JM2K6 wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:44 pmWhat's fascinating to me here is that both Aki and the commentators don't understand the core facts here: Aki was too late to perform a clearout.Kiwias wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:51 am Did anyone see Bundee Aki's reaction to getting a red card? I hope he is cited for it.
Aki screams because he doesn't understand "where he's supposed to be". To him, there's a player over the ball and his head is the closest point. To him, the only option to get him off the ball before it's stolen is this mad flying spear into the opponent's head. The commentators say he has to get lower.
No. It's nothing to do with his height. It has everything to do with the fact that he was too far away and that ball was lost, and we coach players to smash each other regardless. The problem wasn't his body height. He should've had just one option there - accept that the ball was lost and the only legal way to do anything would be to grapple with the opponent. But that sort of thinking gets you dropped.
Blasting people at the ruck is bullshit. It leads to injuries and by its very nature encourages players to ignore safety - their own and the opposition's - in favour of high impact regardless of the situation.
After a few days I think I can talk about this without throwing something, or kicking the Cat
My immediate reaction was to wonder if Aki was deliberately trying to get sent off, & just fancied a few days on the beach, because it was a stone cold RC, & a serious ban, & I was spitting feathers that a senior player, & one Connacht depend on, would be so utterly dense !
We love him for his passion, & intensity, & commitment; but the top two inches fail him on too many occasions; Provincially, & for the National side.
But, as I say, I've had a few days from hoping he came home in the Cargo hold; & I think the whole; "What was I Supposed to do ?", question, has to be addressed !!
If you put yourself in his shoes, & look at the clock; you can imagine yourself 2 seconds from contact, seeing a player going for the turnover, then within a second, the window closes, & all of a sudden you aren't making a tackle, or spoiling; you're making a cleanout & whether or not you get sent off, is down to how good his jackal is ?
In the matter of a second, you go from hero to zero, & you've very little control over it; because you're committed !
As you say; the clear out has just become too dangerous, & we just have to take the energy out of the collision, or have it so that once the defending player gets their hands on the ball legally, the ref calls, "Contest Won", & he gets the turnover, & a tap free kick to restart, but even that, in this case; the ref wouldn't have had time to make the call, & Aki to process it, & stop.
