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'The laws should change NOW' - calls for action after 'horrible' Jack Willis injury
There have been calls to change the laws around ‘crocodile rolls’ and ‘can opener’ clearouts after a brutal looking injury to England flanker Jack Willis saw him stretchered off the pitch at Twickenham today.
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England ran out winners against a resilient Italian side, but the injury to Willis has overshadowed the victory. Willis suffered a twisting injury to his knee and could be heard screaming in pain on the matchday audio. While the severity of the injury is not yet known, some speculate that the back row’s season could be over.
As it stands, variations of the practice are legal and are coached as an efficient technique to clear players from rucks, with video review of the incident cleared Italy of any wrongdoing.
While the technique is outlawed when used around the neck, there is still a gray area among officials when it’s used to twist torsos, judo style out of the way. Last year World Rugby attempted to address the issue, suggesting that there would be stricter officiating of laws 14 and 15 from July 2020, with particular focus on these areas:
Tackler (Law 14): 14.5 – must a) Immediately release the ball and the ball-carrier after both players go to ground and b) Immediately move away from the tackled player and from the ball or get up.
Ball Carrier (Law 14): 14.2 – Being brought to ground means that the ball-carrier is lying, sitting or has at least one knee on the ground or on another player who is on the ground. 14.5 – Tacklers must: d) Allow the tackled player to release or play the ball.
First arriving player (Law 15): 15.11 – Once a ruck has formed, no player may handle the ball unless they were able to get their hands on the ball before the ruck formed and stay on their feet. 15.12 – Players must endeavour to remain on their feet throughout the ruck.
Other arriving players (Law 15): 5 – An arriving player must be on their feet and join from behind their offside line. 6 – A player may join alongside but not in front of the hindmost player. 10 – Possession may be won either by rucking or by pushing the opposing team off the ball.”
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Former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton called on authorities to change the laws to clamp down the maneuver, one that former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt dubbed ‘the can opener’. “Feel sick for Jack Willis. The laws should change NOW. Don’t allow players to roll out players in Rucks. So ****ing dangerous.”
Feel sick for Jack Willis.
The laws should change NOW. Don’t allow players to roll out players in Rucks. So f#^king dangerous. #ENGvITA— Jim Hamilton (Vice Captain) (@jimhamilton4) February 13, 2021
“And I rolled many players out. No criticism on players doing it. It’s currently legal. Some serious high profile injuries in the last few years. Dan Levy. Ellis Jenkins (I think) similar.”
And I rolled many players out. No criticism on players doing it. It’s currently legal.
Some serious high profile injuries in the last few years.
Dan Levy. Ellis Jenkins (I think) similar. https://t.co/Bdto1SqUlJ— Jim Hamilton (Vice Captain) (@jimhamilton4) February 13, 2021
“Why does rugby continue to allow exposed, vulnerable players on the jackal to be rolled sideways while their feet are planted?,” wrote rugby writer Jamie Lyall. “Jack Willis is one of the most flexible athletes in the game but his knees don’t bend laterally. Hideously dangerous and very avoidable.”
Why does rugby continue to allow exposed, vulnerable players on the jackal to be rolled sideways while their feet are planted? Jack Willis is one of the most flexible athletes in the game but his knees don't bend laterally. Hideously dangerous and very avoidable.
— Jamie Lyall (@JLyall93) February 13, 2021
Rugby and the Law tweeted: “It seems an appropriate time to share this again… Jack Willis suffers a horrible knee injury after a ‘crocodile roll’ at the breakdown. By the letter of the law, it’s illegal. But the laws aren’t properly applied. Feel terrible for Willis.”
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It seems an appropriate time to share this again…
Jack Willis suffers a horrible knee injury after a ‘crocodile roll’ at the breakdown.
By the letter of the law, it’s illegal. But the laws aren’t properly applied. Feel terrible for Willis.#ENGvITA https://t.co/LoStlUgiP1
— Rugby and the Law (@rugbyandthelaw) February 13, 2021
A more explicit Law change could potentially outlaw the technique and leave less to referee interpretation.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments