He got pinged for a late tackle 20 mins in then a fairly innocuous high tackle a few minutes later. Subbed with 20 mins to go. Have I missed anything or was it NO who did the missing?
20th minute -
https://youtu.be/tLSVc2htLuw?t=2389
Late tackle on Carter. While there was a lot of debate on whether it was intentional (IMO, it was), what was missed was the fact that that the tackle was "no arms". This offence was a YC all tournament, why not in the final?
25th minute -
https://youtu.be/tLSVc2htLuw?t=2785
Head-high tackle on Carter. There is no ****ing way this was an "innocuous" high tackle. It was a swinging forearm that made direct contact to the jaw of the ball carrier; with force. In any game this year, it could have been RC, is would definitely be a YC, and should have been in this match. Kepu seems to have developed a style where he aims at the opponent's head with a technique more like a forearm punch than a tackle wrap. This same technique was in evidence in what got him RC last night. Its also the same technique that teh late Jerry Collins developed. The All Blacks selectors made it clear to him that he must change the way he tackles.
38th minute -
https://youtu.be/tLSVc2htLuw?t=3672
Late, head-high swinging arm on McCaw. After McCaw passes to Milner-Skudder, you see Kepu swing wildly at McCaw's head with another attempted forearm punch. Lucky for McCaw that his head was tucked down otherwise he might have been seriously injured.
41st minute -
https://youtu.be/tLSVc2htLuw?t=4376
Head-high tackle on Milner-Skudder. Just prior to Ma'a Nonu's try, Milner-Skudder gets tackled, head high and quite clearly dangerous. In a further display of thuggery, Kepu rakes his fingers over Milner-Skudder's eye area after the tackle.
IMO, Kepu is a thug. This latest piece of work on Gordon Watson just confirms it for me.