Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Midweek Madness

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Midweek Madness - Rory Lamont flykick on Ayoola Erinle

If you were one of the 700 million viewers who watched the football World Cup final on the weekend, you would have seen the Netherlands' Nigel de Jong controversially kung fu kick Spain's Xabi Alonso in the midriff. While that was appalling, we’ve gone one better and pulled out this shocker from last season.

The clip comes from September last year in the French Top 14 as Biarritz beat Toulon 23-9. The incident at hand features England international Ayoola Erinle who plays the part of Alonso, while Rory Lamont comes in as De Jong.

As you’ll see, Scotsman Lamont launched himself in the air to take the high ball and unfortunately stretched his leg out, catching Erinle in the face, studs and all.

Erinle was left on the floor, seemingly unconscious, with blood pouring from his cheek. Lamont wasn’t punished for the flykick, as it was deemed to be unintentional. By all accounts it was accidental, and Erinle perhaps paid the price for being a little clumsy in the challenge, charging in without competing for the ball. Some will say it was Lamont who was clumsy though.

Whatever the case, as you can see in the last replay it was pretty spectacular looking and the impact was significant, although it was luckily somewhat of a glancing blow.

When getting up for that high ball , it’s probably a good idea to try keep control of your legs. The hurdling action isn’t appreciated by kick chasers. Just ask Ayoola.

Note: Apologies for the slight audio issues.

i was always told you throw your knee out like that because it not only helps you get higher, but is suppose to keep you from being tackeld in the air. if someone does try to take you out, the knee the get to the face is considered a good deterent or a fair punishment.

while they incidents look similar, their contexts are very different. de jong didnt look any where near the ball at any moment, while alonso was fairly contesting it. here lamont is catching the ball, while ayoola is no where near is and only seems to be in position for an in the air challenge. not that he deserved the kick in the face, bu it all seemed accidental where de jong's was cynical.

By miguel, at July 14, 2010 8:01 pm
Erinle on the wing?! :P

But seriously, that was a savage injury, although not at all Lamont's fault as he was doing what all good wingers/fullbacks do in jumping with his leg up

By RedYeti, at July 14, 2010 8:18 pm
Ouchers. Looked bad on the first shot, where you can see Erinle flop to the floor :S

It looks as if he would have taken lamont out in the air, so ironically would have probably been penalised himself.

By FrankyH, at July 14, 2010 8:25 pm
It really dosen't look like there is much contact at all at first, until you see Erinle flat out. Nasty one.

Got to love how Lamont lands, hands-off, spins and then charges making a good 10 metres before getting dragged down. If only he wasn't always injured imagine what Scotland would be like. Is it any coincidence that the last time he played, along with Thom vans and Chris Paterson, it was the first half of the Scotland-Wales game where Scotland ran absolute riot in attck!? I think not. If only we had their talent in depth! :(

By Believer, at July 14, 2010 9:21 pm
Miguel, same here, always lead with the knee for height and protection in the air.

Just unfortunate, Lamont's very clumsy in the air but Erinle was a little to eager to get in at him, if he'd timed it right he could have creamed him.

By goodNumber10, at July 14, 2010 9:22 pm
lol "Xavi" Alonso?

By Anon, at July 14, 2010 9:25 pm
The reason you jump knee up is protection, nothing more. It keeps your midsection/abdomen protected instead of exposed - much more important when in the "old days" your exposed abdomen would otherwise be just about shoulder level for someone to rip through you. It still also adds to being more compact and in a better landing position as you are extending your legs back out. The problem was not a raised leg, but rather a raised foot, with the cleats out. You are nto permitted to hurdle to protect players form the cleats, this to me was a deliberate act, as he clearly extends his legs out, then cleats forward. Even if it is not considered deliberate, it was at the least dangerous play (which needs not be deliberate) and warrants a penalty. Add to that it was very hard to see, even upon replays, and hard to say the refs got it wrong unless they admit to seeing the act - if that was the case it should have been a penalty...imho

By Anonymous, at July 14, 2010 9:47 pm
i dont agree with the above-plenty of players have made this action before,and plenty will do it again.the only difference is that this time,the chaser got hurt.its up to him to avoid the boot,as so many have done before

By that's what she, at July 14, 2010 10:03 pm
Typo.. fixed up now. :)

I thought it was an interesting clip anyway.

