Queensland Reds flanker Liam Gill is facing a suspension after being cited for foul play over his spectacular throw tackle on Brumbies halfback Nic White.
Gill’s action in his floundering team’s 29-0 loss to the Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium enraged opposition coach Stephen Larkham who vowed to pursue a citing for what he described as a “reckless, dangerous” tackle.
Gill suspended for tackle on White
On Sunday, the SANZAR citing commissioner deemed the incident on the Reds’ tryline worthy of a send off and referred Gill’s case to duty judicial officer Robert Stelzner.
The match referee Andrew Lees sent Gill to the sin bin over the tackle but also referred the incident to the citing commissioner.
In a move seemingly ripped from the playbook of the WWE, Gill’s frustrations boiled over in the second half when he picked up White at a ruck and threw him back over his head.
“What concerns me is he was upside-down, he got thrown to the ground and he’s a halfback, who’s meant to be protected,” said Larkham.
The Reds were further punished for Gill’s action as Brumbies prop Ben Alexander picked up the ball and dived through the resulting gap in defence to score a try.
Reds coach Richard Graham said he had no idea what Gill, who has been one of Queensland’s best in a tough start to the year, was trying to do.
“I saw White over the ball but it was probably not the cleanest of clearouts I’ve seen before. It was probably more something from WWE or something like that,” Graham said.
A suspension of any sort for Gill is the last thing Queensland needs right now, particularly as their Super Rugby campaign reaches a critical juncture.
The Reds have the bye next week and then face the Lions at home on March 27.
Graham said he expects to have seven players back from injury for that match, among them backline stars James O’Connor and Quade Cooper.
But Graham admitted their return would not guarantee anything.
“There’s no secret to turning it around – that group coming back has to work hard and help the guys who have been working in the last five or so games,” he said.
Graham refused to contemplate suggestions that it was already too late for Queensland to salvage anything from this season.
“It has to be turned around sooner rather than later,” he said.
“There’s 11 games to go in the pool stages. Eight wins last year got two teams to the semis.
“There’s still plenty of rugby to be played and enough confidence in the group that we can do that and achieve that.”
William Tell
Guest
Promise?
AndyS
Guest
No, it would have been fine as long as he had got hold of him and prevented him flipping. But he didn't, which is what made it a dangerous tackle. The responsibility lies with the tackler and 10.4e doesn't make any distinctions, it just says that "A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously." Fekitoa landed on his head - it was unfortunate, I certainly wouldn't say it was intentional or worth the yellow card, but it was dangerous and therefore worth the penalty. Far more so than the penalty Lowe got when Naholo tackled him in the air around the 50th minute...that was technically correct, but was not dangerous at all.
soapit
Guest
no matter how much effort he puts in if he tries to do it with a peeling motion as per your video or at least impart sideways force at some point to roll him off theres most likely no problem. there was no hint of roll from gill. to pull them solely straight towards with no intent to somehow turn that to the side is poor technique and little chance of a good outcome no matter the weight of your opponent. youre right that he would have looked silly if white were heavier as it would have achieved nothing except perhaps pull him forwards. in any case, ignoring the above, if we assume you are bang on about what happened its not as simple as saying he just overestimated the force required and just made a simple mistake. at some point between when white left the ground and when he reached the point of no return (at some point before whites feet were straight up in the air) gill should have realised what was happening, adjusted and not continued and put him down safely. the fact he didnt is incredibly reckless and dumb. its a contact game and opposition players run out and put their well being in your hands on the assumption ur sensible enough to not put them at risk with reckless and dumb things like this (or at least be protected by the ref and judiciary after the fact).
Jibba Jabba
Guest
On review you are right -he was not trying to hurdle - however he didn't have both feet in the air, he ran into and flew over the top of Lowe who was executing a perfectly legitimate tackle - or in your world is it illegal to tackle below the hips. It was an unfortunate momentum thing and the penalty and card were ridiculous; perhaps Fekitoa should have been penalised for not supporting his body weight ?? and not being taller !
Brett McKay
Expert
I'm a little intrigued how you can be lying over the ball, but out of the ruck, Dru?!? If he was lying over the ball, then by definition, he's in the ruck, isn't he? (And therefore, clean out is allowed) If he's out of the ruck, then he can't be played or cleaned out, surely? I'm not show how both those elements can be true, and that's not to say Gill shouldn't have been suspended, just that those two parts of the statement seem contradictory to me..
