Sunday, May 10, 2009
Brett Sheehan shoulder knocks Brad Barritt out cold

The Sharks look to have ruined their chances of a Super 14 Semi Final place after going down 16-12 to the Waratahs in Durban on Saturday. Coming from behind twice, the Waratahs kept the Sharks tryless to record a determined win.
Brett Sheehan made his 50th NSW appearance when he came on from the bench. It might well be his last game for them though, as he has signed for the Force, and will more than likely miss the rest of the tournament after this hit.
The two test Wallaby put the late shoulder in on Sharks center Brad Barritt, only a minute from full time.
Barritt, who returned this week from his stint in England with Saracens, was knocked out cold from the impact of the shoulder, and unfortunately had a few players land on top of him while lying there receiving treatment.
Whether Sheehan will be cited or not remains to be seen, but theres no doubt that he was lucky to get away with it on the field, as neither ref nor assistant refs saw it.
Time: 02:48
Posted at 2:39 pm | 68 comments
Posted in Big Hits & Dirty Play
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Viewing 68 comments
Diederick May 10, 2009 7:20 pm

Anonymous May 10, 2009 7:25 pm

Anonymous May 10, 2009 7:58 pm

Anthony May 10, 2009 8:00 pm

Kerivoula May 10, 2009 8:17 pm

So many of these incidents have two sides to the argument, but there's no excuse for this one. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Chuck the book at him.
P.S. Any news on Barritt? It would be a shame to lose him to the last games of the season.
Anonymous May 10, 2009 8:19 pm

BamBam May 10, 2009 8:37 pm

Anonymous May 10, 2009 8:39 pm

clearly high
clearly no intent to wrap arms
clearly knew what he was doing
and no need for it at all.
should be off for a long time.
Anonymous May 10, 2009 8:47 pm

BEN May 10, 2009 8:49 pm

Shoulder
No attempt to catch the player
stupid and dangerous tackle...
cheyanqui May 10, 2009 10:03 pm

Looked very "league-ish" in nature.
At this level of play, guys must be in control of their bodies, and this play was reckless.
Guy deserves a 3-wk ban -- at least guaranteeing he's done for the S14 final.
My first sentence is May 10, 2009 10:18 pm

themull May 10, 2009 10:32 pm

Even if the player had of had the ball it would have been pretty bad but because its a late hit he defo needs to be punished..
jamestheconvict May 10, 2009 11:03 pm

Half of you came out saying there is nothing wrong with them
yeah - nothing wrong with them at all
Anonymous May 10, 2009 11:14 pm

caucau's no.1 fan May 10, 2009 11:20 pm

the reason was that it was high. if he had wrapped his arms round, chances are his shoulder still would have gone into barritts face and knocked him out.
Anonymous May 10, 2009 11:43 pm

gogrugbynut
REPLY ASAP May 11, 2009 1:09 am

Are there better 6's in the AB team?
Anonymous May 11, 2009 1:22 am

Anonymous May 11, 2009 2:37 am

and for that lad makin the tackle, he should feck off and play rugby leauge for himself, cowardly shite
Anonymous May 11, 2009 6:15 am

Soft as shite, some of the comments on this site.
Anonymous May 11, 2009 6:31 am

Ted May 11, 2009 8:04 am

To the macho blokes saying 'everyone's soft as shite' -that's just posturing. Any one of you wouldn't ever put your boots on ever again if you got hit with a late cheap shot like this.
Madflyhalf May 11, 2009 9:06 am

Should be red carded immediatly.
4 weeks
Wagga Magpie May 11, 2009 9:20 am

GDutch May 11, 2009 9:44 am

Should video-ref be extended to these moments, where the ref can prompt a review when a player is down?
Anonymous May 11, 2009 10:06 am

Throw the book at him, there's no place for that in rugby. Ban him for the max time for a late high shot.
Steve
Anonymous May 11, 2009 10:30 am

Anonymous May 11, 2009 10:38 am

Anonymous May 11, 2009 11:10 am

Eye gouging is another thing entirley, far more disgusting. That is the act of a coward and a scumbag.
This was just reckless and late. A week or two's ban and we all move on.
Boz May 11, 2009 1:45 pm

