Palu cleared of stamping

[Pfitzy]

[/url]Waratahs' Wycliff Palu cleared of stamping during Hurricanes match

February 15, 2009
NEW South Wales Waratahs backrower Wycliff Palu has been cleared of stamping during the Super 14 rugby match against the Hurricanes.

Palu was cited for allegedly stamping or trampling on Hurricanes' player Jeremy Thrush during Saturday night's match, won by the Waratahs 26-22.

At a SANZAR hearing held in Wellington before the Waratahs returned to Sydney, judicial officer Bruce Squire said television camera angles not available to the citing commissioner showed that Palu had stepped over Thrush.

?Any contact had been accidental and had occurred as Thrush attempted to get to his feet as Palu stepped over him,'' Squire said.

Hurricanes captain Rodney So'oialo was also cited for allegedly stamping or trampling on Waratahs player Phil Waugh and will appear before the judicial officer on Monday.

Thrush was able to play on after the incident with Palu, while Waugh left the field with blood streaming from a head wound.

Agence France-Presse

 

[naza]

When are they going to cite So'oialo for taking players out metres away from the ruck ?

 

[Ash]

He should've gotten quite a few weeks. Stepping on someone's face is inexcusable.

 

[Scarfman]

When are they going to cite So'oialo for taking players out metres away from the ruck ?

I said the same thing to Jonnosan during the game. It's like the refs go "Oh, that's just Rodders doing what he always does."

 

[Pfitzy]

Yeah "go on you little scamp! Drive 5m past it!" :

 

[naza]

He should've gotten quite a few weeks. Stepping on someone's face is inexcusable.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[mark_s]

When are they going to cite So'oialo for taking players out metres away from the ruck ?

I reckon this has been part of the all black training regime since henry took over.

Back to Palu - jeez it looked ugly and looked worthy of a suspension.

 

[naza]

When are they going to cite So'oialo for taking players out metres away from the ruck ?

I reckon this has been part of the all black training regime since henry took over.

Back to Palu - jeez it looked ugly and looked worthy of a suspension.

Looked heaps worse than it was. Replay showed he basically tripped over another Tah player (Caldwell ?) and the actual impact was very light. Especially compared to Waugh's shoeing a minute earlier. The alleged victim was fine and straight back into the maul, this time he actually got into an onside position. :lmao:

 

[Pfitzy]

Just seen it for the first time - Palu's leg gets tangled and he accidentally kicks the bloke in the head. That's rugby.

 

[cyclopath]

My first impression was that Palu's was accidental / careless, but on replay thought it looked a bit worse. I think he's a little lucky perhaps. There'll be some howls from East of us if Rodney gets a few weeks though, I'll bet.

 

[Pfitzy]

I think Rodney's was reckless - not like he kept kicking Waugh. He'd get a week at most.

 

[fatprop]

Rodney is at the heart of some of the best All Black moves, Rodney cleans out a defender not attached to the ruck and someone runs through the new gap.

 

[Lee Grant]

He didn't miss Beale in the cleanout away from the ruck a few times but good on him for getting away with it. I don't think he will get away with putting the slipper into Waugh though.

As for Cliffy Palu:


Match officials have cleared Wallabies No8 Wycliff Palu of a stomping charge following the NSW Waratahs' impressive opening round Super 14 rugby win.

Palu was cited for an incident in the 69th minute of Saturday's heated clash with the Wellington Hurricanes which NSW won 26-22.

But SANZAR judicial officer Bruce Squire QC (Quade Cooper) found Palu had actually stepped over Hurricanes forward Jeremy Thrush after viewing TV camera angles which weren't available to citing commissioner John Wootton.

Squire ruled yesterday that any contact by Palu was accidental and occurred as Thrush tried to get up.

 

[Moses]

Hurricanes' captain Rodney So'oialo has been cleared of "stamping or trampling" on the head of Warratahs' captain Phil Waugh, however So'oialo has been banned for one week for careless play.

So'oialo said after a Super 14 judicial hearing in Wellington this evening that he regretted the incident, but it was clear that there was no intent.

In an oddity thrown up by the judicial process the hearing noted that it is possible that the boot that came into contact with Waugh's head was not So'oialo's.

Hurricanes' coach Colin Cooper was reluctant to comment on the oddity and said the Hurricanes would not be appealing the decision.

Cooper says while unhappy to lose his captain for a week he was pleased that So'oialo's good character remained intact.

So'oialo says he had spoken to Waugh at the time and didn't believe Waugh held any ill feeling towards him.

He says initially he thought he had come into contact with one of his teammates legs but then saw Waugh come up with blood on his forehead.

 

[PhucNgo]

Waugh and Rodders were seen on camera to be having a little discussion after the game (maybe they were just comparing respective notes for the post match interview), but from memory of the time it looked to me that Schwalger was the culprit. I thought his were the only feet in frame, but maybe it was just camera angle.