Wales v Aus - Kerevi on Halfpenny

[Pablo]

About 10 minutes until full time. Aus #13 (Kerevi) jumps and half turns in a long-shot charge-down attempt as Wales #15 (Halfpenny) clears. Kick is clearly away, Kerevi lands and makes hard contact shoulder to chin with Halfpenny. Ref O’Keefe (who mostly had an excellent game in very tense conditions) says “no deliberate act of foul play” had taken place. But with the focus on recklessness at the tackle, should this also be considered reckless enough to be penalised, even if not deliberate? Worth noting that Halfpenny left the field shortly afterwards, looking quite dazed - so clearly fared badly from the collision.

 

[Gracie]

I'd be very surprised/disappointed if this is not cited

 

[Pedro]

I think it’s a really interesting one. It brings in to question whether we really can referee this type of incident on outcome rather than intent (this one was definitely reffed on intent).
I don’t think he deserved to have been penalised, and I don’t think he deserves be cited, however the laws and the current guidelines suggest that he should have been. I think the ref made the call I was happy with, but was wrong in law.

 

[damo]

I think if a player attempts a chargedown by jumping in the air towards the kicker then he is responsible for any resulting collision. It is not good enough for the player to say that he was in the air or could not control his actions. In this case Kerevi jumped to make a charge down and when he landed he couldn't stop himself hitting the kicker. He chose to put himself in that position and he was responsible.

I think it should have been a PK and arguably a YC as well.

 

[Marc Wakeham]

What I failed to understand was the lack of use of the TMO.

Play was stopped when Anscombe was being treated. So the ref could have "gone upstairs" without any great effect on time. It was a critical call. Had the K go the other way, instead of 6-6 the score could have been 9-3

As to the incident contact was made with the head. If that had been a tackle it would be a PK as a minimum. Surely the same should apply to a chargedown?