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
So what’s all the fuss about then? Really I think this situation is covered by the laws. Maybe it needs to be more specific to stifle your argument. The Judicial Officer has used law 10.4(j). Alternatively it’s simply covered by law 10.4(e).
AndyS
Guest
Rubbish, watch it again (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baVlgjUk68s) . He had both feet in the air as most folk do when they run, but he made no attempt to hurdle anything. Lowe just went below the line of the hips, didn't manage to get a hold on the legs and the rest was simple physics.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Soapit what I'm trying to say, is us amateurs, or for that matter most professionals, aren't qualified to comment on how Gill should have executed because none of us were in his position, so are completely unaware of the factors at play. That manouver requires quite a fair amount off effort and strength to lift a player off the ruck if they are holding and braced and don't want to be lifted or moved. Conversely, if they aren't they can be lifted very easily. Hard to know how strong they are holding on until you lift them, but then it's too late. If he didn't put enough effort in and White held on for dear life, he may have come off looking like right goose too.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
According to the laws of the game it doesn't.
soapit
Guest
twas theres a lot of areas we amateurs might not be qualified to comment on about rugby but playing while fatigued isnt one of them. its a ridiculous effort even giving him the considerable benefit of the doubt that he was trying to do what you say he was (still scant evidence - its just the closest legal resemblance). i think the attitude comes from the distance between proper execution of the closest thing we can think of as a potential legal intent and what he actually did couple with the danger he created. whatever his inetnt he needs to do much much better in the future if he intends to keep playing rugby at any level.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
"White didn’t land dangerously" you said. Gill lifted White up and threw him on the ground. He looked like he landed dangerously. Just because he didn't land on head or shoulders doesn't mean it's not a dangerous landing.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Easy to cast judgement from the couch soapit. Under fatigue players make mistakes. There's also the fact that he doesn't know how much resistance the player will put up, or even how heavy the player is, then has to deal with that when he's in the air. He just tries to move him with all his force, and seems to get a lot more success than he likely bargained for. He rightly got suspended. But these holier than thou comments from people on the sideline are ridiculous.
soapit
Guest
its as likely as anything i can think of as to what he was trying to do but if true he's got a terrible understanding of how to go about it. from my viewing i saw no effort at introducing the sideways motion that would indicate an attempt at a relatively safe regulation peel/wrestle was what he was going for and instead it appeared that the 270 degree straight backwards backslam he achieved was his continual aim for the entire movement.
AndyS
Guest
Not in intent perhaps, but the fact remains that regardless of what could have happened, White didn't land dangerously while Fekitoa did.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Your'e not suggesting Lowe's tackle on Fekitoa last week is in the same category as this throw?
Chivas
Guest
He is not running the Wallabies... and as mentioned, if you take a kick, you can either limp off and feel sorry for yourself or you can stand up and show it to be BS. The reds players had that opportunity and dropped the ball. If you want to be offended and make something of it you can. IN NZ it is no different. The fact that Waikato has not had an AB coach or someone in the coaching group apart from Fossie in recent times, meant that Buck Anderson, Monkley. Royec Willis and several others didn't get the opportunites afforded players like Mark Carter. It is life. Coaches have biases. You seem to be of the impression if Chieka or Larkham are no longer coaching SR sides, their loyalties, preferences and views will change and be more encompassing. It is not my experience. Finally, my own personal pereferences are not clouding my view on this matter as i don't have a horse in this race. I was just commenting as an interested bystander. I think you are taking Larkhams comments too personally and then building a case for your own feelings about the matter to suggest this effects his ability to be an assistant coach of the Wallabies in the future. Long bow.
Jibba Jabba
Guest
Yea but Fekitoa was attempting to hurdle the tackler so hardly the tacklers fault - another ridiculous decision by officialdom...
Jibba Jabba
Guest
Watch their games - the evidence is plain to see for those who have use of their eyes - And bias or jealousy - Nil - I don't really care - i actually find it amusing - in former times the players would 'sort out' those indiscretions but these days you have to leave it to officials so the main thing I care about is the incompetence and bias of the refereeing - and there has been plenty of that on display this year - it is destroying the game and importantly enjoyment of the game - as it is also doing in rugby league.
AndyS
Guest
Interesting that so many are (rightly) upset about the throw, but disagreed with the penalty last week when Fekitoa actually did land on his head and shoulder...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Because White was so light is how. In a game, the bloke over the ball is trying not to be moved. You can't just roll, you must use force to lift and roll. I think Gill got caught out when he lifted and got White up much easier than he anticipate. 1 game is a bit light on, but 4 weeks may have been slightly heavy handed.