Watched professional rugby today. Men still playing like men. Nice.
And not one rugby player leads with his head.
if they did they'd be playing wheelchair rugby.
If they were lucky.
Spearing, which was what that was, was banned, almost 50 years ago,
It was a dirty and dangerous play pure and simple.
This spearing crap is so overblown. Calling that spearing is just plain wrong. That would not have been a penalty in my day. When I played that would have just been a great tackle. That's how we played, if you couldn't take it you either went and sat the bench or quit. No way in hell that play was flagged. No effing way.
Cap that hit was the definition of spearing.
In your day you were not taught to tackle that way, I wasn't, no one was. Because leading with your helmet was dangerous to everyone.
The difference today is that instant replay can catch the play. Back in your day that would have been a hard brutal hit, and unless the ref had the right angle on it, nothing would have been called. But it doesn't change the fact it was a dirty hit.
I saw that hit and instantly, I mean instantly, thought "spearing that guy' gone".
Actually you're wrong Rich. Sorry but wrong. I was absolutely taught to make exactly the same tackle that the Clemson player made. That wasn't launch spearing, it was a simple get down and hit em tackle. Nothing wrong with it.
And yes my coach was always pissed if I launch "speared" someone. Mostly because he didn't want me to get hurt and out of the game. Didn't stop the SOB from playing me though. That's the "real" truth about coaching back in the day. All this "we never taught that stuff" is a flat out bullshit. Coaches taught it, maybe not all but lots of them did. That was the real world my brother.
Actually that was the defintion of spearing cap.
I was taught to tackle with my shoulder, head on the outside and wrap up the runner.
If you were taught to lead with your head, then you were.
the Clemson guy lowered his helmet and drove it into Fields.
I had no problem with him being tossed. It was a dangerous play.
There is no way. And I mean no way Rich if you were a defensive player that you never not on purpose hit a guy with the crown of your helmet. No way. If you say you never did then...well... I'm sorry but you're lying. Sure you try and hit with your shoulder. But, here's the thing, guys you try to tackle have this nasty habit of trying not to get hit. They tend to move. And you can't always just stop in mid air to accommodate them.
I'm really the Reggie Jackson of this forum aren't I. :-)
Cap i played 2-way in high school and on kick-off team, and I banged hats with guys, because it happened, because its football, but not because I wanted to use my head as a battering ram.
But that's not the discussion and I did not say that-its a BS deflection.
Kids running at each other with mayhem on their mind are going to hit hats.
But I was never coached nor taught to lead with my helmet. I was taught technique.
If you're telling me you were taught to lead with your head, I believe you.
and the Clemson kid led with his helmet and speared Fields.And it was obvious.
And he got called for it and got run.
Which was the right call.