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Wed 29 Nov 2017 | 11:24
Sergio Parisse 'rucking' technique will make the ball appear every time

3
Comments

South Africa overturned last year's shock loss to Italy with a convincing 35-6 win in Padova on Saturday. They turned to their traditional power up front, which paid dividends. Italy skipper Sergio Parisse never gave up though, getting stuck in at the breakdown, as can be seen here.

As giant second rower Lood de Jager lay over the ball after making a tackle, Parisse was not satisfied with the speed in which he was rolling away. So took things into his own hands.

In years gone by he would have had to use the boot to get the player to move, but he came up with something new, yet highly effective.

All it took was two slaps to the back, along with one that looked a bit like a closed fist.

Needless to say, the ball emerged pretty quickly after that. Who needs rucking.

Posted By: Grant Constable

3 Comments

  • larry
    12:59 AM 01/12/2017

    What rucks? There aren't any rucks anymore! The defensive opposition does not even have to engage with the offensive opposition with the latest law changes to turn union more into league.

  • drg
    10:36 AM 30/11/2017

    It's a sad time for rugby when an article about slapping someone's back in a ruck is condemned...

    I remember having a spaghetti junction across my back in one of my early 'adult' games, where I, a fresh faced boy ended up on the wrong side and was shown no mercy from an aged group of forwards!... But hey, they at least showed me the courtesy of not rucking my head!

    That sort of thing got people moving very quickly, or at least addressing your technique!

  • brit50
    3:57 AM 30/11/2017

    I hope this was a "tongue in cheek" article.
    Attacking player should not take the law into own hands by hitting another. Once one does this one risks any penalty being overturned. It would have been appropriate to let ref know the defending player did not roll away. The defender chose to tackle by ensuring his body laid over the attacker's body. This is taught all the time. Most refs don't catch it at our level thus ensuring defence can slow the ball down. I forget what happened after this scene. Was there a poenalty?

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