I imagine they will quickly - before the RWC - issue a clarification, or Law change along the lines of
Requirements for a tackle
- For a tackle to occur, the ball-carrier is held and brought to ground by one or more opponents.
- Being brought to ground means that the ball-carrier is lying, sitting or has at least one knee, on the ground or on another player who is on the ground, or is using hand or arm to support body weight
- Being held means that a tackler must continue holding the ball-carrier until the ball-carrier is on the ground.
What about the principle of Law 13?I don’t see it as illegal. It’s open play. I agree 13.1 applies. Since the ball carrier has his arm on the ground only briefly, I would say the ball carrier complies with 13.1.a.
Also, I saw a player do this in super rugby over the weekend. This is not at all confined to Ireland or Irish teams. Are they being coached to do this? I couldn’t say, but this SA analyst acting like this is something Irish teams made up to cheat the system and defeat the rest of the world is nonsense.
The acts shown in he OP are Illegal for mine as the players are choosing to play off their feet.I don’t see it as illegal. It’s open play. I agree 13.1 applies. Since the ball carrier has his arm on the ground only briefly, I would say the ball carrier complies with 13.1.a.