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Alan Quinlan poses question to RG Snyman after tackle on Craig Casey
By Josh Raisey
Former Ireland and Munster flanker Alan Quinlan has said that South Africa lock RG Snyman cannot be blamed for the tackle that resulted in scrumhalf Craig Casey being stretchered off on Saturday, but he has nevertheless questioned why the second row followed through with his tackle.
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Casey suffered a concussion in the second half of Ireland’s loss to South Africa after his head hit the floor at Loftus Versfeld following a tackle from his former Munster teammate Snyman.
Speaking on the Off the Ball podcast in the wake of the loss, Quinlan has noted that it was not illegal from the Bok, as he had committed to the tackle of Casey. But with the ball no longer in Casey’s possession, Quinlan has questioned why the World Cup winner followed through with the tackle well after the ball had moved on.
Snyman stands almost half a metre taller than Casey, and has a 55kg weight advantage, so the Irishman has queried why the lock did not use a “little bit of sense” and pull out of the tackle. Moreover, Snyman would be acutely aware of their physical difference having played with Casey for Munster for four years.
Casey’s injury has ruled him out of the second Test against the Springboks, which takes place on Saturday in Durban.
“He follows through with the tackle,” Quinlan said.
“You look back at that again and you review it, the argument is certainly there as to ‘why don’t you stop? You don’t need to keep following through there.’
“It shouldn’t come into it, but it should in one sense, he knows him, he’s played with him and there’s a massive difference in size and physicality. So you’d think he’d have a little bit of sense to say ‘maybe I won’t keep going here.’
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“But look, I can’t blame RG Snyman and say that’s illegal. There is no review of it as regards to foul play. Just a bit unsavoury that he could have pulled back a bit. He doesn’t have to.
“This narrative is driven online that RG Snyman could have pulled back, but he hasn’t done anything there to try and hurt the player. I think he follows through the tackle and I think it’s more awkwardness.
“He did one on Ben Healy in the URC in round 17 or 18 over in Edinburgh where he follows through the tackle. Healy reacted to him and Munster ended up getting a penalty out of it five metres out, which was a big call. So thankfully he’s ok, but he’s not going to be available for the weekend which is another disappointment for Ireland.”
O'Mahony will be coming on at the same time as hard man Snyman. Snyman better hope that the match is not decided one way or the other at that stage. A few Munster lads in that pack owe he mercenary Snyman a serious injury for what he did to Casey.
This contest wasn’t Wimbledon mixed doubles was it?
Brain injuries are serious concerns mate, not to be joked about by Internet ‘hard men’
Fair tackle. It means his technique complied with rugby standards.
Was it late? Yes, marginally, as with millions of other tackles where a player’s momentum sees them drive through a tackle.
Dominant tackles are what we want, and coaches log. They record the stats of dominant tackles. It is, and will always remain a contact sport where we, like every other thug nation aim to dominate collisions.
We can't brag that rugby is for all sorts of boys and men, both fat and tall and moan about the response on the pitch when big boys make small boys cry.
As for the Irish fans. Your POM and BOD and Keith Woods et al are some of the meanest thugs on the field. Don't play the saint card in a contact sport, it makes you look like rugby terrorists and victims of something you endorse by stepping on the field.
Its not about Hard ad Soft are SA v Ire or Whatabout Legacy Irish players. Thats just a cop out. Its about if the tackle is dangerous or not.
Running a player who doesn’t have the ball from a standing start to pushing him backwards a few metres to slamming him on the ground to head butting him. Thats dangerous play and if the head butt is identified its a long ban for the scvmbag.
That’s dangerous
In reality, boys talk about ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ to avpoid having a real adult conversation about a dangerous tackles and brain inuries.
Law 13: Dangerous play:
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.
Would Quinlan have pulled out of a tackle ?
It wasn’t about the contact, it was what Snyman did after the ball was gone. He has a duty of care to bring the person tackled down relatively safely. He did the opposite, he ran him hard backwards and slammed him full force into the ground through his upper torso. This dangerous play resulted in the brain injury. Dangerous play, peno Ireland.
Snyman then, pushes his forehead into Caseys face. Red Card, long ban.
Selective memory seems to be a big issue up North
If there has been dangerous play before that hasn’t been addressed that should not stop dangerous play now being addressed. Teams whose players may be guilty of dangerous play are not going to be the ones reporting it or shouting about it. That invariably falls to the team whose player got hurt. That’s not right, but I guess its human nature.
Quinlan has always been a whinger
Rugby incident much bigger man tackles smaller man
Nothing wrong with the collision but Snuman has a duty of care to execute the entire tackle safetly. After he holds Casey he runs him back a few metres before slamming into teh ground creating the condictions where casey was hurt. It wasn’t momentum, it was all created by Snyman long after the ball was gone. Dangerous play. Pushing his head into Caseys face while he was unconcious shows he is a thug.
Started tackle from an offside position! Was never onside at any stage. TMO (BW) had a mare and if he didn't look at it in the 10 mins Casey was being treated he should be stood down and if he did look at it and didn't know see where RG came from then he needs stood down. Wasn't good enough to ref internationals and given TMO position and still very poor!
yes and yo were all happy with the off side dangerous tackle oy the prick o’driscoll for the lions against the boks????
SA was offsides at the ruck the entire match. As was England v the ABs. These refs are not enforcing the off sides at the ruck. It gives for a big advantage for the defense.
Dear Alan Quinlan,
It was a test match.
BR
Jan
dumb comment, I have seen monster tackles from your players in the past, o’Connell and o’Mahoney spring to mind. That’s rugby
No more than a mismatch.
In the same phase of play SAs18 commits to tackling Doris who then offloads in the tackle. Unaware of the offload, SAs 18 follows through and completes the tackle, putting Doris to ground. It’s a carbon copy but the two players are of a similar stature and neither gets injured.
It’s arguable that Snyman dislodges the ball in the same act of trying to wrap his arms to tackle, rather than separate acts. I don’t see how anyone can suggest that Snyman follows through with his head when Casey is on the ground. Not least because both players are at the feet of Luke Pearce.
Not pleasant to see Casey injured and was very worrying to see him unresponsive for a time. It shouldn’t be the dominant point from a brilliant test match though.
Luke Pearce is looking at the ball not at the “tackle”. I and anyone can say that Snyman pushes his head into Caseys face after Caseys head has hit the gound twice because that is EXACTLY what he did as captured in the video from behind.
If a player receives a career threatening brian injury through dangerous play with no consequences we owe it to the 1000s of ex rugby players with neurodegenerative diseases to highlight it. Don’t shoot the messengers.