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
I really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to comments