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Fri 9 Sep 2016 | 02:14
Friday Funnies - Vaea Fifita avoids the tackle with perfectly executed jump

16
Comments

The Wellington Lions pulled off a dramatic win in the Mitre 10 Cup Cup earlier today, beating Counties Manukau at the death. Earlier in the match though it was this incident that left a lot of onlookers with jaws wide open, none more so than the would-be tackler.

After a great break down the wing and lovely piece of play, flanker Vaea Fifita got the ball then decided to literally leap over defender Piers Francis, who despite not being extremely low, was still cleared with absolutely no contact between the two.

"He went down low for the hit, but there was no one there," joked one of the commentators.

It was an almighty jump by the 24-year-old, and surprisingly for many, didn't lead to a penalty.

The lawbook doesn't state anything with regards to jumping into (or over!) a tackle, but it is commonly known to fall under dangerous play, with Law 10.4 covering Dangerous Play, and section (k) covering "Acts contrary to good sportsmanship."

It states that a player must not do anything against the spirit of good sportsmanship. So it is down to the referee's interpretation of what is seen to be dangerous, and he is entitled to penalise it if he feels player safety was compromised.

We saw Sione Kalamafoni penalised when he did the exact same thing in 2012, being told by the referee "You cannot jump over a tackle.. you run, don't jump".

Two years prior, in 2010, Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom was penalised for jumping into a tackle, being told by the referee  "You jumped into the tackle.. it's dangerous play".

We have seen a number of players get away with this though, namely Shane Williams in that same year, as he hurdled covering defender Topsy Ojo, and in 2008 Fijian Viliame Satala dived over the tryline, but there were two players in front of him. The try was awarded.

Check out our Related posts for these and other similar moments, and let us know what you think of Fifita's exploits and if you think it should or shouldn't have been penalised for dangerous play.

ALSO: Scroll down to watch the highlights from the match, with an incredible dramatic finish

Posted By: Grant Constable

16 Comments

  • drg
    7:21 PM 16/09/2016

    Actually to be fair, I don't really have a problem with the kiwis.... I love their game, I have a problem with the drivel that comes out of a lot of their supporters mouths, including the ones stating the Franks non gouge (I agree it wasn't actually a gouge in the original intended fashion, more of an accidental poke in the eye) wasn't worthy of any kind of intervention, then the drivel coming out of the above guests post (was that you?)

  • drg
    7:55 PM 13/09/2016

    TBH HH, I wouldn't actually care if this did become part of the game... I mean I would if I got KO'd as a result, but generally speaking it wouldn't bother me... What gets me is the lack of consistencies, or lack of blanket rulings...

    We saw it last week with the "it's not that big a deal" accidental poke in the eye from an AB on a wallaby.... sure, it wasn't that bad, but it seems that the laws have such variation across the globe, which personally I deem as unacceptable. I don't mind if referees balls up things, but when the citing lot get hold of things, there should be very little variation. Of course, discounts for no priors etc.. but that should be about it.

  • heavyhooker
    1:20 PM 13/09/2016

    This sort of crap is why I think the SH should have its own league with its own rules: spear tackles, high hits, taking someone out while jumping, coming in from the side in rucks etc. WR should be on this like shine on a bowling ball, otherwise it will become a regular part of the game to "make it exiting for the game". At a time when WR keeps screwing with the rules to make the game more "exciting for TV" rugby is turning away from what it was. As for showing free expression, I say show free expression with a foot stomp in the ruck like we use to.

  • drg
    1:04 PM 13/09/2016

    Totally agree. Free expression is what makes the free world so awesome. Otherwise we'd all be following some pathetic strict code of conduct or something awful!

    I like the idea of doing something magical on the field whenever I fancy it, who knows, maybe I'll feel the need to magically poke someone in the eye or something, I shouldn't be hindered from doing so....

    ....which is why I'm going to try out for the AB's...

  • rugbydump
    10:05 AM 13/09/2016

    Exactly. It's quite strange that it hasn't yet been cleared up in the laws. Come on, World Rugby.

  • stroudos
    7:10 AM 13/09/2016

    Technically it's not illegal, but is sometimes penalised under law 10.4(m) - acts contrary to good sportsmanship.

  • stroudos
    7:09 AM 13/09/2016

    Generally you're not, but it's not specifically mentioned in the laws. It is only covered by the one on "acts contrary to good sportsmanship", 10.4 (m).

    Personally I think it should be specifically prohibited.

  • 11:43 PM 12/09/2016

    Yeah I'd call this dangerous, different if the defender is diving or falling. That said I've got no problem with a diving jump

  • vladimir
    10:56 PM 12/09/2016

    He could have jumped 'over into' the japanese player, perfectly in his style.

  • drg
    10:05 PM 11/09/2016

    You cous cous eater...

    Agree with you totally, also, what does this mean for tackling really? Go high, hit chest height... if the player jumps into you and you get a gut, or baubles full off studs well then...tough...

    Rugby is getting a bit ridiculous...

  • breakaway
    3:26 AM 11/09/2016

    I agree. It looks exciting but it's going to end badly for one or both players way too often. As you say, if the tackler had clipped the Fifita's heals and flipped him accidentally, would he have been carded for a dangerous tackle? I've seen penalties against tacklers in similar situations where a small jump into the tackle by the runner was as much to blame, and I've disagreed with the penalty. In this case the jump has to be considered dangerous and I would've had no problem with a penalty against Fifita.

  • drg
    12:06 PM 10/09/2016

    So Tuilagi runs into a guy and gets banned.... This guy jumps over someone who was going low and gets away with it....

    Pathetic really. Yeh, it's athletic and interesting to see, but it's bloody dangerous and not something that should be repeated!

  • dancarter
    11:23 PM 09/09/2016

    Echoing what others said, I also thought this was illegal. A guy I played with was trying it for a joke after seeing an NFL player doing it, having fully informed the 'tackler' that he was going to do it to avoid any injuries. Our coach penalised him for it every time he tried it.

  • xenophile
    8:14 PM 09/09/2016

    I also was always under the impression that it is illegal to jump over a tackle as it is very dangerous.

  • ronan
    6:23 PM 09/09/2016

    i always tought you were not allowed jump a tackle??

  • stroudos
    5:57 PM 09/09/2016

    Not happy about that at all. Bloody dangerous. Defender could very easily get a hoof in the face.
    And yes it is contrary to good sportsmanship - if Red 10 adjusted his body position and smashed the guy while he's airborne I'm quite sure he'd be penalised, heavily. So the jump effectively makes him "untacklable", when he has no right.

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