Refs admit fault, but Frizell in the clear
Super Rugby Pacific refereeing officials believe there was indeed foul play by the Highlanders in the tackle which broke the neck of Reds lock Connor Vest, but that it wasn’t Shannon Frizell at fault, and no yellow card was warranted.
However, the officials, Stuff understands, are at the same time seething and dumbfounded at the comments of No 8 Harry Wilson, rejecting his claims that referee Brendon Pickerill was ‘‘disrespectful’’ in his treatment of the injured Reds player.
Vest was forced out of last Friday night’s contest in Dunedin – won 35-30 by the Highlanders – in the 29th minute, and though initially walking off Forsyth Barr Stadium unassisted, was hospitalised after having fractured his C7 vertebrae. He was on Sunday cleared to fly back to Queensland for more treatment.
It was Frizell’s shoulder which made contact with Vest’s head in the contentious tackle, which went unpunished on-field by Pickerill and TMO Glenn Newman.
However, on reviewing the incident early this week, it’s understood referee bosses believe there was in fact cause for a penalty – though not against Frizell, and instead, his team-mate Andrew Makalio.
The hooker was the first of the Highlanders duo to make contact with Vest, clattering into his shoulder, and did so with no attempt to wrap his arms, which was a penalty offence.
And it’s felt that that action of Makalio contributed to Frizell making head contact. The Highlanders No 6 is seen as being in a good position (bent at the hips) to make a tackle, and with Vest leading with his head and going low, even ducking late, in addition to Makalio’s actions changing the dynamics and speed of the tackle, Frizell is not considered to be at fault.
It is an example of where rugby players, even under strict modern laws, can still make head contact but have no case to answer. There are going to be collisions, and they are not supermen, unable to shift their body positions in the blink of an eye.
However, at the World Cup, don’t expect such leniency. Look back to All Blacks prop Angus Ta’avao’s red card against Ireland in Dunedin last year for an example of such a hardline approach when it comes to the international game.
In addition to that, at the World Cup, TMOs will be able to get amongst the action whenever they feel like it.
In Super Rugby Pacific this year they have instead been instructed to only interject for serious foul play, or incidents which meet a yellow-card threshold.
On Friday night, Newman only got involved by invitation, Pickerill feeling there was a natural opportunity for him to do so, with replays being shown and Vest on the ground getting treatment.
While the Reds missed out being awarded a penalty for the tackle, it made virtually no difference, anyway, as play was being restarted with a penalty to them for a prior incident, near the same mark.
They would otherwise have had a choice of which penalty spot to play from.