There’s nothing like using your head
When the ball bounced off Ben May’s head to set Jordie Barrett up for a try in the Hurricanes’ win over the Brumbies last Friday, most people chalked it up as a freak accident.
But the Telegraph is wondering if it might become a common ploy, ‘‘the natural successor’’ to the kickpass, which the likes of Beauden Barrett and Lima Sopoaga have used to great effect this season.
‘‘Rugby’s kick-pass as we know it today ... would have been unthinkable 10 to 15 years ago,’’ writes Ben Coles.
‘‘The header feels like a natural successor, with front-row forwards like May genuinely at an advantage to pull it off given their increased neck muscle for scrummaging.’’
Jordie Barrett’s try came in the 26th minute of the Super Rugby quarterfinal in Canberra, with the Hurricanes trailing by eight in a match they went on to win 35-16.
From the base of a ruck just to the left of the posts, halfback TJ Perenara sent a pass cannoning into the head of May, who had made a poorly-timed run.
The ball ricocheted off May’s head and behind the Brumbies’ defence, where an alert Jordie Barrett pounced on it to score. A ball from the head in this manner is often described as a ‘‘falcon’’.
The term falcon was coined in relation to NRL rugby league player Mario Fenech whose nickname was ‘The Maltese Falcon’. While working as a presenter on The Footy Show, footage of him being struck on the head by the ball was repeatedly played, leading to use of the term ‘Falcon’.
In the Telegraph, Coles outlined three scenarios he could see happening as a result of the unfortunate incident.
The first was for no-one to worry too much, as headed balls ‘‘are rare beasts’’.
The second was for balls headed forward to be considered knockons, which they aren’t at present.
And the third was for teams to make intentional use of them.
It’s certainly not the first try to be scored from a falcon.
While May’s header was an accident, Argentine Francisco Bosch did one on purpose that helped him score against Waikato for Manawatu in 2007.
Running from 15m inside his own half, Bosch chipped the ball forward on halfway, then instead of regathering it, he used his head to push it past Waikato fullback Jared Payne, giving him time to outpace the defender and score.
The Crusaders were the victim of a Sam Whitelock falcon in their 2010 Super 14 semifinal against the Northern Bulls in Soweto.
A high kick bounced off Whitlelock’s head and over the top of defenders with Zane Kirchner following up for the try in the Bulls’ 39-24 win.
The Hurricanes play the Lions in the Super Rugby semifinals on Sunday morning (NZT).