O Driscoll Hit on Russouw

[Paudy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtcNdAc4clA

Unreal challenge!

Did they clash heads in it or was it just the car crash intensity of it that has both players concussed?

[gfo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtcNdAc4clA

serious clash of heads, Danie doesn't know where he is afterwards

[thecoolfreak]

You can see that O'Driscoll was about to wrap the arms around in the tackle, then they clash heads and both players are knocked out.

[Leinster Exile]

I've read alot of Saffers looking for BOD to be cited , but its quite clear he tries to use his arms even if he is left grasping at air.

[munster#1]

i think he tried to make the tackle but he missed timed it i think he tought he had a split second longer but he made contact before he had a chance to wrap his arms around. saffers are not completely wrong in asking for a citing, i think if it was bod tackled like that we would do the same. i really don't think there was any malice in the tackle so he wouldn't get a suspension for it anyway

[AidanSloan]

i think he tried to make the tackle but he missed timed it i think he tought he had a split second longer but he made contact before he had a chance to wrap his arms around. saffers are not completely wrong in asking for a citing, i think if it was bod tackled like that we would do the same. i really don't think there was any malice in the tackle so he wouldn't get a suspension for it anyway

I'm not absolutely convinced. Saw a slow-mo sometime on saturday(sorry the beer had kicked in so I can't remember exactly where) that made a strong case to suggest BOD might have known where his head was. I don't know if it came from Sky or the local producer.

[Armchair]

BOD was concussed earlier in the double tackle with Jenkins on Habana, when jenkins fractured his cheekbone, this tackle just made him worse!

[Leezer]

Russouw was like a tree being felled when he went down the 2nd time.

[hugonaut]

King Hit.

May have been a bit offside [you can't tell as he disappears out of the camera-shot], but once the ball is in du Preez's hands he's entitled to charge up as hard as he likes. It's not a high tackle [FFS, Drico is 5'9" and Roussouw is 6'6" and he doesn't leap up and garrotte him], and it's not a shoulder charge: his arms are clearly extended to make the tackle, but the two players just bounced off each other when they clashed heads. It's an accident, it happens.

I was delighted to see Roussouw do the "who grabbed my chair dance" initially, but the expression on his face as he was sitting on the stretcher cart was very affecting: looked so disappointed and lost, the poor b*stard. That said, absolutely ace to see a guy half a foot shorter and about four stone lighter lay out one of the big Afrikaaner beasts. I don't know if anybody else is reading the comments in the British media sites [Telegraph, Times, Guardian etc.] but the South African fans who give their opinions there are, for the most part, a bunch of absolutely insufferable, arrogant c*nts.

Geech is too much of a gentleman to do it, but with the amount of injuries the Lions have suffered, the loss of the series and the realistic chance of winning the last test going out the window, I'd like to see a bit of strong-arm tactics in the last match. If the Lions sent out an equivalent team to the final test team in '97 [who played the best running rugby of the three Lions test teams but were bullied off the park], they'll get hockeyed. Bring in Worsley at 6, Hines and Powell on the bench, Flutey in the centre ... basically pick the players that are hard-nosed and let Gatland and Edwards bring them up to the boil. Test series is lost, the Saffas have been taking the p¡ss with their intimidation tactics, and it's time to fight fire with fire.

[Leezer]

[Donny B.]

But how was BOD left on the pitch afterwards? He clearly didn't know where he was and he made a crucial error for the Habana try.

[Leezer]

But how was BOD left on the pitch afterwards? He clearly didn't know where he was and he made a crucial error for the Habana try.

correct me if im wrong but i thought the Russouw hit was after the Habana try.????????????

[Jester]

But how was BOD left on the pitch afterwards? He clearly didn't know where he was and he made a crucial error for the Habana try.

correct me if im wrong but i thought the Russouw hit was after the Habana try.????????????

Well consider yourself duely corrected.

If you look at the scoreboard on the video, SA are only on 8 points. So nope, try yet to come.

Drico always stays on the pitch to try and run off injuries. Usually he is okay, but this time didn't get away with it for Habana's try.

[Donny B.]

