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Watch: Caleb Clarke sent off for 'reckless' challenge on Moana Pasifika winger

Caleb Clarke is shown a red card for his challenge on Tomasi Alosio.

Caleb Clarke has made plenty of headlines this season for his scintillating form for the Blues but Saturday night’s win over Moana Pasifika might be a night to forget for the 23-year-old.

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After bursting onto the scene in 2020 and quickly earning a call-up to the All Blacks, last year was a tougher 12 months for the wrecking ball. Injuries plagued the early stages of the season for the winger and his form never quite reached the heights of the prior campaign throughout Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Clarke then linked up with the national sevens side in the lead-up to the Olympics and although he flew to Tokyo as a travelling reserve, he wasn’t ever able to take the field (and rarely left the hotel).

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In 2022, however, Clarke appears to be back to the form that won him a place in the All Blacks side in 2020, with the winger impressing with his destructive running coupled with his unquestionable skill under the high ball.

On Saturday evening against Moana Pasifika, however, it wasn’t a scything run that was being replayed over and over on the big screen, it was instead a charge down attempt on his opposite winger, Tomasi Alosio.

In the 52nd minute of the match, Alosio received a wide pass from a scrum and charged down the right wing. With Blues players Stephen Perofeta and Clarke looming large, Alosio chipped ahead. Immediately following what looked like an attempt to charge down the kick, Clarke braced to protect himself in the air and his hip clobbered into Alosio, connecting with the Moana Pasifika winger’s head.

After much discussion between referee James Doleman and his assistants, Clarke was dealt a red card and the Blues were forced to play with a man down for 20 minutes.

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While there didn’t look to be any malice on Clarke’s behalf, the officials ruled that he wasn’t in a reasonable position to charge the ball down and his charge was “reckless”. Alosio also had to leave the field after the knock to the head.

As is the case with any controversial decision, fans took to social media to give their take on the red card.

Some were in support of the decision.

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The majority, however, seemed to take umbrage with the call.

Some even suggested (perhaps with their tongues firmly in their cheeks) that Alosio should have been sent off for taking out Clarke in the air.

Clarke will likely face the judiciary this week following the incident, with Blues prop Nepo Laulala one game into his three-match ban for a reckless tackle in the earlier fixture between the two sides.

Despite the sending off, the Blues had no issues holding on to beat Moana Pasifika 46-16.

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Comments

1 Comment
l
lot 947 days ago

Stupid and reckless tackle. When you think (decide) to jump with your lower limbs braced for contact infront of someone in a vulnerable position, the end result will be a front on collision uncontrolled car crash.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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