HIGASHIOSAKA, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 28: Guido Petti Pagadizabal of Argentina drops the ball as Siale Piutau of Tonga tackles during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group C game between Argentina and Tonga at Hanazono Rugby Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Tonga’s big hits show how to make an impact with the tackle [video]
Tonga did a great job of showing that a tackle doesn’t need to be illegal to make an impact on the game in their Rugby World Cup match against Argentina.
HIGASHIOSAKA, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 28: Guido Petti Pagadizabal of Argentina drops the ball as Siale Piutau of Tonga tackles during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group C game between Argentina and Tonga at Hanazono Rugby Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Tonga have embraced the tackle framework well and showed the world how to make an impact with a legal hit against Argentina.
The match was not without controversy as Argentina were lucky to escape without conceding a penalty try for a hit that was far from legal and prevented a try being scored. Once again the referees failed to use the technology at hand and made another glaring error.
Tonga’s game is known for being fast and physical but at times in the past they have had the tendency to go high and not use their arms but there was no hint of that against the Pumas.
The Islanders showed great technique in their tackling, hitting in the midriff, wrapping the arms and driving into the contact with legs pumping.
There were moments where Tonga flirted with the illegal, such as this contact near the goal line but again the tackler goes low and makes an attempt to wrap the arm around as the attscker bounced away.
Argentina couldn’t get on the board in the second half as Tonga lifted their game but their slow start proved too much to overcome.
It was hits like the one below that kept Argentina quiet on attack and yet again the Tongans flew into challenges low with perfect body position and showed how effective the traditional tackle can be.
Tonga were a delight to watch on defence and attack and it mist be said that they are a side that brings so much to world rugby and the Rugby World Cup.
They were given some reward in the second forty minutes and scored through one of the best finishes in the tournament to date.
The World Cup has so far proven very difficult for the officials with seemingly every decision sparking a massive debate.
Tackle framework chat
Australian coach Michael Cheika felt that his team were victimized by a three week suspension for Reece Hodge after his shoulder shot in the Wallabies opening game against Fiji.
“I wanted to just say something at the start about some chat around that the framework wasn’t spoken to about to the players, it came out in the judgement, he put it in there, the judge. I want to make a couple of points from me,” he told reporters.
“The framework is for referees, not for players, to decide whether there are yellow or red cards in the game. And I think they are using that framework very well in matches, myself.
“Secondly, our players are taught to tackle middle. We are coached to tackle middle. We don’t need the framework to teach us where to tackle because they are all taught to tackle middle, around here.
“I’m not sure where that chat is coming from or why but I just want to get it out there that we don’t need the frame work to tell us where to tackle.
“We’re not teaching anyone to tackle anywhere else except the middle where we can dislodge a ball.”
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