NRL star seemingly criticises rugby for sending players off for 'hitting too hard'
Kiwi NRL star Shaun Johnson has appeared to criticise rugby for sending players off for "hitting too hard" and wondered why rugby league isn't as big as union globally.
The Cronulla Sharks star tweeted during last night's State of Origin decider, where Queensland upset New South Wales 20-14, about being bewildered that league isn't a bigger sport than union, considering how the 15-man code seems to be brandishing red cards too liberally.
"Sitting on my couch watching this game wondering how this isn't a global sport," Johnson tweeted.
"Am I being biased when I don't see how a sport that has players sent off for hitting too hard is."
Johnson, who is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury suffered in September, is likely referring to the fourth Bledisloe Cup test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies, where two players were sent off, sparking a debate about rugby's laws on high tackles.
Both All Blacks prop Ofa Tuungafasi and Aussie rookie Lachlan Swinton were sent off and subsequently suspended for apparently accidental high shots, prompting many to argue that red cards are ruining the spectacle of rugby.
But when it comes to global appeal, union has long had a greater reach than league.
When asked by a fan if he had ever played rugby, Johnson he did and "never enjoyed it like I did league".
All Blacks great Sir John Kirwan was one of many calling for red cards to be scrapped from the sport altogether.
Kirwan worried that red cards ruin the spectacle of the sport and that it may have dire consequences for the sport's appeal.
"Our game does not need red cards," Kirwan said on Sky Sport's The Breakdown. "I don't think there's anyone in our game that goes out intentionally to hurt someone. So if it's a red card, they go off and someone replaces them for 15 minutes. People have paid good money to watch a game of rugby with 15-a-side. That's my biggest issue."
World Rugby has cracked down on high shots, but many have called out its hypocrisy when it comes to player welfare and its employment of head injury assessments.
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Spot on Ben. Dead right. Havili looked great at 10. Easily the highest rugby IQ of any NZ player these days. Getting a kick charged down is a result of getting used to adjusting your depth to the line at 10, which he will sort out with time. But other than that it was an outstanding first effort in that position this year. I think the NZ media has misunderstood this directive from Razor. Havili might rank behind B Barrett this year, but Beuden is 33 this month and won't last much longer. DMaC is great but flaky and not really a test match animal (his efforts in Dunedin versus Aus last year for example). If Razor can't have Mounga, DMaC is too unstructured for Razor (and is just too small for test rugby). Havili will end up our first choice first five, and in partnership with Jodie will be excellent. Two triple threat operators in tandem, and big bodies and tough tacklers to boot. Jordoe will be the ABs goal kicker. I am an Aucklander and Blues (and Warriors) fan, but Havili at 10 is going to be sensational in time… he can be the best first five in the world by the end of this year. No question.
Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
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