Watch: Welsh lock gets off scot-free after fouling Faf De Klerk with crushing clothesline tackle
Welsh lock Jake Ball has luckily escaped any on-field sanction after a brutal clothesline tackle on Springbok scrumhalf Faf De Klerk in Sale’s Champions Cup fixture against Scarlets.
The incident was incredibly puzzling as the tackle was reviewed for potentially being offside, but the TMO and match referee failed to register De Klerk getting clocked directly to the head by the swinging arm and shoulder area of Ball.
Sale’s scrumhalf was preparing to launch a box kick with his hands placed on the ball when the Scarlets big man decided to launch himself from the side of the ruck to sack the Springbok.
Ball’s dangerous trajectory towards the crouched De Klerk was only going to end one way, with his massive frame unable to get low enough to perform a legal tackle. As a result, De Klerk was clobbered high by the shoulder/forearm of Ball and collapsed dangerously under the weight of the lock.
The crushing clothesline tackle could have also led to a serious leg injury as De Klerk’s body awkwardly folded under the pressure.
Faf De Klerk was left visibly confused afterward, with multiple teammates pleading with the touch official to have the tackle reviewed.
Former England international Andy Goode was quick to condemn the work of the officiating team online, asking ‘how about the shoulder to the head?!’
How was this shot to the head of Faf de Klerk by Jake Ball not checked properly by the TMO and referee?! They said it was legal because the hand was on and the ball was out, how about the shoulder to head?! French officials hey….pic.twitter.com/GGx5Gu1bg2
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) April 4, 2021
The incident was not the first time that Faf De Klerk has had a run in with the Welsh lock, with Ball taking exception to the scrumhalf during the 2019 World Cup semi-final with the two coming face-to-face during an argument.
Jake has been wanting to that for a while! pic.twitter.com/ygdIGKd2DY
— Hugo Cannon (@CannonCapitalWM) April 4, 2021
De Klerk recently explained in an interview with TheXV.Rugby that he likes to bait the big men in the game as they no longer can do anything about it.
“Now, the big boys can’t really do anything – if they do, they are going to get a card, so trying to wind them up is more effective,” he said.
However, Ball’s dangerous tackle on De Klerk was deserving of punishment, with many fans calling for a red card. The fact that it was left unsanctioned raised many eyebrows.
Deliberate contact with the head without use of the arm. Player not moving so no mitigating factors. Red all day long and no reason not to give it. Where the ball is is irrelevant
— Simon wade (@siwade82) April 4, 2021
It’s clearly to shoulder to head contact regardless of whether the ball is considered in or out? Really doesn’t matter where his arms are when it’s clear head contact…
— Simone Brooke-Smith (@x_simonebrooke) April 4, 2021
Red card all day long. There does seem to be a striking difference between the interpretation of this from French officials and Pro14/Premiership refs.
— Keith Bohannon (@Keith_Boh) April 4, 2021
Given the spate of reds for accidental/reckless hits over the last few weeks, the fact this wasn't picked up at all is really, really poor. At best it looks reckless, at worst it looks intentional. Either way, it looks like a red all day long.
— Happy and Scottish (@tartancrane) April 4, 2021
What Jake Ball did to @fafdeklerk was nothing short of a red. If faf had done that. The press would gone mental dirty South African. Faf still has a world cup he doesn't. #SCAvSAL #HeinekenChampionsCup #btsport
— NJAR 🇿🇦 🇬🇧 🇦🇺 (@SeasonTravelerZ) April 4, 2021
At the time of the tackle, Sale Sharks were already ahead by 30-0 with the game pretty much out of distance for Scarlets to win. The final score line of 57-14 reflected Sale’s dominance.
The win secured Sale’s first quarterfinal trip in the Champions Cup in 15 years, booking a matchup with La Rochelle in the round of eight.
Sale and reigning champions Exeter are the two last English clubs in the running for a European Crown.
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments