Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Julien Bonnaire crunched by a late hit

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Julien Bonnaire crunched by a late hit

With thanks to 'Merjamone' on the Rugbydump Forums, we've dug up a brutal shoulder-to-solar plexus encounter in the form of Bourgoin's replacement lock, Karena Wihongi, and Clermont's flanker, Julien Bonnaire.

Though there appeared to be no real damage on Bonnaire in this game from last weekend, other than a hefty winding, it's fair to say that Bonnaire may opt to offer oncoming tacklers a shoulder next time, instead of an open rib cage.

This leads me to the legality of the challenge, which is nonexistent, however as Merjamone on the forums pointed out: He most likely wasn't expecting a kick and did apologize straight afterwards.

Your thoughts?

Final Score: 36 - 7 to Clermont

He was more than obviuosly commited in the tackle, it wasnt late. In really slow motion it may give you that idea, but in normal real time you can clearly see it was immediate.
Nothing worng, and a great hit to the ribs

cheers

Marika

By Anonymous, at April 20, 2008 12:42 pm
YEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHh , GET THAT INTO YA!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM, I WANT MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep em rolling , suprising thease huge hits are french latley , BUT WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! even if it's a shoulder charge A HIT IS A HIT!!
so who cares about it apparently being "not legal" that should make it into the next edition of try savers and rib breakers!!!!!

By Anonymous, at April 20, 2008 12:47 pm
Oh shit! great hit. Keep em rollin.

By Anonymous, at April 20, 2008 4:42 pm
Yeh seemed like a close call to me, i think you should take into consideration the players positions, i mean the guy is a lock right....not the most agile of players, he has busted a gut to get up to that part of the field so he has to make a hit of some sort lol!

Seriously though, it didnt look alllll that late but prob just over the line. and yeh id imagine he wasnt expecting the kick. what was the outcome?! i think a penalty, but no card and nothing further!

By No.7, at April 20, 2008 5:10 pm
it was late and intentionally so.but still a great hit! :)

By Anonymous, at April 20, 2008 7:24 pm
Not late, and it seems a bit harsh to call it a shoulder charge. Looks like he tries towrap the arms around but Bonnaire goes backwards too quickly.

By Anonymous, at April 20, 2008 8:39 pm
I don't really see much wrong with the hit...

The tackle was already in motion as the ball was being kicked.

The only somewhat questionable things are that 1) he puts his head down/looks away after the kick - so he probably DID see the kick happen and MAYBE could have rolled away from it or something and 2) he did lead in with his shoulder, but I think it's because he was trying to cover the inside as well, in case the guy cut in.

He definitely made an attempt to wrap his arms around Bonnaire, and the only reason he didn't carry him to the ground is because the little guy fell backwards like a bird hitting a window.

All I see is a good, hard, rib-cracking tackle. I think Bonnaire will think about getting rid of the ball quicker next time he sees Wihongi headed his way.

By Anonymous, at April 20, 2008 9:49 pm
HA! Must be a bunch of props and locks posting comments today, because there's no way that was legal!!

If you pause the vid at 1:07 you will see that as the ball touches Bonnaires foot, Wihongi is looking up still and can see what's happening. It's obvious that he could pull out of it.

Instead, he just follows through and smokes him.

I have no doubt this is late, albeit marginally, but late is late and he deserved to be penalised etc.

By Anonymous, at April 20, 2008 11:59 pm
Boom! I think its aways good to show your opposite that you gonna crush him if he runs at you, that way, you don't have to have guys run at you all game... it works! I crunched someone in the first minute of a game on sat, and didn't have to make any more tackles as everyone in the opposition runs away from your position...smart play... haha!

By George, at April 21, 2008 3:04 am
G-unit really doesnt sound like a rugby player.....you didnt have to make anymore tackles? what are you gay? how about moving round the field and looking for tackles rather than letting people run at you!

By Anonymous, at April 21, 2008 3:33 am
Sharky, I'm definitely no prop or lock...give me a winger jersey and I'm set to play. So, I can understand the reasoning behind, "Penalize the fatso! He could have moved, but he's too fat and lazy!!" ...but if you think that this is late enough to merit punishment, then why not the same thing when the ball gets passed instead of kicked. It's a facet of rugby that you're probably going to get leveled, even if you ditch the ball before the tackler gets to you...that's the game. If you DON'T want to get tackled, you can a) not catch it, b) throw it off as soon as you get it and shriek, "don't hit me! don't hit me!" (but you'll probably still get hit) or c)...I don't know, look for the ref to call a penalty where there really isn't one.

It's on the margin for being a "late tackle", but it's a good tackle, and I'm glad the ref didn't call any penalty.

On a side note: being from the States, I don't get to watch a whole-heck-of-a-lot of rugby, so maybe that's it, but of all the games I've seen, is it just me or do French fans seem louder and more willing to jeer and hiss at the ref when they disagree?

Also, Jack, your comment was pretty hilarious.

By Anonymous, at April 21, 2008 3:52 am
***I need to make a correction. I said that the ref didn't call a penalty. I don't know if he did or didn't from the clip - he did stop play. But it doesn't look like Wihongi got carded, which is good because I don't think he deserved to be.

By Anonymous, at April 21, 2008 3:56 am
he was set for a tackle, wasnt even looking, wouldnt really card him.

By Don, at April 21, 2008 3:56 am
I think he was committed but maybe the hit could have been avoidable, but theres nothing better to get the physical edge over a player than to get a big hit in.

I speak from experience. :)

Cheers

By Anonymous, at April 21, 2008 8:18 pm
Wihongi wasn't carded but the ref called a penalty, but i forgot what it was exactly.

By Anonymous, at April 21, 2008 11:41 pm