'You don't mean to hit people there if you do hit them there'
England full-back Elliot Daly insists players must trust in their instincts rather than being influenced by the crackdown on dangerous tackles when making challenges. The World Cup produced its first red card after USA flanker John Quill was sent off for flattening Owen Farrell when striking the England captain on the jaw with a shoulder-led charge.
As a result of the incident, Quill received a three-week ban to lift the number of players suspended for dangerous tackles to four. England could incur the wrath of the disciplinary process themselves after Piers Francis was cited for clattering into Will Hooley in Thursday’s 45-7 victory over the USA.
World Rugby has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to high challenges in a drive to protect players from head injuries and have even gone as far as criticising the performance of its referees in Japan after Reece Hodge escaped a certain red card.
Daly, who started the Pool C wins against the USA and Tonga, insists the motivation when attempting a tackle must always be to ensure they are legal regardless of the game’s quest to reduce concussion. “The way it’s going now you can’t be thinking about tackles. You don’t mean to hit people there if you do hit them there,” Daly said.
“It hasn’t changed that much in my eyes – you want to make good tackles and that’s all you ever really want to do. Sometimes you slip up and you’ll get deemed high tackle now. You can’t really think about it, you’ve just got to do what you do and try to tackle properly.
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“It’s safer for the game and any rule that comes in you have to abide by it and this one is for the safety of us and everyone around us. It’s just something you have got to be wary of, any rule that comes in, especially this one at the moment. But it doesn’t change things too much day to day.”
Following 48 hours off for the players, England swap Kobe for Tokyo on Sunday as they turn their attention towards the first of two pivotal Pool C matches after dispatching Tonga and the USA. The outcome against Argentina and France will shape the group’s final reckoning.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a pool of two halves but we are two games down and there’s a big break until the next game,” Daly said. “To get 10 points out of the first block was good and we’ll go into Argentina now raring to go. Argentina are going to come out very passionate, they always are. They’ve got a good record in the World Cup as well so we’ll be definitely wary of that.
“They have got a very good forward pack but some good backs as well. We’ve played against them a couple of times in the last couple of years so we’ll see if they are doing anything differently at the World Cup. But we’ll be focusing on ourselves mostly just to try to get our game up to where we want it to be.”
– Press Association
WATCH: The Rugby Pod can’t get over how good England’s Manu Tuilagi has been at this World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
1 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
1 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
7 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
7 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
8 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
7 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
7 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
8 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
8 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
7 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
8 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
7 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
7 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to comments