'So stupid' - Jack Nowell tweet divides opinion after latest Prem red card
England winger Jack Nowell has divided opinion on Twitter after his take on the latest Gallagher Premiership red card, one of a litany of cards brandished at both club and Test level.
Again the red was produced following a clearout at a ruck, with Exeter Chiefs’ hooker Jack Yeandle getting sent off by referee Karl Dickson for a questionable entry to a breakdown. Dickson decided that there wasn’t sufficient use of the arms – and together with a head-high contact to the Sale Sharks player – felt he had no choice to send the frontrower from the field after a TMO review.
? It's red! ?
Another red card! This time for Exeter.
Jack Yeandle makes contact high and doesn't get a clean wrap of his arms ?
No room for mitigation, he's out the game ? pic.twitter.com/ovhcICHF2A
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) February 26, 2021
It’s the latest red card in elite rugby, with five handed out last weekend in the Gallagher Premiership alone, and two game-changing reds in the Guinness Six Nations for Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony and Scotland Peter O’Mahony respectively.
Nowell, who is currently sidelined with an injury, took to Twitter to vent his frustration with the decision: “Seriously, all for players safety but come on. Some of these reds are so stupid. Every player takes the field knowing there is a chance of being hurt, it’s a physical game. Don’t kill it.”
Seriously, all for players safety but come on. Some of these reds are so stupid. Every player takes the field knowing there is a chance of being hurt, it’s a physical game. Don’t kill it
— Jack Nowell (@nowellsy15) February 26, 2021
Fellow professional player Dan Mugford was in full agreement: “That is a ridiculous decision! Games gone! Illegal player, off feet in the breakdown, moving, completely accidental. GAME HAS GONE!
That is a ridiculous decision! Games gone! Illegal player, off feet in the breakdown, moving, completely accidental. GAME HAS GONE!
— Dan Mugford (@DanMugford10) February 26, 2021
“I can almost guarantee if you watched every breakdown and reviewed, you’d find a penalty, not to mention the amounts of shoulders/arms to the head. So if you’re going to call it once, call it every time!
“Also I understand media/the game wanting to protect players heads. Make the game more inclusive etc. But part of the game is at times, you will put your head into a place where it could get hit. Same way as a boxer walks into the ring knowing he may take a knock to the head.”
Also I understand media / the game wanting to protect players heads. Make the game more inclusive etc. But part of the game is at times, you will put your head into a place where it could get hit. Same way as a boxer walks into the ring knowing he may take a knock to the head
— Dan Mugford (@DanMugford10) February 26, 2021
Many agreed with his tweet judging by the amount it garnered, while others attempted to argue the point. Rugby journalist and commentator Nick Heath wrote: “My take is that the focus on safety means that players need to just unlearn that ruck-hitting instinct.
“If the contest is lost, it’s lost and people should resist that (potentially dangerous) clear out. Not likely to improve overnight but hopefully in time it will.”
Hey Jack.
My take is that the focus on safety means that players need to just unlearn that ruck-hitting instinct.
If the contest is lost, it's lost and people should resist that (potentially dangerous) clear out. Not likely to improve overnight but hopefully in time it will.
— Nick Heath (@nickheathsport) February 26, 2021
The inevitability of more reds cards in the professional game means this debate is set to run and run.
Comments on RugbyPass
Whether true or not, all the best to you Sam Cane. A warrior of a player and a loyal servant to the ABs! Go get you some yen and have some fun.
2 Go to commentsThe game was changing too much with teams trying to role the dice drawing fouls. Would be better if scrums and the adjudicating problems were resolved but this is a good immediate fix.
37 Go to commentsLike many here I am encouraged by this post. Our forwards are where the real rewards and improvements must come from. With a 50/50 pack against any opposition, our backs could ensure more than 50% of the games will be won. We need Valetini at 6 and Cale at 8 to make the most or a good tight 5, McWright will add to the effectiveness of the pack BUT must get a very good tight 5 out there first.
97 Go to commentsThe key point I think that is missing is that if Joseph wants to guarantee a Lions spot, he really has to play wing in his first year. He is easily going to nail down whatever he wants to do, but with just half a season, how much of a factor he proves to be in the Lions series could be dictated by this initial choice of playing position.
