Rene Ranger huge hit on Christian Lealiifano
The Blues beat the Brumbies 39-34 in Round 6 of the Super 14 on Friday, with makeshift centre Rene Ranger standing out as one of the best players on the park on the night.
Injury troubles throughout the first six weeks of the competition have meant that the Blues have been without the backline options of Anthony Tuitavake, Isaia Toeava, George Pisi, and Luke McAlister.
This forced coach Pat Lam to take a chance on the powerful 23 year old, who’s normally a winger and showed a lot of promise with his pace and physicality last season. The gamble paid off as Ranger was involved in most of the Blues’ attacks and made his presence felt on defence.
"Rene was there initially because he was our last option to use," Lam admitted. "He certainly has the skill-set. All he is lacking is the experience. But he has that thing I like in rugby players - no fear. He likes to have a go."
He’s now proving to be a real success in the heart of the action, and showed his power as he smashed Brumbies centre Christian Lealiifano into sometime next week. To his credit though, Lealiifano jumped straight back up and showed no ill effects from the impact.
Ranger is in the headlines today though for a different reason, and that is that his name has been revealed as the player who was involved in the assault case from last October. He allegedly assaulted a man, leaving him unconscious, outside the Mangawhai Tavern in Auckland in August.
Initially he was granted interim name suppression, but the judge later lifted the suppression order. Ranger’s lawyer appealed, only to be rejected and have the order lifted, and his name made public, earlier today.
Ranger is expected to go on trial later this year or early next year.
"I’m disappointed that I was involved in something and that it has got to this stage. It’s not good for me or my family and it’s not good on the team," said Ranger.
"It’s now in the court’s hands. I have just got to get on with my job and do what is best for this team," he added.
Head coach Lam said that the Blues will not take any further action against Ranger.
Time: 0:49
Injury troubles throughout the first six weeks of the competition have meant that the Blues have been without the backline options of Anthony Tuitavake, Isaia Toeava, George Pisi, and Luke McAlister.
This forced coach Pat Lam to take a chance on the powerful 23 year old, who’s normally a winger and showed a lot of promise with his pace and physicality last season. The gamble paid off as Ranger was involved in most of the Blues’ attacks and made his presence felt on defence.
"Rene was there initially because he was our last option to use," Lam admitted. "He certainly has the skill-set. All he is lacking is the experience. But he has that thing I like in rugby players - no fear. He likes to have a go."
He’s now proving to be a real success in the heart of the action, and showed his power as he smashed Brumbies centre Christian Lealiifano into sometime next week. To his credit though, Lealiifano jumped straight back up and showed no ill effects from the impact.
Ranger is in the headlines today though for a different reason, and that is that his name has been revealed as the player who was involved in the assault case from last October. He allegedly assaulted a man, leaving him unconscious, outside the Mangawhai Tavern in Auckland in August.
Initially he was granted interim name suppression, but the judge later lifted the suppression order. Ranger’s lawyer appealed, only to be rejected and have the order lifted, and his name made public, earlier today.
Ranger is expected to go on trial later this year or early next year.
"I’m disappointed that I was involved in something and that it has got to this stage. It’s not good for me or my family and it’s not good on the team," said Ranger.
"It’s now in the court’s hands. I have just got to get on with my job and do what is best for this team," he added.
Head coach Lam said that the Blues will not take any further action against Ranger.
Time: 0:49
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35 Comments:
BOOOOM! Whiplash material if ever I've seen it. Great hit.
By Benson, at March 22, 2010 2:24 pm
What a lad, beating up people and crunching tackles. He is my idol
By VMC RFC, at March 22, 2010 2:26 pm
You should look elsewhere for idols VMC RFC. You sound confused.
By Benson, at March 22, 2010 2:32 pm
he just needs to play consistently. Ranger has got the good.
By Jeroz, at March 22, 2010 2:39 pm
Sweet hit. Real promising NZ player. And thumbs up too to Lealiifano for getting back up so quickly ....
By JLH, at March 22, 2010 2:40 pm
Yo Rene good hit, but lose that sleazy looking rat tail before you see the judge!
By Teddy Bruckshot, at March 22, 2010 3:14 pm
nice hit
By sebastian, at March 22, 2010 3:19 pm
Great hit! Good pass too.
By Unknown, at March 22, 2010 3:50 pm
ouchhhh! Massive hit!
By dezzy, at March 22, 2010 5:07 pm
great pass by Christian Lealiifano who didnt panic, HUGE HIT by Rene Ranger !!!
just checking, but i suppose Christian Lealiifano is an pacific island-born player...
By luxi, at March 22, 2010 7:11 pm
Awesome by Lealiifano, hi didn't panick to flick the ball inside and after the crush he just got up...
By Joost, at March 22, 2010 7:28 pm
What ever happened to wrapping both arms around the tackled player???????????
By Anonymous, at March 22, 2010 10:10 pm
Actually, from the way Ranger landed face-first, I'd say that he got the worst of the collision. It looks like his arm went dead for a moment there.
By Bobby Nations, at March 22, 2010 10:13 pm
What ever happened to wrapping both arms around the tackled player???????????
.....
What's the point in wrapping both arms around the guy in a front on tackle like that? It makes far more sense to lead with the shoulder and make proper contact. As opposed to hugging the guy like a gayboy.
By Anonymous, at March 22, 2010 10:18 pm
luxi: Christian Lealiifano was born in NZ and grew up playing rugby in OZ.
Sweet hit and sweet inside pass.
By school lunch time., at March 23, 2010 12:09 am
His left arm was part of the tackle. Nothing wrong there. Great hit. He did land a bit awkwardly though himself, but still, crunchtime.
