John Afoa cited.

First topic message reminder :

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/16480.php

Hoping he doesnt miss the Semi Final - was it dangerous?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NfO2jjNivyU

Thomond wrote:Rodders, he grabs his legs, of course he fecking lifts him. It deserved a ban, 4 weeks is too much but it was dangerous purely because Jones lands on his shoulder/neck area.

Jones landed on his shoulder not his neck. Unfortunate but tough Poopie. Don't run full speed at a TH 18st Kiwi prop if you don't want to get hurt.

Mafi didn't even get a yellow for a no arm shoulder tackle against Connacht which was far more dangerous than this.

Jesus Christ lads, it's a complete joke, he deserved a ban, got a harsh one. Stop b!tching FFS.

probably designed to make it a more even semi-final

This has set a dangerous precedent for the game.

It essentially means that you can get a red card and ban for executing perfect tackling technique and not doing anything wrong.

Maybe in future Afoa will know to take Jones out with a high tackle or shoulder charge, that way he'll get off with a penalty or yellow card.

It's not a perfect tackling technique if the guy has to move his head to avoid landing on it. It's the defenders responsibility to bring the man down safely, Afoa didn't do it. It's tough sh!t in that scenario. Just because you're bigger than a guy doesn't mean you get a free pass, you have to change your technique to play fair. Afoa had the option to drive him forward and aviod a citing he didn't

Thomond wrote:It's not a perfect tackling technique if the guy has to move his head to avoid landing on it. It's the defenders responsibility to bring the man down safely, Afoa didn't do it. It's tough sh!t in that scenario. Just because you're bigger than a guy doesn't mean you get a free pass, you have to change your technique to play fair. Afoa had the option to drive him forward and aviod a citing he didn't

Jones was running at top speed. Afoa is strong but not that strong. He had two choices, tackle hard, or less than hard.

He could have gone limp and fell backwards trying to keep hold of Jones. He could have lifted him and set him down again offering him an opportunity of an offload. (If he had taken the ball).

To ask a player to go easy in a HC QF is just not reasonable. Players are paid for that kind of ferocity. Dislodge the ball, prevent the offload, etc etc... If you said to these guys "you have to remember to be careful with your opposition when you tackle them" I suspect they'd laugh at you.

Thomond wrote: Afoa had the option to drive him forward and aviod a citing he didn't

What do you mean Afoa had 'the option'?! Its not feicin tackling practice. Afoa's job is to tackle Jones and Jones job is to beat him.

You can't feicin pick and choose the angle of the collision. You adjust to the run of the ball carrier and make the feicin hit with as much force as you can. The laws of physics determine the rest.

A deliberate lift, twist, drive/tip is something totally different.

It's also the flippin ball carriers responsibilty to take the contact with a body angle that minimises the danger. Jones problem was Zebo gave him a hospital pass.

The IRB should just make the game no contact to avoid any more grey areas.

I just don't see how anyone can claim it isn't a ban. Also Afoa should be strong enough to blow any full back back on his ass, I would be worried if he wasn't. He went for the tackle fair enough but there wasn't incredibly great technique in it. A fella running full pace at you is the best time to put him flat on his ass.

It was a harsh ban but a ban. Mafi should have got one a few weeks ago. Get on with it.

Guys,

Surely it is possible to discuss this without falling out?

Mafi shouldn't have got one and neither should Afoa. Its not even a penalty.

The whole thing is joke. Ever since the Warburton tackle every feicin tackle where a player goes in the air goes to a citing committee.

They'll be laughing at this in the SH.

Croyman wrote:

probably designed to make it a more even semi-final

A moronic statement. I hope you're joking.

No they wouldn't Digby Ioane got a ban for something similar. He got 5 weeks. Take the blinkers off lads.

Thomond wrote:I just don't see how anyone can claim it isn't a ban. Also Afoa should be strong enough to blow any full back back on his ass, I would be worried if he wasn't. He went for the tackle fair enough but there wasn't incredibly great technique in it. A fella running full pace at you is the best time to put him flat on his ass.