But how was BOD left on the pitch afterwards? He clearly didn't know where he was and he made a crucial error for the Habana try.

correct me if im wrong but i thought the Russouw hit was after the Habana try.????????????

No the Habana try came from the next move. If you look at it again BOD completely shoots out of the line at the wrong time leaving the gap for Habana to go through. He was immediately subbed after that.

[exiledinmunster]

I've read alot of Saffers looking for BOD to be cited , but its quite clear he tries to use his arms even if he is left grasping at air.

I think we are fooling ourselves if we think it was a fair tackle attempt by BOD. Makes no effort to wrap his hands around. Just looks to take the Bok out, not that I think it unwarranted. The Boks were hapy enough to give it out. They should wind their necks in and take it for a change.

[ceemec]

I've read alot of Saffers looking for BOD to be cited , but its quite clear he tries to use his arms even if he is left grasping at air.

I think we are fooling ourselves if we think it was a fair tackle attempt by BOD. Makes no effort to wrap his hands around. Just looks to take the Bok out, not that I think it unwarranted. The Boks were hapy enough to give it out. They should wind their necks in and take it for a change.

Still think he made no effort to wrap his arms? It was clumsy from him at worst. Should have gotten lower.

[exiledinmunster]

I've read alot of Saffers looking for BOD to be cited , but its quite clear he tries to use his arms even if he is left grasping at air.

I think we are fooling ourselves if we think it was a fair tackle attempt by BOD. Makes no effort to wrap his hands around. Just looks to take the Bok out, not that I think it unwarranted. The Boks were hapy enough to give it out. They should wind their necks in and take it for a change.

Still think he made no effort to wrap his arms? It was clumsy from him at worst. Should have gotten lower.

Sort of makes my point look a bit mute. However you would have to admit that there looks to be more than a touch of malice in the tackle. If it happened to a Leinster or an Irish player we (me anyway) would be roaring for a penalty

[ronk]

Still think he made no effort to wrap his arms? It was clumsy from him at worst. Should have gotten lower.

Sort of makes my point look a bit mute. However you would have to admit that there looks to be more than a touch of malice in the tackle. If it happened to a Leinster or an Irish player we (me anyway) would be roaring for a penalty

We might. But we'd be wrong.

[Oscar]

He went for the big ball-and-all hit, but got his head in the wrong place and smacked noggins with Roussouw by accident. That's why it didn't look like a wrap; when the heads collided, both players went down in a heap.

It wasn't high, it wasn't a dangerous tackle, but it is a sport where people can get injured when they've done everything right. I've been to hospital twice for concussions on a rugby field that were a result of perfectly fair play.

There's supposed to be a bit of malice in the tackle. It's a Springboks v Lions test, with the series on the line.

I do think it was a bit stupid on BOD's part. If he'd got his head a bit lower or just made a regular tackle, I think he doesn't hurt his head, doesn't make the mistake for the Habana try, ROG never comes on the pitch, and the Lions win the test. I know he's a great player who puts his body on the line, but I think a bit of self preservation at this stage of his career wouldn't go amiss; he's more use to Leinster, Ireland and the Lions when he's on the field.

[TrapperChamonix]

I

I think we are fooling ourselves if we think it was a fair tackle attempt by BOD. Makes no effort to wrap his hands around. Just looks to take the Bok out, not that I think it unwarranted. The Boks were hapy enough to give it out. They should wind their necks in and take it for a change.

Still think he made no effort to wrap his arms? It was clumsy from him at worst. Should have gotten lower.

Sort of makes my point look a bit mute. However you would have to admit that there looks to be more than a touch of malice in the tackle. If it happened to a Leinster or an Irish player we (me anyway) would be roaring for a penalty

I think this is an incorrect interpertation of the intent. Have a look at the sequence running up to the tackle (sky+) and you will see that as the ball is secured from the previous ruck there is a 4/5 to 2 (BOD and Bowe) overlap for the Boks. BOD then decided he had to take man and ball to snuff out the overlap.

He proved once again that not only is he immensley talanted, but that he is a warrior. He stood up to Matfield and smashed Roussow. I keep wondering why the front row didn't do that in the 1st test after the 2nd scrum.