Saracens v Northampton (Saturday 17:45 - Sky Sports 2)

[Tigersman]

Harrison Dad is English and has lived here for 3/4 years

[morepork]

Why is jumping in to tackles deemed legal when it's on the try line? Ashton a big culprit there, how on earth was Mallinder supposed to tackle him? Also players diving over the top of rucks to score does not seem fair, you can't defend it.

He always does that shyte. He is a horrible, intensely unsporting, flappy bastard of a creature. Zero class.

[Mikey Brown]

Why is jumping in to tackles deemed legal when it's on the try line? Ashton a big culprit there, how on earth was Mallinder supposed to tackle him? Also players diving over the top of rucks to score does not seem fair, you can't defend it.

He always does that shyte. He is a horrible, intensely unsporting, flappy bastard of a creature. Zero class.

I basically agree but it does seem to be a gap in the laws that is ignored everywhere, isn't it? I don't think Mallinder would have stopped him getting the ball down, but would he be called for a tackle in the air if he did? It's ridiculous.

[morepork]

Why is jumping in to tackles deemed legal when it's on the try line? Ashton a big culprit there, how on earth was Mallinder supposed to tackle him? Also players diving over the top of rucks to score does not seem fair, you can't defend it.

He always does that shyte. He is a horrible, intensely unsporting, flappy bastard of a creature. Zero class.

I basically agree but it does seem to be a gap in the laws that is ignored everywhere, isn't it? I don't think Mallinder would have stopped him getting the ball down, but would he be called for a tackle in the air if he did? It's ridiculous.

You can't "hurdle" a tackler (e.g. but there seems no specific law for jumping into tackles (like a fairy). Technically it is dangerous play, but appears to be at the discretion of the ref. It's the sort of habit you drill out of kids as soon as possible.

[Banquo]

He always does that shyte. He is a horrible, intensely unsporting, flappy bastard of a creature. Zero class.

I basically agree but it does seem to be a gap in the laws that is ignored everywhere, isn't it? I don't think Mallinder would have stopped him getting the ball down, but would he be called for a tackle in the air if he did? It's ridiculous.

You can't "hurdle" a tackler (e.g. but there seems no specific law for jumping into tackles (like a fairy). Technically it is dangerous play, but appears to be at the discretion of the ref. It's the sort of habit you drill out of kids as soon as possible.

From what I just saw on youtube it looked like he was doing his stupid effin splash thing at an inappropriate time, but it remained nevertheless a dive to score a try, which is an absolutely, and to be encouraged, legitimate way of scoring. He can be a bit of a nob, but he said in the interview afterwards he shouldn't have chosen that moment to do the splash. It really wasn't a jump into the tackle imo.

People diving to score are tackled very regularly. Its a commensense thing not to penalise either way.

[Spiffy]

I basically agree but it does seem to be a gap in the laws that is ignored everywhere, isn't it? I don't think Mallinder would have stopped him getting the ball down, but would he be called for a tackle in the air if he did? It's ridiculous.

You can't "hurdle" a tackler (e.g. but there seems no specific law for jumping into tackles (like a fairy). Technically it is dangerous play, but appears to be at the discretion of the ref. It's the sort of habit you drill out of kids as soon as possible.

From what I just saw on youtube it looked like he was doing his stupid effin splash thing at an inappropriate time, but it remained nevertheless a dive to score a try, which is an absolutely, and to be encouraged, legitimate way of scoring. He can be a bit of a nob, but he said in the interview afterwards he shouldn't have chosen that moment to do the splash. It really wasn't a jump into the tackle imo.

People diving to score are tackled very regularly. Its a commensense thing not to penalise either way.

He has said that a few times in the past too. He'd be better just to quit doing it completely. Seems like a bloke trying to do the traditional swallow dive but can't really manage it, so it looks stupid. (Ashley Cooper is the king of the smooth dive without breaking stride.)

