Friday’s Rugby News sees Uraguay slaying giants, Hodge having no framework, Aon 7s and, the next generation on show!
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The Biggest Upset In RWC History
Just when everyone thought week one of RWC 2019 was going to follow the script. Just when punters had started to say ‘Rugby’s boring every game just goes with whoever is seeded highest. Fiji coach John McKee thought it was safe to change 13 of the starting side that played against Australia.
And Rugby minow Uruguay spotted their chance and grabbed it with both hands sneaking past Fiji 30 points to 27 yesterday at the Kamaishi Recovery Stadium.
I’ve got to say it was my favourite moment in this World Cup so far.
Uruguay’s captain Juan Gaminara broke down in tears at the end of the game, saying: “We are not the biggest, we are not the tallest but we came here to win.”
“Since we qualified, we have been thinking about this game and you saw the passion. I’m really proud,” added Gaminara, whose squad contains several players with semi-professional status.
The thrilling game had a much deeper significance as it was played in Kamaishi, one of the towns hardest-hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan.
The stadium, the only purpose-built venue at the Rugby World Cup, was built on the site of a school destroyed by the waves and hosting the match was seen as a powerful sign of recovery.
The Pacific islanders, who were seen as an outside bet to cause a shock of their own in Pool D that includes Wales and Australia, were left to rue a comedy of errors including several relatively simple missed kicks.
A disconsolate captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu said: “Everything went wrong today. It’s not the result we wanted. It’s not how we wanted the game to go today. We underestimated a very good Uruguay team.”
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Hodge Unaware Of High Tackle Framework
In the official release from Reece Hodge’s Judicial hearing, one paragraph stands out.
The Player conceded that he had no effective knowledge of WR’s “Decision making framework for high tackles”; had not been trained on it; was not across it because the tackles he makes are predominantly in the waist to knees area. (To the Panel, this was of some general concern; and will
be commented on later).
Basically Hodge has no idea how World Rugby judges how dangerous a high tackle is! This raises a few questions for me,
- How is it possible for a Wallaby player not to be aware of WR’s high tackle framework?
- How many Australian Super Rugby and Wallaby players have been made aware of the Framework?
- Why hasn’t Rugby Australia made it clear to their players their responsibility in these situations?
Dangerous Tackle – Question Trail
1. Was this a tackle or a shoulder charge?
2. If a tackle, was it “dangerous”? (Law 9.13: “Dangerous tackling includes…tackling or
attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle
starts below the line of the shoulders”).
3. If it was a dangerous tackle, then is it illegal? i.e. was that dangerous component of the tackle intentional or reckless or accidental?
4. If illegal, applying the World Rugby “Decision making framework for high tackles”, did that dangerous tackle cause head/neck contact?
Such contact, the framework suggests, is to be identified by:
(a) clear evidence of contact to ball carrier’s head/neck; or
(b) the ball carrier’s head visibly moves backwards from the contact point; or (c) the
ball carrier requires an HIA.
5. What was the degree of danger? The framework suggests one should look at 3
factors: Preparation, Contact and Follow through.
Preparation: does the tackler
(a) draw his arm back prior to contact?
(b) leave the ground?
(c) swing his arm forward prior to contact?
Contact:
(a) is tackler attempting an active/dominant tackle; or a passive/soak, or pulling out?
(b) is tackler’s speed and/or acceleration into tackle high?
(c) does a rigid arm or elbow make contact with ball carrier’s head as part of a
swinging motion?
Follow through:
does tackler complete the tackle (as opposed to immediate release/withdrawal)?
6. Is there any mitigation as to the tackle and the contact? The framework states the
following factors should be considered:
(a) were both players in open space with tackler having either clear line of sight and/or time before contact?
(b) is there clear and obvious evidence that the tackler made a definite attempt to change height in order to avoid the ball carrier’s head?
(c) is there clear and obvious evidence that the ball carrier suddenly drops in height
(e.g. earlier tackle, trips, dives to score)?
(d) is there clear and obvious evidence that the tackler was unsighted prior to contact?
(e) is there clear and obvious evidence that this was a ‘reactionary’ tackle’,
immediate release?
(f) is there clear and obvious evidence that the contact was indirect (i.e. starts elsewhere on the body, slips/moves up resulting in minor contact to head/neck?
7. Has the red card test been met?
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AON Uni 7s Heads To The Goldy
Look, I know the world cup is on and there is rugby on the TV all the time right now but, there’s also a lot of other rugby being played all over the place. Case in point, the Aon Uni 7’s is on at Bond Uni this weekend!
Hosts Bond University will be looking for redemption after narrowly avoiding a tenth-place finish in round one. Meanwhile, round one champions, the University of Queensland will look to extend their lead as they seek out a second Uni 7s Series victory.
The chasing pack will have plenty to prove this weekend, with vital competition points up for the taking. The first match of U19s Rugby Championship is also set to take place following the opening days matches, making it a super weekend of pathways rugby at Bond University.
2019 URC Champions Brisbane City will take to the field as they look to continue their unbeaten record as they take on 2018 competition runners up Queensland Country.
Every match of round two of the 2019 Aon University Sevens Series will be streamed LIVE and FREE on RUGBY.com.au.
Pool A: University of Queensland, Griffith University, University of Adelaide, University of New England, Bond University
Pool B: University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Canberra, University of Western Australia
Saturday 28 September
Round 1
University of Queensland v University of Adelaide, 9:00 am
Bond University v Griffith University, 9:20 am
UTS v University of Canberra, 9:40 am
University of Melbourne v University of Sydney, 10:00 am
Round 2:
University of Queensland v Bond University, 11:00 am
Griffith University v UNE, 11:20am
University of Canberra v University of Sydney, 11:40 am
UTS v University of Western Australia, 12:00 pm
Round 3:
University of Adelaide v UNE, 1:00 pm
Griffith University v University of Queensland, 1:20 pm
University of Sydney v University of Western Australia, 1:40 pm
University of Canberra v University of Melbourne, 2:00 pm
Round 4:
University of Adelaide v Bond University, 3:00 pm
University of Queensland v UNE, 3:20 pm
University of Western Australia v University of Melbourne, 3:40 pm
University of Sydney v UTS, 4:00 pm
Sunday 29 September
Round 5:
UNE v Bond University, 9:00 am
Griffith University v University of Adelaide, 9:20 am
University of Melbourne v UTS, 9:40 am
University of Western Australia v University of Canberra, 10:00 am
Semi-Finals:
3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B, 11.00 am
3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A, 11.20 am
1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B, 11.40 am
1st Pool B v 1st Pool A, 12.00 am
Finals:
9th/10th Playoff, 1.00 pm
7th/8th Playoff, 1.25 pm
5th/6th Playoff, 1.50 pm
Bronze Medal Match, 2.15 pm
Gold Medal Match, 2.40 pm
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Next Gen in Canberra
There’s a metric crapload of rugby coming up in Canberra as the Junior Rugby Championship and the U19’s Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend.
This from RA:
The tournaments, now both in their second year, will see the next generation of academy, schools and potential Junior Wallabies battle it out in the hope of catching the eye of provincial and national High Performance staff as coaches begin to build their academy squads for 2020.
The URC will begin with a grand final rematch at Bond University between Brisbane City and Queensland Country, with the first round of matches set to be played in the team’s respective states before shifting to Canberra for the final rounds. NSW Rivals Sydney and NSW Country will commence their campaign at Forshaw Rugby Park this weekend as both sides look to improve on their 2018 results.
Rugby Australia’s National Head of Talent Management, Adrian Thompson said: “It’s always exciting to get to the back end of the year when these matches kick-off.
“We saw great success this year at the World Championships with the Junior Wallabies, and a lot of that team was selected from the URC last year, so it shows the value the tournament provides.
“The tournament allows us to see players in different combinations and positions, giving them the best possible opportunity to stick their hand up for higher honours.”
Off the field, players and team staff will have access to a multitude of development programs to help further their Rugby journey with presentations from RUPA as well as RugbyAU’s High Performance staff.
All matches of the 2019 Pathways Series will be streamed LIVE on RUGBY.com.au
To access the full draw and live results of the Junior Rugby Championship, please click here.
To access the full draw and live results of the U19s Rugby Championship, please click here.
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