It was a harsh ban but a ban. Mafi should have got one a few weeks ago. Get on with it.

Thomond the best way to put a player on his backside running at full pelt is to go low and hit hard which probably would have done more damage to Jones than was done and Afoa too, what people are calling for is consistancy and a bit of sense.

Watching the clip as many times as I have I think Afoa tries hard to get Jones down safely after he goes over his shoulder by falling with his legs to bring his whole body down rather than head first

Look Thomond we'll agree to disagree man .

I'm not even bothered about the length of the ban or the HEC SF, I think we can manage and it won't have too much impact on the rest of the season for us.

I just think that it was a good tackle and that Afoa should not have been cited and banned full stop.

I respect your view but think it is wrong

Fair enough man, I believe it was a ban, you're right Afoa couldn't have done much better but he could have done a bit. As I said in that other Ulster thread (there's so many I've lost count ) The Semi final requires other guys to step up as your big players will be watched incredibly closely.

These things happen, it's the way the game is going.

We'll take it on the chin and move on but I hope the IRB look at this 'tip' tackle stuff again and apply a bit more common sense.

The most important thing is Jones wasn't hurt.

I'm done on this one ........

Well said rodders!

Fair play Thomond!

Digby Ioane makes a concerted effort to pick the player up, it was not part of the momentum of the tackle. Thats what i see anyways.

Ioane should face a much longer ban.

Not for the tackle, but for the shirt

stranger things have happened but not in this case - - - the problem was probably in his technique -as with Ferris, as with Warburton -

it may be quite a valid punishment etc but then the question is how should he alter his technique to avoid a foul in future -

as opposed to Bradley Davis which was plainly deliberate

I just think that it was a good tackle and that Afoa should not have been cited and banned full stop.

Unfortunatly thats not wht the IRB and its various rules say.

clearly lifted legs above feet, clearly did not bring him down safely.

Now you can argue it should not be a penalty but under current rules it is - there is no doubt at all

http://prem1.hiboox.com/images/1512/diapo073a1fd1cb3f5bec5d5b0611d03ad8b8.gif

He hasn't even got the ball

I have no doubt this is a penalty. There could be little argument with a yellow card being shown as a reminder you shouldnt lift the legs above the horizontal, but cannot see how this is a red card at all, never mind one worth 4 weeks. A sad affair

TJ,

The only reason he doesn't have the ball is he knocked on the delightful hospital pass from Zebo!

Can't expect Afoa to knock that would happen!

aucklandlaurie wrote: From reading some of the above,I cant help but think that ones experiences in the game detrmine what kind of comments we make about Afoa's tackle.

For those who say that this type of tackle is new or recent to the game come from a different environment to me.What Afoa did was nothing but a regular common every day tackle as much as forty years ago in Auckland rugby.

Whats new and recent to the game is the over the top laws that were dreamed up 2 or 3 years ago and invented the tip tackle, a tackle which has sanctions and penalties that far outway any possible offence.

I think its a clash in styles of play between NH and SH. These type of tackles are a real kiwi/islander feature and its only in recent years with so many SH players coming north, that there are issues with them. I think that tackle that Afoa made was a perfectly normal tackle for him, but he has got to realise that he is now in the NH and that style of play isn't a feature. He is going to have to adopt.

Lots of islanders have a problem when they come north. I'd safely say that Mafi for Munster has probably collected more yellow cards for various tackles than any other player over the last couple of years and even though I'm sorry he is leaving Munster, I'm slightly relieved I won't have to watch him take the head off someone when playing for Munster again! Sammy Tutoputi was the same. Tipoki, not a problem and I have to say I love he way Dougie torpedos himself into someone for his tackles (but he generally goes low).

