Long Hair being tied up

[Jarrod Burton]

Just watched the replay of the Aus V NZ comm games semi final, which ended with an Maddi Levi (Aus) in the bin after getting a YC for hair pulling against Portia Woodman. Woodman wears her hair in heaps of chest length small beaded plaits and wears them loose, only being tied up on top of her head. Levi's grab at the body got Woodman's shirt at chest level on the front but some of her plaits were under Levi's hand. If accidental hair pulling is going to be card (which I have no problem with) should WR look at requiring hair be secured in such a way to prevent long hair (especially plaits like Woodman's) flying everywhere and making it more difficult for defenders to grasp at the body without getting a handful of hair?

Clip here - at 14minutes of the match if you can find a different replay

News.com.au (for what its worth) with a photo of the tackle
Link

 

[Balones]

I had some sympathy with Levi. Her initial grip was on the shirt but the hair caused her to not have as much of a grip that she could have had And her hand slipped off. I’d be in favour of more controlled hair for lots of reasons. What would the call be if Woodman had turned her head to look at the support and in doing so her hair caught a player in the eyes and momentarily blinded them and prevented a tackle?
While we are at it I am also not in favour of women wearing false nails or long nails which I have seen in some women’s matches last season.

 

[Volun-selected]

While we are at it I am also not in favour of women wearing false nails or long nails which I have seen in some women’s matches last season.

Might encourage good tackle technique - get it wrong and your likely to get them ripped off which I assume takes the underlying nail with it. However I understand your point - a hand off to the face could end very badly.

 

[Stu10]

I had some sympathy with Levi. Her initial grip was on the shirt but the hair caused her to not have as much of a grip that she could have had And her hand slipped off. I’d be in favour of more controlled hair for lots of reasons. What would the call be if Woodman had turned her head to look at the support and in doing so her hair caught a player in the eyes and momentarily blinded them and prevented a tackle?
While we are at it I am also not in favour of women wearing false nails or long nails which I have seen in some women’s matches last season.

Did those false nails have an IRB/World Rugby Approved label?

 

[Marc Wakeham]

Surely long nails and nail extentions if deemed by the referee to be dangerous like jewelry have no place and it's remove or don't play.

 

[Phil E]

Surely long nails and nail extentions if deemed by the referee to be dangerous like jewelry have no place and it's remove or don't play.

Yes, for ANY players, not just ladies.

 

[Marc Wakeham]

Yes, for ANY players, not just ladies.

Of course. Safety comes first.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

If Cousin It from the Addams Family, Chewbacca from Star Wars or Dr Zaius from Planet of the Apes played Rugby could they be tackled at all?

Please don't quote Law 4 - this is a serious question!

 

[Balones]

If Cousin It from the Addams Family, Chewbacca from Star Wars or Dr Zaius from Planet of the Apes played Rugby could they be tackled at all?

Please don't quote Law 4 - this is a serious question!

I’m sure I’ve refereed them. If not they certainly came close to looking like them.

 

[Rich_NL]

I’m sure I’ve refereed them. If not they certainly came close to looking like them.

Hooker, lock, tight head respectively.

 

[BikingBud]

Notice that Swain has now taken to wearing a scrum cap, after his contretemps with Hill!

 

[KeliaDracu]

That's such an unfair thing to do. Moreover, it damages their hair, so I feel bad for her now. I work as a beautician in the hair sphere, and I need to teach girls how to treat their hair the right way. It is hazardous to tie up your hair that way, as it damages the follicles and breaks them down. However, the girls are in sports, and I understand they have other priorities. I'm usually mad at my clients when I hear that they still wear dangerous hairstyles and damage their hair after consultation. However, I understand it is easier to move ad do some stuff around the house with such a hairstyle.