By GMC, at July 14, 2010 10:59 pm
For me studs up is a no no.

By t0m0, at July 14, 2010 11:19 pm
Ouch, foot + face not good.

By Anonymous, at July 15, 2010 12:21 am
Any one know anything about Lamonts injury? Scotland need him backk xx

By john, at July 15, 2010 12:29 am
i remember watching a currie cup match in the early 90s, uli schmidt was chasing a kick, jumped up to compete with the opposing fullback, threw his knee up, caught the ball and simultaneously smashed the fullback's nose deep into his face, spun off, landed, and scored a try. most badass few seconds of rugby i've ever seen...

By sacricketer, at July 15, 2010 1:18 am
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
that sounds totally made up

By Anonymous, at July 15, 2010 2:18 am
Unlucky. Still though I love the French commentators. My first language was French (I'm French-Canadian) and I still struggle to understand them.

By Chris_J, at July 15, 2010 2:19 am
if rugbydump can somehow magically pull video of the play i'm talking about, i'll name my first child rugbydump. i promise it happened...

By sacricketer, at July 15, 2010 3:08 am
Challenge accepted. I look forward to meeting little 'RD' one day.

By GMC, at July 15, 2010 8:44 am
That's a challenge we are all waiting for !

About Lamont and Erinle, it was a stupid accident, and fortunately, Erinle had no serious injury after that.

I wish Rory will come back fit as ever soon. But don't call him with Scotland anymore ! He used to get injuries there.

By 4LC4TR4Z, at July 15, 2010 9:13 am
full backs are instructed to catch high balls with the front leg out, to stop would be tacklers impeding them in any way. most full backs to do it

By jimmy mc, at July 15, 2010 10:06 am
forget erinle; whos that nurse hanging around while hes on the ground; id dive anyday to get her out to give me some "medical" attention!!!

By Kenny, at July 15, 2010 11:37 am
yeah seems accidnetal more than anything still feel very sorry for erinle as it wasn't like he was trying to take lamont out in the air.

that looked pretty damn painful

By Third Centre, at July 15, 2010 12:06 pm
I've actually been waiting for something like this to happen.....

So many times we see players taken out in the air, and i feared it was a matter of time before someone copped a big knee or studs.

This however just looked clumsy on both parts....and nasty.

Glad to see nothing came of it for either players...well...relatively speaking with Erinle....could have been much nastier...

By (u-p)rick, at July 15, 2010 12:38 pm
nigel de jong is the man!!

By Cheis, at July 15, 2010 1:42 pm
Hold on a second - this was not a case of "knee up" this was knee up with foot and studs out - MUCH different. I agree with above poster (5 or 6 up) that this is at the least "dangerous play" and should have been penalized. RD - can you find any other clips where the foot/studs come up as they clearly do here, and deliberately? I've watched plenty of rugby in my time and played about the same amount, and NEVER seen anyone throw the studs up like that...a knee no problem, but studs...no.

By Anonymous, at July 15, 2010 5:49 pm
Anonymous > totally agree.

By Dalma, at July 16, 2010 2:20 pm
Lifting a knee up would be fine, but Lamont's leg is extended horizontally with studs up at face level. Erinle got it in the jaw, but if he had leapt to compete for the catch he would have copped it in the nads. If done deliberately it would be a well dangeorus way to keep away the challengers - jump if you want but be ready for a mouthful.

I'm sure Lamont didn't mean it, but he is responsible for his own limbs. Its in the same realm as an accidental high tackle, or raising the knees in a tackle.

By Anonymous, at July 17, 2010 6:41 pm