He had commited to the tackle, saw the ball was gone, pulled up and braced himself for the hit. Had he wrapped and finished the tackle, then it would be late.
He did not tuck the arm, did not lanuch himself, he just went into contact. Had Barritt just bounced off (and stayed awake) it would be no different than the type of incidental contat that happens all the time.
If there was no injury nobody would even be talking about this.
Anonymous May 11, 2009 3:02 pm

*FFK*FLAKKA May 11, 2009 3:55 pm

Eoghan May 11, 2009 4:50 pm

Boz...you might well be right (had their been no one knocked out)...this incident shows just why this kind of tackle has to be dealt with by a ban - it has potential to knock you the feck out lol. It should be hammered every time its caught.
jaco May 11, 2009 5:43 pm

Chris May 11, 2009 6:30 pm

Sheehan has been let off the hook and won't face any sanction.
Source:
http://www.keo.co.za/2009/05/11/sheehan-cited/
Anonymous May 11, 2009 8:20 pm

Anonymous May 11, 2009 8:54 pm

martin-offload May 11, 2009 9:19 pm

Anonymous May 11, 2009 10:33 pm

In the north, maybe cuz of the influence of soccer, you lot have the biggest cry everytime someone get's hit a bit late or someone gets knocked out.
So soft.
I honestly doubt many of you have ever played the game.
Anonymous May 11, 2009 10:57 pm

gogrugbynut
Anonymous May 12, 2009 4:38 am

Anonymous May 12, 2009 7:40 am

Anonymous May 12, 2009 10:46 am

cheyanqui May 12, 2009 1:15 pm

The citing process seems shamefully inconsistent. In a former life, a ZA rugby team would have exacted immediate punishment on the pitch.
Were this "Natal" and not the, uh
"Sharks", you would have seen a little dust up, and this guy sorted out.
I'm not defending taking the law into your own hands. But perhaps I might like to see the return of the boots. At least this way, at the next ruck this guy gets a Dallaglio special.
cheyanqui May 12, 2009 1:18 pm

With that concern in the back of your head, players might not be so reckless.
In the modern / professional game, you have very little fear of retribution.
The National Hockey League in North American has struggled with player-on-player enforcement. Some say that it actually opens up the game and allows players to protect their mates. Others think that it slows the game down.
That aside, looking to the citing commissioners for justice seems like pie in the sky.
No.7 May 12, 2009 4:03 pm

the rules are there for a reason, Barritt might not have been knocked out and might not have even flinched its not the point, the point is the rules of tackling were broken... just the same as McCaw loves a bit of handling in the ruck, fairplay when he gets away with it, but you cant bitch if he gets caught and sinbinned....
if a player made every tackle a spear tackle but none of the opposition blinked about it and were fine, would you not make an issue about it? the fact is that one day the player may break someones neck.....
Brett Sheehan could have caused Barritt a lot of damage besides just knocking him out, and the fact is examples have to be made. and this is a prime example case....a clear reason why we dont tackle like league players because someone is going to get injured.
The simple fact is if we were playing league we would expect something like that, and brace accordingly......this video is like Barritt playing a quiet game of bowls while Sheehan sneaks up with a paintball gun......kinda different games if you hadnt noticed!!!
Im not sorry for the long rant!
Anonymous May 12, 2009 10:08 pm

Suck it up princess.
Anonymous May 13, 2009 12:32 am

Anonymous May 13, 2009 5:59 am

We need to stamp getting hurt out of the game! Thuggery and balderdash I say!
I'd like to see a game where everyone is happy all the time and we can prance about the field, lightly tapping each other on the shoulder and politley remarking "you're it!"
No.7 May 13, 2009 7:56 pm

Suck it up princess."
I take it you didnt go to school then.....
or incase you dont understand that, i take it you cant read!
Dalma May 13, 2009 9:47 pm

Must be suspended.
Anonymous May 13, 2009 11:16 pm

Anonymous May 14, 2009 9:48 pm

gogrugbynut
















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