[Banquo]

You can't "hurdle" a tackler (e.g. but there seems no specific law for jumping into tackles (like a fairy). Technically it is dangerous play, but appears to be at the discretion of the ref. It's the sort of habit you drill out of kids as soon as possible.

From what I just saw on youtube it looked like he was doing his stupid effin splash thing at an inappropriate time, but it remained nevertheless a dive to score a try, which is an absolutely, and to be encouraged, legitimate way of scoring. He can be a bit of a nob, but he said in the interview afterwards he shouldn't have chosen that moment to do the splash. It really wasn't a jump into the tackle imo.

People diving to score are tackled very regularly. Its a commensense thing not to penalise either way.

He has said that a few times in the past too. He'd be better just to quit doing it completely. Seems like a bloke trying to do the traditional swallow dive but can't really manage it, so it looks stupid. (Ashley Cooper is the king of the smooth dive without breaking stride.)

indeed

[Mikey Brown]

I basically agree but it does seem to be a gap in the laws that is ignored everywhere, isn't it? I don't think Mallinder would have stopped him getting the ball down, but would he be called for a tackle in the air if he did? It's ridiculous.

You can't "hurdle" a tackler (e.g. but there seems no specific law for jumping into tackles (like a fairy). Technically it is dangerous play, but appears to be at the discretion of the ref. It's the sort of habit you drill out of kids as soon as possible.

From what I just saw on youtube it looked like he was doing his stupid effin splash thing at an inappropriate time, but it remained nevertheless a dive to score a try, which is an absolutely, and to be encouraged, legitimate way of scoring. He can be a bit of a nob, but he said in the interview afterwards he shouldn't have chosen that moment to do the splash. It really wasn't a jump into the tackle imo.

People diving to score are tackled very regularly. Its a commensense thing not to penalise either way.

If he was taking the shortest route to ground it I would agree. Here I'd say it's a dive in spite of scoring a try rather than to make sure he gets it down. It always looks to me like a great opportunity for a player to get underneath it and hold it up.

Anyway, my issue isn't centred on this incident, it just reminded me. Ashton being such a twat probably skews my opinion a bit, he still runs great lines though.

[Mikey Brown]

And Spiffy's right. AAC looks like a badass when he does it.

[Puja]

That was a dogged effort by Saints but they got wore down in the end. 2nd half Saracens took over and finally made possession and territory count. Itoje again very impressive.

If Harrison isnt on one of the England tours in June then the selectors simply havent been paying attention.

Oh and listening to Barnes after Kay and BOD on the Wasps-Exeter match was excruciating.

I thought Harrison was a Kiwi?

Agreed on Barnes. O'Driscoll is as irritatingly good as a pundit, I can't help but like him.

Qualifies via parent/grandparent.

Parent. Plus he turned down enquiries from NZ age groups and made a fairly certain election to come over to the UK straight out of school and try to play for England, so he's clearly keen on the mother country.

Puja

[Banquo]

You can't "hurdle" a tackler (e.g. but there seems no specific law for jumping into tackles (like a fairy). Technically it is dangerous play, but appears to be at the discretion of the ref. It's the sort of habit you drill out of kids as soon as possible.

From what I just saw on youtube it looked like he was doing his stupid effin splash thing at an inappropriate time, but it remained nevertheless a dive to score a try, which is an absolutely, and to be encouraged, legitimate way of scoring. He can be a bit of a nob, but he said in the interview afterwards he shouldn't have chosen that moment to do the splash. It really wasn't a jump into the tackle imo.

People diving to score are tackled very regularly. Its a commensense thing not to penalise either way.

If he was taking the shortest route to ground it I would agree. Here I'd say it's a dive in spite of scoring a try rather than to make sure he gets it down. It always looks to me like a great opportunity for a player to get underneath it and hold it up.

Anyway, my issue isn't centred on this incident, it just reminded me. Ashton being such a twat probably skews my opinion a bit, he still runs great lines though.

If your issue is players shouldn't be allowed to dive for a try, then my view is that is a non issue.

