1
The 'sitting duck' Ireland reaction to RFU waist high tackling
By Liam Heagney
Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton has strongly disagreed with the RFU decision to limit the community game in England to waist-high tackles only from next season, an initiative also criticised by his national team coach Andy Farrell.
Veteran player Sexton has regularly encountered head knocks throughout his lengthy career and although the new initiative in England doesn't apply at professional level, he has taken a dim view of the impending change and would hate for it to be introduced into the grassroots game in Ireland by the IRFU.
Asked at the Guinness Six Nations launch in London on Monday what he thought of the English community game measure and if he would be in favour of its introduction in Ireland, Sexton didn’t hold back in explaining his dissatisfaction with the change.
“Look, I don’t agree with it,” he stressed. “There’s no point sitting on the fence really, is there? I just think you have got tall people who play the game and it should be their decision how they tackle.
“Of course, we need to get the head shots out of the game but I think the tackles that we really need to take out of the game are the reckless, out of control, sprinting out of the line, tucking arms, all these type of ones you know, hitting someone there I don’t think should be option.
“And it is not like you can’t get concussed chopping someone’s knees. You know, I see a hell of a lot of concussions, people getting their head on the wrong side, a knee to the temple, or a hip even to the side of the head. So I strongly disagree.”
Ireland boss Farrell, who was at a grassroots game at Coolmine in Dublin on Sunday to watch his youngest son Gabriel play, added: “It is super important that what has come with that is the correct coaching in the correct way, correct the technique because of the reasons that Johnny has just said.
“If you are just saying to a kid that you need to tackle lower, then you even become more vulnerable in my opinion you know, if you are just sitting there with just your arms in front trying to wrap and get the head down etc, you are a sitting duck waiting to happen.
“So the coaching and the technique of how it is applied to tackling below the waist is absolutely crucial otherwise we are going to have a serious problem.”
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales have the same problem
3
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
4
Let's be real about these All Blacks
5
Latest Comments
John, McKenzie was 10 years ago and he only lasted 15 months until the disgustingly unfair affair that brought him down. I thought that if he didn't get another gig over Eddie V2 then he was done. I read that he had been approached but declined to put his name in the ring.
There are no potential Wallaby coaches outside of McKellar unless you have some inside info?
Go to commentsThe way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.
Go to comments