Munster v Leinster St Stephen's Day 3.15 TG4 & Sky Sports

[leinsterforever]

I just think that it's a dangerous game to give the guy in the air all the rights, they have to be responsible in some way too.

Yeah, I suppose, yeah. There was a thing in the Ireland-England game in 2010 I think it was where Heaslip was standing on the ground preparing to catch the ball and Ugo Monye jumped into him studs first. The way I remember it, Heaslip was in a perfectly reasonable position to collect the ball but got penalised after Monye fell backwards after jumping and putting his studs into Heaslip's pec/shoulder area.

[ronk]

I just think that it's a dangerous game to give the guy in the air all the rights, they have to be responsible in some way too.

Whilst I agree, that is, however, the bed that World Rugby have made for themselves by putting such a huge focus on it a year or two ago.

It would be nice if they fixed it before a major incident.

If they gave the defender the right to compete for the ball on the ground if he’s waiting under it then there wouldn’t be this perverse incentive for the attacker to try and jump over the defender ( North incident).

It’s understood that you are not obstructing if you hold your ground during a kick chase.

[Sionnach]

Lee Byrne for Wales was a specialist in jumping with a high knee.

He did more than that - he led with the studs. Sole of the foot pointing towards the opposition as best he could. Never liked it, it's looking for trouble.

Here he is putting the boot into Hugo Southwell's face, fully intentionally.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/new ... /112505676

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Byrne had a book out recently and came across as a complete tool.

[CiaranIrl]

Byrne had a book out recently and came across as a complete tool.

How did it come to pass that you read his book? I sincerely hope that it was at gunpoint as a form of torture.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I just saw extracts of it on twitter. Sounds like he was a booze hound and couldn't understand why coaches had an issue with that. The extracts are actually worth reading to get some insight into the culture at the Ospreys, but he just comes across terribly.

[simonokeeffe]

I just saw extracts of it on twitter. Sounds like he was a booze hound and couldn't understand why coaches had an issue with that. The extracts are actually worth reading to get some insight into the culture at the Ospreys, but he just comes across terribly.

One assumes Mike Philips was to blame for everything

[CiaranIrl]

I just saw extracts of it on twitter. Sounds like he was a booze hound and couldn't understand why coaches had an issue with that. The extracts are actually worth reading to get some insight into the culture at the Ospreys, but he just comes across terribly.

I guess that's ok,but still, if you're ever tempted to read much more, get help.

[FourMasters]

Lee Byrne for Wales was a specialist in jumping with a high knee.

He did more than that - he led with the studs. Sole of the foot pointing towards the opposition as best he could. Never liked it, it's looking for trouble.

Here he is putting the boot into Hugo Southwell's face, fully intentionally.

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/new ... /112505676

Thanks, you're the second poster to respond about leading with the studs, that's jogged my memory about the complaints at the time. But I'm looking at the picture and thinking that Byrne is looking upward taking the ball. Yes, he knows what he's doing. But Southwell has decided not to jump and compete and is set to tackle...but at this distance it looks to me that there is no way that Southwell wasn't going to make contact with Byrne in the air, he's too close. Which is exactly what happens. Southwell has got his timing wrong there, I don't have much sympathy for him.
However, we don't see this studs-up technique now. Perhaps World Rugby have policed it out of the game. Or perhaps players know that it is not an efficient technique for leaping. Lee could get height and was very effective, but surely you have to jump earlier and with a flatter trajectory to place your foot like that. Unless you are Hong Kong Phooey.