[Mikey Brown]

I can't tell from that if you actually read what I initially posted, there just seems to be a very slight trend of people jumping up (I think up is the key bit) as they go in to score to make themselves momentarily untackleable.

It's mostly the jumping over rucks that I don't get, it seems the only way to tackle someone out of the air in that situation would be very dangerous.

[Banquo]

I can't tell from that if you actually read what I initially posted, there just seems to be a very slight trend of people jumping up (I think up is the key bit) as they go in to score to make themselves momentarily untackleable.

It's mostly the jumping over rucks that I don't get, it seems the only way to tackle someone out of the air in that situation would be very dangerous.

Ok, couldn't ar5ed to read back tbh, that's why I guessed what the issue was. It was somewhat confusing as Ashton wasn't jumping into a tackle at all. Can you point to a youtube example of what you mean by jumping up to score, and how that differs from diving over the line? (I'm not being awkward, just thick, I think )

[Mikey Brown]

...I really wouldn't know how to find one. I'm just saying it seems to be a strange grey area in the law. I suppose I'm waiting for the moment somebody does a stupid jump in the air, gets nailed and lands on their head. Then the ensuing confusion about who's fault it is.

[Len]

I thought Harrison was a Kiwi?

Agreed on Barnes. O'Driscoll is as irritatingly good as a pundit, I can't help but like him.

Qualifies via parent/grandparent.

Parent. Plus he turned down enquiries from NZ age groups and made a fairly certain election to come over to the UK straight out of school and try to play for England, so he's clearly keen on the mother country.

Puja

I'm fairly sure he had a hand in some horse play (on jetskis?) That resulted in somebody dying. He was found not guilty though. That might have something to do with it also.

[Spiffy]

That was a dogged effort by Saints but they got wore down in the end. 2nd half Saracens took over and finally made possession and territory count. Itoje again very impressive.

If Harrison isnt on one of the England tours in June then the selectors simply havent been paying attention.

Oh and listening to Barnes after Kay and BOD on the Wasps-Exeter match was excruciating.

I thought Harrison was a Kiwi?

Agreed on Barnes. O'Driscoll is as irritatingly good as a pundit, I can't help but like him.

O'Driscoll certainly knows his stuff, but overdoes the hyperanalysis of simple situations, often reading into the plays something that was not there. Then Ben Kay, on hearing this, has to get into the act and try to match him with some hyperanalysis of his own. The result - a never ending torrent of gabfest about inconsequential incidents that starts to grate on the ears. Yesterday, I was longing for the pair of them to shut up.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I thought Harrison was a Kiwi?

Agreed on Barnes. O'Driscoll is as irritatingly good as a pundit, I can't help but like him.

Qualifies via parent/grandparent.

Parent. Plus he turned down enquiries from NZ age groups and made a fairly certain election to come over to the UK straight out of school and try to play for England, so he's clearly keen on the mother country.

Puja

Well that and the fact it was an opportunity to get away from the place where he'd been involved in accidentally killing one of his best mates.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Qualifies via parent/grandparent.

Parent. Plus he turned down enquiries from NZ age groups and made a fairly certain election to come over to the UK straight out of school and try to play for England, so he's clearly keen on the mother country.

Puja

I'm fairly sure he had a hand in some horse play (on jetskis?) That resulted in somebody dying. He was found not guilty though. That might have something to do with it also.

They were both convicted, though it was clearly an accident with three young lads being idiots on jetskis.

[Len]

Parent. Plus he turned down enquiries from NZ age groups and made a fairly certain election to come over to the UK straight out of school and try to play for England, so he's clearly keen on the mother country.

Puja

I'm fairly sure he had a hand in some horse play (on jetskis?) That resulted in somebody dying. He was found not guilty though. That might have something to do with it also.

They were both convicted, though it was clearly an accident with three young lads being idiots on jetskis.

Yeah I googled it after I posted that. Bloody unfortunate. I wouldn't blame him for wanting to move away and start again and put it behind him.