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
Will rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to comments