8 Go to commentsthe game was 2 weeks before the challenge cup final. I really don’t believe they needed to rest that many players.
1 Go to commentsI really feel like neither of the Vunipolas is given the respect they deserve. I would have liked to see both of them get a few more caps than they have gotten in the past couple of years, but unfortunately the fact that they both peaked young has meant that for a number of years they have been perceived as disappointments. When they are both retired, in the cold light of day they will be recognised as two of the best players of their generation of any nation.
2 Go to commentsthis generation of saracens players could produce some really incredible coaches. When Farrell retires he could walk into any premiership team as a defence, attack, or kicking coach. Itoje could make it as a defence or a lineout coach, and Jamie George as a lineout or scrum coach. The problem the Vunipolas are going to have is that its not clear what their coaching speciality would be. Neither are great in the set piece, and while they were good in attack and defence, they were never tactical masterminds. Perhaps contact skills would be their ideal brief? Mako perhaps could work in strength & conditioning, but Billy has a bit of a reputation for not taking that side of the game seriously.
2 Go to commentsA very good player.We are finally getting some balance in our team. Plummer..Heem ..Lam a solid..experienced combo who take the sensible options consistently. Clarke was a grt impact of the bench option until Lam moved to 13 to replace an injured Reiko. Cotter is doing a grt job building his team. .
1 Go to commentsSaturday was last straw. Terrible record in Premiership since Jan 23. Capitulation against Bath at home. There are 3 conclusions. Players aren't good enough. Coaching team aren't good enough or combination of both.
2 Go to commentsAs you say in your article Brett, the point was Hamish and his vanity - plain and simple. The crazy bit is that sua’ali’i has to be probably twice the player of mark N, no easy feat, just for RA to get their money's worth!?! And as you say, tahs aren't short of wingers, props on the other hand id like to see $1.6m spent on. I still shake my head at the absolute carry on in the media and comments section around the boon of getting sua’ali’i and the revenue it'd generate. It was all such hogwash imo and short sighted, real sugar hit stuff. And wasnt Waugh (and others) on the board at the time this money was spent? You say silver bullet, I'd say sugar hit but without the flavour.
8 Go to commentsNZR should play hard all a bit with some of these players and make them sign up to the next world cup. If they won’t, offer it to someone who will. Because what happens is the NH (especially France) swoop on a bunch of nz players coming off contract, weakening their depth, and nz scrambles less than 2 years out trying to get replacements up to speed.
1 Go to commentsNo thanks. Savea almost always leaves easy points out there and goes for the corner, no matter how many times it’s not working. He claimed he took “the learnings” from this when he kept making the same mistake against the Boks a few years ago. Then went out the very next week and did the same thing and SA snatched victory because of it. Years later he still does it, right up to and including the world cup final. Great player, not so great rugby nous.
10 Go to commentsIt certainly wasn't a rhetorical masterpiece coming from big E …. (just as a side remark: Eben is the better player, Siya by far the better talker - maybe that's why they don't seem to like each other very much) …. but could we please move on?
70 Go to commentsMan who wasn't there and hasn't held a conversation with those who were present weighs in on dead rubber debate and is presented as representative of the Irish Rugby Union’s spokesperson on subject he has no apparent knowledge of whatsoever.
70 Go to commentsanybody who bends at the waist when they tackle
6 Go to commentsThe evidence is not strong that this is necessary. Mounga choked on clutch kicks in the WRC final and lost the match by not performing his core goal kicking role to the level required. He also choked in the Semi final against England and was targeted as the weak point in the defence allowing them to score. Not a test great frankly. Why bend the rules for a player that is competent but not brilliant at test level?
11 Go to commentsDear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
70 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
10 Go to commentsScott Barrett is a lock and they have a much longer shelf life than a loose forward. Far more likely that Barrett will still demand a starting position based on performance at age 33 at RWC 2027 than Savea, whose explosive athleticism will have declined and he will in all likelihood have been surpassed by Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Siti, Peter Lauki and Brayden Iose.
10 Go to comments