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Quade Cooper joins chorus on hip-drops after Wallaby hooker and All Black stretchered off
Stephen Larkham has questioned whether rugby should join world sport’s crackdown on hip-drop tackles after Lachlan Lonergan’s “nasty” ankle injury likely ruled the Test hooker out for the season.
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The ACT Brumbies No.2 was stretchered from Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night with a fractured and dislocated ankle after he was felled by Queensland Reds halfback Tate McDermott in a tackle.
McDermott made contact with the larger-bodied Lonergan from the side before his legs left the ground and became entangled, sending the Brumbies star to the turf.
Referred to as a hip-drop tackle, the action now attracts harsh punishment in the NRL and has recently been outlawed in the NFL.
Former Wallabies star-turned Brumbies coach Larkham said he hadn’t seen many instances of it in his code of choice, but that he did take issue with McDermott’s effort on Saturday.
“Yeah. I think it’s legal; you get your arms on first, then you’re allowed to trip,” he said after his side’s 20-19 defeat of the Reds in Brisbane.
“It’s just nasty, isn’t it? There’s nothing illegal about it but obviously it’s caused a significant injury and needs to be looked into.”
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Hip drop variation tackle in the Reds Brumbies game overnight (didn’t twist & drop) – shows the danger losing feet in the tackle brings. Horrible lower leg fracture for Lachlan Lonergan pic.twitter.com/IoeD85ZGmc
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) March 30, 2024
Star Hurricanes and All Blacks halfback Cam Roigard also suffered a knee injury in a tackle during Saturday’s earlier game.
Former Reds and Wallabies star Quade Cooper was watching from Japan and posted on social media that was “one reason the hip drop needs to be outlawed”.
Cooper had presciently posted three days earlier that the hip-drop tackle should be outlawed in rugby, saying “there’s a lot of focus of tackle height, but this in particular would be welcome by most”.
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2 crazy injuries in the last two games! Thoughts and prayers for speedy recoveries. That’s one reason the hip drop needs to be outlawed. Clearly wasn’t on purpose but it’s such a dangerous position when beaten holding on from behind
— Quade Cooper (@QuadeCooper) March 30, 2024
Larkham said the club wouldn’t cite the incident but doesn’t want the technique seeping into the code.
“I’d have to look at it again … but if there’s a trend going there and it’s causing significant injury you have to look at it,” he said.
“But I haven’t seen it this year in rugby and I don’t know whether Tate does it on a regular basis.”
Lonergan’s brother and Brumbies halfback Ryan captained the side and admitted he was shaken at halftime after the incident.
“I found it pretty tough at halftime, to be honest, it was first time I could reflect on it,” he said.
“After that it goes back to doing your job. I’ll go see him (at hospital) and see how he’s doing. I’m sure he’ll get on with it.”
The Brumbies’ victory moved them to 5-1 while the Reds (3-3) will enter the bye with back-to-back defeats.
Comments on RugbyPass
Poetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
2 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
2 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
85 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
85 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
85 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
85 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
85 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
85 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
85 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
85 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
85 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
85 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
85 Go to comments