good low tackle, TPN's version is just a more aggressive/effective version (when he gets it right) of what Fainga does each week.

 

[fatprop]

The only issue I could see here, and I think it's already been mentioned, that if TPN is on his knee is he technically in a legal position to be making a tackle?

If it isn't then every goal line defense in the world is illegal, and many try saving tackles from the side.

 

[Slim 293]

If it isn't then every goal line defense in the world is illegal, and many try saving tackles from the side.

I think the difference would be players getting up off their knee to make the tackle, or making a tackle while on your knee...... but it's a good point.......

 

[fatprop]

I think the difference would be players getting up off their knee to make the tackle, or making a tackle while on your knee.. but it's a good point...

so diving across in cover defense, on say a wet day, sliding the bottom leg is illegal?

 

[Braveheart81]

Whilst these things are technically against the laws of the game, they'll never be pulled up because the knee or whichever part of the leg is only touching the ground a fraction of a section earlier than the tackle is made. No referee is going to try and call that.

The goal line defence they probably start down on one knee on some occassions but then would spring up prior to making the tackle and wouldn't be called on that either.

Surely the spirit of the law is that it is designed such that players that are clearly off their feet because of a previous tackle or breakdown can't take part in the game, rather than to penalise a player who makes incidental contact with the ground with their knee or leg whilst they are clearly in a position to legally be involved in the game.

 

[fatprop]

Orange Peeler is entitled to his view just as you are and he's entitled to post it. You could block him if you dont want to see it.

he is entitled to post his opinion, not purport to know what was in the mind of a player