Concussion Cop-out
5
By The Spotter
Last night at Forsyth Barr Stadium we saw why Rugby Union can be so good. But it could be even better as a sport if the head knock issue was taken seriously…all the time.
That’s why it should be a strong talking point on why Ben Smith wasn’t removed from the field for an official HIA, when the back of his head thrust back and made solid contact with the ground after an aerial duel in the first half. The backlash was visible for all to see.
It’s obviously not (you would hope so), but the initial protocol leading to an actual off-field HIA in Super Rugby at the moment appears for the referee or the trainer to ask the affected player if he is alright and to take them at their word. And play on. Ridiculous.
And on things concussion, the new edict to tackle below the ‘nipple line’ is all a bit icky-sounding. What the heck is wrong with stating ‘below the chest’? Will we be going up to the interminable big screen all the time to ascertain if a tackle occurred ‘slightly up of the nipple line’, slightly below the teat, or bang on the spot? And what do we call that camera? Nipple eye? Chest cam? Will there be fluoro nipple stickers put on the jerseys to make it easier for the officials to make correct calls?
On something else, if Jack Goodhue comes in for Ryan Crotty / SBW for the Test run-on XV next Saturday, will he be able to run freely, given he has Mark Watson so far up his backside?
In any case, Jordie Barrett would eat Goodhue for breakfast in a one-on-one shoot out for the centre spot if they still held something akin to the All Black trials.
Sportsfreak interesting as always but I feel this entry may be somewhat an emotional response to the Hurricanes getting well beaten twice in 8 days by Southern teams. Re the nipple line , you’re over analyzing it. It is clearly an attempt to lower the average tackle, that’s all. The chest, extends to the clavical. That is shoulder height.
[img]http://www.tlfit.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/001.png[/img] apologies if this gets screwed up. Nipple is mid chest region.
Referees have been using ‘nipple line’ as shorthand for ‘centre of the chest’ for years. Primarily in kids rugby where we are particularly concerned about tackles that slip up. I see no problem with extending this to other rugby.
And HIA protocol is very clearly defined. No, the referee or trainer will not be taking the player solely at his word. I absolutely agree that head knocks should be taken as seriously as hell at all times, and that high level rugby has a record of not taking them seriously enough, but let’s not get into hyperbole.
I do like the odd bit of hyperbole every now and again 🙂 Funnily enough, there was this in the Herald up here this morn:
https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/weekend-herald/20180602/282218011472534
And I think Goodhue is good, but so too is Jordie. Just wanted to see if the southern cod were biting…they were. In fact Graeme B may have taken some of the brunt…sorry there, Graeme. Sure he’s got a handle on it tho’.
Thanks for the comments. The points are valid, certainly. I’m trying to achieve the almost-impossible: Building a following and/or a horde of castigators, without using Twitter..
Liam Squire’s act of thuggery on TJ Perenara- bloody awful…and I’m a closet ‘landers fan.
Why I don’t even really mind the Crusaders, but those recent acts of foul play from Joe Moody and Owen Franks were pretty low-rent as well. And all All Blacks. Shameful.
The tacky insult wasn’t one of my better moments- sorry to Watto. Kind of surprised nobody said anything…