REPORT: Stormer cited for controversial high tackle
DISCIPLINARY NEWS: The Stormers may have suffered another setback following their defeat to Connacht last weekend.
According to various media reports out of South Africa Stormers centre Ruhan Nel has been cited for his tackle on Connacht flyhalf Conor Fitzgerald.
The former BlitzBoks star was handed a yellow card late in the second half of their 17-19 defeat in Galway.
Scottish referee Ben Blain deemed Nel’s tackle on Fitzgerald was dangerous as it made head contact.
Blain did find mitigations due to Fitzgerald’s “drop-in height” and thus opted against a red card.
However, the South African reported Irish citing commissioner Ed Kenny disagreed with Blain stating in his report that there was “no sudden/significant drop in height” from Fitzgerald.
“After [Fitzgerald] has passed the ball, [Nel] executes an upright and dominant tackle. [Nel] turns his head significantly to his left which makes his right shoulder prominent and he leads into contact with his right shoulder. The right shoulder makes initial contact with the upper chest and left shoulder of [Fitzgerald] before making contact to the jaw area,” Kenny’s assessment read.
“I believe that this was an act of foul play which was the fault of [Nel] and avoidable.
[Fitzgerald] is in an upright position at the time of the tackle from [Nel]. The contact from the right shoulder of [Nel] to the jaw area of [Fitzgerald] is with sufficient force to lead to a high degree of danger. There is head contact, an act of foul play from [Nel] and a high degree of danger.
“There is no change in direction from [Fitzgerald] and no sudden/significant drop in height.
“Following the game, [Fitzgerald] stated he felt contact around his shoulders and low jaw. [Fitzgerald] left the field for a HIA. He passed the HIA but he did not return to play a further part in the game. I believe the actions of [Nel] meet the red card threshold and I, therefore, cite [Nel] under Law 9.13 for a dangerous tackle on [Fitzgerald].”
*Article continues below…
Nel’s yellow card has sparked loads of debate.
After the match, Stormers coach John Dobson and captain Stephen Kitshoff expressed their frustration with Blain’s officiating.
“There were some cynical penalties that were missed. I am not bad-mouthing the ref [Ben Blain – Scotland] at all, but there were clear penalties that were missed and it was very frustrating,” Kitshoff told reporters.
“We will have a look at where it went wrong then discuss it with the refs prior to games.
“It was very frustrating not to get more reward out of that amazing maul metres we made in the first half.”
Dobson added: “It felt a bit like that tour [last year] in terms of adapting to a slightly different realm, especially around scrums and mauls,”
Source: TheSouthAfrican
