- Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:15 am
#28391
I don't think they are getting a different directive, it's that old chestnut of interpretation again. The easiest example for us is, I think, to compare with Luke's recent yellow. Normally I would be happy for both to be called Rugby incidents, accidental contact. However, in a world where the powers that be are trying to alter player behaviour and not have them approach tackles in an upright position, then the case for sanctioning contact with the head makes sense. Whether you agree that such moves will prove any safer is irrelevant. Both of these incidents involved a tacklee who changed position quite rapidly. The big difference can be heard in the refs' discussions with their TMOs. Luke was adjudged to not have made enough of an effort to bend at the waist, therefore contacting lower. The Glaws winger was adjudged to have bent at the waist, doing all he could to make his contact lower. Luke was at fault, the Glaws winger wasn't, in the opinion of the respective refs. I personally don't think there was a whole lot more that Luke could have resonably done, but that's just my interpretation.