Some photos which will leave no doubt that this was a very dangerous tackle. Note that Afoa's feet (off the ground) are further from the ground than Jones's arm. Afoa actually falls on top of Jones (and from the video just above) you can see that Afoa doesn't check to see if Jones is ok (his back is to Jones), so he must be totally unaware that there is anything wrong with the tackle he has just made (suggesting that he is a bit reckless).

What is truly disappointing is that Poitre has a very good view of the incident and ignored him. Me thinks he will be back reffing the u12s for a while after not getting that call right. I'd be afraid of him reffing a match between Ireland and a SH team tbh.

MrsP wrote:TJ,

The only reason he doesn't have the ball is he knocked on the delightful hospital pass from Zebo!

Can't expect Afoa to knock that would happen!

Evening Mrs. P. Top-up ?

Think it'll be a double G&T for MrsP tonite, Rav

Absolutely delighted he won't be playing against Edinburgh - although we manned up against a monstrous Toulouse pack, I'm still not confident about our scrum. Afoa missing out is a significant boost for us.

Lets just hope Chunk stays fit until then!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Absolutely delighted he won't be playing against Edinburgh - although we manned up against a monstrous Toulouse pack, I'm still not confident about our scrum. Afoa missing out is a significant boost for us.

Lets just hope Chunk stays fit until then!

Did I offer you a lift from Belfast to Dublin?

Consider it withdrawn

Ha - its all in good banter!

You'd be just as happy if denton and visser were ruled out!

Jeez, if those two were out I might just pee myself a wee bit with the excitement of it all

That's more like it!

Actually, I think it would go a long way to assist with the atmosphere if Edinburgh were to leave their best player out of their squad as a gesture of good will.

It would be only right and fair!

Do be fair, you guys have 2 world cup winners and we have none, so technically you should lose pieenar to even things up a bit!

Rava wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Absolutely delighted he won't be playing against Edinburgh - although we manned up against a monstrous Toulouse pack, I'm still not confident about our scrum. Afoa missing out is a significant boost for us.

Lets just hope Chunk stays fit until then!

Did I offer you a lift from Belfast to Dublin?

Consider it withdrawn

You should'nt even be going. If the ref had called it correctly then you would be spending the weekend at home trimming your beard instead of enjoying a HC semi final in Dublin

MrsP wrote:Actually, I think it would go a long way to assist with the atmosphere if Edinburgh were to leave their best player out of their squad as a gesture of good will.

It would be only right and fair!

MrsP, you are right, as always. We will leave Ulisees Gamboa out of the squad altogether, you have my word. Or even Simon Webster, can't say fairer than that. Take your pick

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

MrsP wrote:Actually, I think it would go a long way to assist with the atmosphere if Edinburgh were to leave their best player out of their squad as a gesture of good will.

It would be only right and fair!

MrsP, you are right, as always. We will leave Ulisees Gamboa out of the squad altogether, you have my word. Or even Simon Webster, can't say fairer than that. Take your pick

Re: John Afoa cited.
by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Today at 8:29 am

.MrsP wrote:
Actually, I think it would go a long way to assist with the atmosphere if Edinburgh were to leave their best player out of their squad as a gesture of good will.

It would be only right and fair!

MrsP, you are right, as always. We will leave Ulisees Gamboa out of the squad altogether, you have my word. Or even Simon Webster, can't say fairer than that. Take your pick.
AsLongAsBut100ofUs


Posts: 6441
Join date: 2011-03-26
Age: 99
Location: Devon, London or Amsterdam - depending on day of the week!




I knew you Edinburgh fans would see the sense in my suggestion.

And I knew the Glasgow fan would extract the Michael!

Talk about bandwagoners!

it's rolling MrsP and it would have been rude not to leap aboard the junkie express!

You are coming over, aren't you?

Sadly not, MrsP, we're going to be in Holland staying with Dutch friends and celebrating Queens Day

Shame.

I had hoped to repay you for the last time we were all in Dublin!