Tigers v Wasps Sunday March 25th

[chewbacca]

I saw the incident from the front row and have watched the match video. At the time I thought Wade raised his forearm to contact Mays jaw. Watching the match video I don't see it any differently. Whether he did it with intent or it was an action to protect the ball only he knows, or perhaps not if it was instinctive. Which ever it was contact had been made with the head and it seemed worth a review at the time.
From the rules Hand-off: An action taken by a ball carrier to fend off an opponent by using the palm of the hand. Perhaps the officials need reminding of this definition.

[Tiglon]

I've gone back and forth on this one. Initially I was screaming foul play, but the replay made me think otherwise.

Some good points have been made though, and essentially I think it comes down to this:

Wade has made a conscious decision to raise his forearm, which hit May in the head and inflicted a head injury. If May had raised his arm into Wade's head in the tacklewith the same result, he probably would have been sent off. If we're so concerned with player safety, particularly regarding head injuries, then surely this kind of act should be punished firmly, particularly when (as in this case) it is clearly not accidental.

One comment has mentioned that May's head was too low and therefore it was his fault that his head was in the way. However, the recent report posted by others in the "tackle height" thread says that he was aiming for the safest part of Wade to tackle.

[Mark62]

Very wise words there Tiglon.

Maybe it should be brought in as a matter of protocol that where a challenge between 2 players leads to one or both requiring prolonged on field treatment, that challenge is reviewed by both the ref and TMO .

I know this does sometimes happen, but from watching on telly I wasn’t aware of that happening on this occasion

[Tiglon]

It seems odd that an act that caused no harm was viewed by TMO, decided by ref to be yellow card, and then citing officer thought even worse because of the potential to cause harm.

Whereas, an act that did cause harm was not reviewed by TMO, was not given any attention by the ref, and did not attract the interest of the citing people.

[G.K]

New rules - everyone dresses like an NFL player and they play tag rugby, and a TMO review when anyone falls over. That way no-one should ever get hurt.

[Jimmy Skitz]

New rules - everyone dresses like an NFL player and they play tag rugby, and a TMO review when anyone falls over. That way no-one should ever get hurt.

leading with the shoulder/forearm, smashing someone in the head and knocking them out cold, is supposed to be something they are trying to stamp out

[tigerfeet13]

I knew I remembered at least 1 sending off or yellow card for leading with the non carrying arm.

http://www.rugbydump.com/2014/06/3778/j ... -the-elbow

I've got a feeling that there have been other similar incidents also resulting in a card of one colour or another.

[loretta]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5o5Q0wRbCo

What about this.

[HantsTiger]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... n-m5-derb/

I remember watching this live and was surprised that Alafoti Faosiliva saw red for leading with the arm, the pic at the top of the article shows just after the contact