By FrankyH, at March 23, 2010 12:15 am
great clash but wrapping suspicious
despite the poor FRA vs ENG match, there was a great crunchy hit from dusautoir on lewis moody.
if RD can find out it ;)
By Ben, at March 23, 2010 12:18 am
Ranger you are the man, man of the match for sure! That hit was solid, he's tough as nails.
By Tui, at March 23, 2010 1:53 am
People really need to learnt he rules.
The wrap simply says that you have to make an attempt to get the arms around.
He did that, it's enough.
It doesn't mean players need to hug each other like fancy boys.
By Anonymous, at March 23, 2010 3:01 am
Lealiifano was born in NZ, which I guess is a Pacific Island.
He moved to Australia as a school boy, like thousands of NZers do every year, and grew up in Sydney.
The fact that he has Islander heritage does not mean he is from there, any more than I am Scottish because I have a last name that's Scottish.
By Anonymous, at March 23, 2010 3:03 am
It looks like he actually passed out on making the tackle and then was woken up by his face eating some grass. Look at his right arm.
By Anonymous, at March 23, 2010 6:10 am
christian is samoan and has played (and learnt) his game off kiwis and islanders playing their rugby in melbourne. Big hits shouldnt worry him now, only injuries. Rene is looking good 4 all black selection at centre, conrad has abit of comp finally
By Anonymous, at March 23, 2010 7:02 am
He stole my loof, the princely locks!
By PrinceAkeem, at March 23, 2010 9:19 pm
wait for his brother.. Jojo Ranger !
By Anonymous, at March 23, 2010 11:57 pm
'any more than I am Scottish because I have a last name that's Scottish.'
You may not be scottish, but you are of scottish de...cent...sent..(i dunno how to spell it)
By Anonymous, at March 24, 2010 8:20 am
Looks kind of like a shoulder charge
By Rugbyfan, at March 24, 2010 10:34 am
joseph Ranger, Rene's brother. wait for him !
By Unknown, at March 24, 2010 3:01 pm
great hit.
"What's the point in wrapping both arms around the guy in a front on tackle like that? It makes far more sense to lead with the shoulder and make proper contact. As opposed to hugging the guy like a gayboy."
Because if you lead with your shoulder you isolate the contact point into a very small area and the impact is far more focused and dangerous.
the wrap tackle is safer for both the tackler and the tackled player as it should in theory distribute the impact over a wider area.
By goodNumber10, at March 24, 2010 7:08 pm
What a load of crap, you always lead with the shoulder.
By Anonymous, at March 24, 2010 11:58 pm
didnt wrap...not good....
By Anonymous, at March 25, 2010 10:01 am
Jesus Christ, you don't have to wrap your arms round! You just have to try to!
That's the rule, you just have to make some attempt to get your arms around. Nothing else, you don't have to hug the guy, and it'd be the most retarded rule in the goddamn world if you did.
Anyone who knows how to tackle knows that the first thing you get taught (if your coach knows anything) is that you hit with the point of your shoulder then throw the arms around.
The only way to tackle is with your shoulder.
And this kind of a hit is a great part of the game, it should be applauded, but you get these whingy sukchole who don't understand the game crying about the wrap rule.
Go watch soccer or something.
By Tommo, at March 26, 2010 12:21 am
Gah wrapping!
The point of the rule is to stop people bracing their arm against the side and leaning in sideways for league style shoulder charge.
By RememberTheMer, at March 26, 2010 6:05 am
"Anyone who knows how to tackle knows that the first thing you get taught (if your coach knows anything) is that you hit with the point of your shoulder then throw the arms around."
Er!!! NO!
You don't lead with the point of your shoulder that's a great way to dislocate it.
You hit with the bridge of the shoulder, don't know the exact term, but it's the point between the neck and the point of the shoulder.
You should bring your arms up to wrap.
If your coach actually does know what he's talking about the first thing he teaches anyone is to hit the waist and slide down using momentum to bring them down.
These ball and all tackles are a throw over from league for head on tackling, you are looking to go with the bridge of the shoulder wrap with the arms and drive with the legs.
Anything else is dangerous and stupid on your behalf.
Wrapping distributes the force of the blow and should let you control the tackle and also stop them spinning away from you and the impact.
Remember if he's not held he can carry on playing.
By goodNumber10, at March 26, 2010 9:37 am
What you call the 'bridge' of the shoulder, I call the point.
And you always lead with the shoulder, that's what I was saying.
It's where you can take the impact, it's the only way to put on a solid shot.
Wrapping doesn't acheive much of anything, it doesn't distribute the force, because the vast majority of the force comes on initial impact, which is with the shoulder. You use the shoulder because you can basically channel all of your weight and momentum thru it.
You can't use your arms to do that.
And as I said, and you agreed with (while seemingly trying to disagree to prove a point or something) is you then throw your arms around, which often means grabbing and dragging the other player to the ground.
The wrap rule isn't about distributing force the way you suggest, it was brought in purely to stop players putting on league style shoulder charges (which aren't actually that dangerous, having been on the end of plenty of them), which is when you tuck your arms up and rush in side on to hit with only your shoulder.
Ironically, the principle is almost exactly the same as a normal tackle.
Anyone who's played league will tell you the wrap rule is kind of dumb anyway, shoulder charges aren't any worse than a normal hit really, they just look more specatcular because often one of the two players involved will go flying backwards.
And the wrap rule is quite clear.
It doesn't say you have to wrap your arms around (it's not actually called 'the wrap rule' either) it just says you have to make an attempt to get the arms round.
It's just to discourage pure shoulder charges, that's all.
By Anonymous, at March 29, 2010 12:11 am
what a maori keep the rat tail cuz maori styles
By urcuzzybro, at April 15, 2010 1:07 pm
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