Not so - Laws 9:11-13 provide plenty of latitude:Digby wrote:Yes, else all you've reasonably got is him cynically killing the maul imo if in other instances that's a legal tackleBeasties wrote:Do we really need to spell it out in law what Lavanini did by bringing in no knee tackles? Or should a panel just look at it and use common sense to ban the fekker for straightforward horrendous thuggery?
Ouch btw Diggers.....
11: Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others.
12: A player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm (including stiff-arm tackles), shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling, tripping or kicking.
13: A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.
11 is the catch-all, but you could argue that it is striking with the shoulder or a dangerous tackle (as that is specifically not limited to being high).
Puja