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'It's ridiculous': Ex-All Blacks defend Samipeni Finau after Tane Edmed hit
Two former All Blacks have come to the defence of Chiefs’ blindside Samipeni Finau after his crunching tackle on Tane Edmed was put under the spotlight.
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The No.6 committed to the tackle while Edmed held possession and made contact shortly after the pass had been released. The hit rocked Edmed and the Waratahs’ flyhalf remained grounded after the tackle.
After having a series of late hits documented throughout the season by Australian rugby writer Christy Doran, Finau’s latest on Edmed was widely discussed and condemned by many on the X platform.
His shot that floored Reds flyhalf Tom Lynagh earlier in the year was widely criticised as being way too late, earning Finau the reputation with many as a rough and unfair player.
Three of Samipeni Finau’s hits this year. The latest on the weekend.
All three shots on the No.10s are late, but “timing is good” for two out of three. Apparently. pic.twitter.com/jxmWYWeQxI
— Christy Doran (@ChristypDoran) April 9, 2024
Former All Black Sir John Kirwan took exception with having to discuss the legal challenge, calling it “ridiculous” that Australians were “moaning” about it.
He believed that Finau was becoming an enforcer type of the Kaino mould that should be celebrated.
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“I have an issue that we are talking about it,” Kirwan told The Breakdown on Sky Sport NZ.
“It’s ridiculous that we’re talking about it and it’s ridiculous that someone across the Tasman is moaning about it,”
“If that was rugby league it’d be on the highlights and everyone would be going ‘how good is it?’
“We’ve been talking about trying to get a new Jerome Kaino since he retired and this guy is going out there trying to be physical.”
💥 SAMIPENI FINAU
Absolutely enormous, and legal, SHOT.#SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/RqFh8I1Rn0
ADVERTISEMENT— Tight Five Rugby (@TightFive_Rugby) April 26, 2024
Ex-All Black Jeff Wilson said that Finau is treading the line and will have to “live with consequences” if he ends up getting the tackle wrong, either high or way too late.
“I think he’s running a risk if he gets it slightly wrong and he has to live with those consequences,” Jeff Wilson said.
“He knows this but if he gets it slightly wrong there will be consequences but I have no issues with what he’s doing right now.
“Yes he got penalised [against the Reds for being late] but ultimately the contact is legal and the technique is legal.
“If Australia had a big blindside flanker going out and doing this I don’t think we’d be hearing about this.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Self proclaimed expert/pundit Andy Goode and his very personal views on referees…Why recalling them in such an article as if he were an undisputed authority on the subject ? Only because fellow writer ?
1 Go to commentsLate growth spurts are a common problem over here. I’m well over 30, and I just started having a growth spurt too. Could be a world class prop soon.
1 Go to commentsas much as the challenge cup is a bit of a nothing competition, winning it would still mean something. last year it was won by toulon, who are now something like 4th in the top 14? The year before it was won by Lyon a season before they finished 3rd in the league. The year before that the final was contested by Montpellier and Leicester - 12 months before they both became domestic champions. That should give Gloucester fans some hope.
1 Go to commentsgreat article - although I can’t help wonder whether the more relevant debate over coming years will be between Ford and Fin Smith!
3 Go to commentsMaking Scott Barrett captain might be a masterstroke….will calm him down & stop brain fades and also take pressure off Ardie, so he can just play his natural monster game. Lets see how that all pans out🧐
8 Go to commentsI’m surprised Scotland are planning to rest key players this summer - I don’t think any other tier 1 nation will be doing the same?
3 Go to commentsGreat analysis Brett and what a shame that RA haven't spent more on the tight five instead. BTW I see the latest 8-9 Combo has dropped, looking forward to that. It's incredible the amount of damage that Hamish and Eddie's egos did in such a short space of time. From memory Eddie drove the initial drive to poach league stars way back in the 00s, with community rugby paying the price in reduced funding. Australia went from 15% of its income being spent on community rugby in 2002 to 2.4% in 2015, sheer madness and look where they are now. Hamish reminds me of Scrappy Doo. Always mouthing off, spoiling for a fight with bigger dogs who'd eat him alive. Sadly RA didn't have a Scooby Doo to bail him out.
12 Go to comments*_“I love watching bone-shuddering tackles, brutal clear-outs, monster ball carries, and crushingly intense scrummaging. I love it. These things make my heart rate spike. These aren’t the only things I love about rugby, but I feel no need to pretend I don’t love them, or to apologise for loving them just in case someone thinks I shouldn’t.”_* beautifully put Flats🔥
3 Go to comments“Hidden comments” all over the place😂 Turlough’s been a busy little boy ey🤭
93 Go to commentsit’ll all be released in an autobiography a few years from now….. “Razor shafted me” blah blah blah. thinking of making Scott Barrett captain might be a good move. Could calm down his brain fades & make him an even better player for them
3 Go to commentsSadly he played far too many games too young. England and France really do need to look after their younger players better.
1 Go to commentsHaving finally been able to watch the first Chasing the Sun (thanks RugbyPass!) - because I refuse to pay DSTV's extortionate monthly fee in SA - after four years, it was amazing to see Mapimpi's story as well as seeing my personal hero, Rassie, breaking down when telling it. There _is_ hope for the country, but only once we've got rid of the crooked and incompetent ANC (and others) who have set out to destroy it. Viva Rassie, viva Kolisi viva rugby!
1 Go to commentsWhether true or not, all the best to you Sam Cane. A warrior of a player and a loyal servant to the ABs! Go get you some yen and have some fun.
3 Go to commentsThe game was changing too much with teams trying to role the dice drawing fouls. Would be better if scrums and the adjudicating problems were resolved but this is a good immediate fix.
42 Go to commentsLike many here I am encouraged by this post. Our forwards are where the real rewards and improvements must come from. With a 50/50 pack against any opposition, our backs could ensure more than 50% of the games will be won. We need Valetini at 6 and Cale at 8 to make the most or a good tight 5, McWright will add to the effectiveness of the pack BUT must get a very good tight 5 out there first.
121 Go to commentsThe key point I think that is missing is that if Joseph wants to guarantee a Lions spot, he really has to play wing in his first year. He is easily going to nail down whatever he wants to do, but with just half a season, how much of a factor he proves to be in the Lions series could be dictated by this initial choice of playing position.
12 Go to commentsthe game was 2 weeks before the challenge cup final. I really don’t believe they needed to rest that many players.
1 Go to commentsI really feel like neither of the Vunipolas is given the respect they deserve. I would have liked to see both of them get a few more caps than they have gotten in the past couple of years, but unfortunately the fact that they both peaked young has meant that for a number of years they have been perceived as disappointments. When they are both retired, in the cold light of day they will be recognised as two of the best players of their generation of any nation.
4 Go to commentsthis generation of saracens players could produce some really incredible coaches. When Farrell retires he could walk into any premiership team as a defence, attack, or kicking coach. Itoje could make it as a defence or a lineout coach, and Jamie George as a lineout or scrum coach. The problem the Vunipolas are going to have is that its not clear what their coaching speciality would be. Neither are great in the set piece, and while they were good in attack and defence, they were never tactical masterminds. Perhaps contact skills would be their ideal brief? Mako perhaps could work in strength & conditioning, but Billy has a bit of a reputation for not taking that side of the game seriously.
4 Go to commentsA very good player.We are finally getting some balance in our team. Plummer..Heem ..Lam a solid..experienced combo who take the sensible options consistently. Clarke was a grt impact of the bench option until Lam moved to 13 to replace an injured Reiko. Cotter is doing a grt job building his team. .
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