Friday, March 05, 2010
Simon Raiwalui suspended for big stiff-arm

Racing Metro lock Simon Raiwalui has been suspended for 30 days for a stiff-arm late challenge that he put in on Castress hooker Aksenti Giorgadze when the two sides met a couple of weeks ago.
The sides actually drew 24-24 on the day, but it was overshadowed by two yellow cards, and this hit by Raiwalui, who actually wasnt one of the two players sent to the sin-bin.
The hit was late, high, and pretty malicious, resulting in Giorgadze having to leave the field with not only a concussion, but a fracture of the tibia and ankle, which happened during his fall.
The former Sale Sharks and Saracens player, Fijian Raiwalui, escaped punishment on the day, but the video told all, with him being cited and later suspended for 30 days.
This transgression is yet another big suspension for Racing Metro, following on from their scrumhalf, Mathieu Lore, being suspended for four months for cannabis use.
Source: lerugbynistere
Posted at 5:44 pm | 42 comments
Posted in Big Hits & Dirty Play
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Viewing 42 comments
Anonymous March 05, 2010 5:14 pm

VMC RFC March 05, 2010 5:37 pm

Can we please have some continuity
In The Pack March 05, 2010 5:44 pm

HM March 05, 2010 5:51 pm

He's lucky the hooker had such a short (no) neck. That would have looked really nasty on a gangly back with a scrawny neck.
P.S. Attoub ban upheld. Result! Guazzini can suck nuts.
Scotsdale March 05, 2010 5:59 pm

The Inside Shoulder March 05, 2010 6:30 pm

Doesnt do anything to help the Islanders reputation of making illegal hits either.
Anonymous March 05, 2010 7:47 pm

Anonymous March 05, 2010 8:13 pm

1.Broken tibia
2.Broken ankle
3.Concussion
4.Late
5.High
6.And it was a stiff arm..or swinging arm...
looking at that list, he seems lucky to have 4 weeks....
cheyanqui March 05, 2010 8:23 pm

Teammate's tackle was fine and clean. However, the concussive shot of Raiwalui probably made the tackled player limp like a sack of potatoes, and thus he got folded over.
If the ball carrier was only taking a 1v1 hit from the legal tackler, the leg injury may have been less likely.
wye March 05, 2010 9:10 pm

ercrugby.com/images/content/cupstandard/IRB_Sanctions.pdf
Looks like Raiwalui got a lower-to-mid-range suspension for 10.4(e). Seems pretty consistent to me...
Burger's suspension was a joke, so let's not hold the citing officials to that piss-poor standard.
In The Pack, I believe that RD was referring to what's known (to the IRB, even) as a "stiff-arm tackle" - which is different than a "hand off/stiff-arm".
"A stiff arm tackle is where the tackler tries to knock the player with the ball over using a stiff arm action instead of wrapping his arm around the player's body as required by the laws."
Ireland for WC 2011 March 05, 2010 9:14 pm

that said,30 day ban justified.as already said,hit was late and high
Tony March 05, 2010 9:46 pm

That's like a glaswegian ned saying it was his victim's fault for puting his heart in front of the ned's knife in a murder trial !!! Thin Skull Rule !!!!
Brennie March 05, 2010 9:59 pm

3/4 centre March 05, 2010 10:00 pm

3/4 centre March 05, 2010 10:00 pm

Anonymous March 05, 2010 11:07 pm

Anonymous March 06, 2010 12:49 am

abs7 March 06, 2010 12:51 am

No.7 March 06, 2010 1:33 am

the broken leg comes from Raiwalui's teammate running the guy over.'
No it doesnt Raiwalui landed on top of him after the stiff arm hit.
The tackle in question (if you can call it that) happens at 11 seconds.
I think you mistook for the one at 4-5 secs.
30 days is just, although more wouldnt have been surprising.
Jon March 06, 2010 3:05 am

I'm certain that it wasn't intentional, but you can't let tackles like that go, so a couple of games on the sideline if fair.
Jon March 06, 2010 3:06 am

It's just a late high hit.
Insane Stuff March 06, 2010 4:31 am

Dan Mc March 06, 2010 9:38 am

Watch his eyes, he lined him up to hit him high with a straight arm, and because he had no interest in where the ball was he hit him late too. He deserves what he got.
Anonymous March 06, 2010 12:07 pm

Juggernauter March 06, 2010 4:04 pm

Tom March 06, 2010 4:59 pm

Banning Islanders from the game??
What a stupid messed up, racist thing to say.
Anonymous March 06, 2010 7:39 pm

Anonymous March 06, 2010 11:20 pm

It was just a very agressive shoulder charge which had the desired effect but cost him 4 weeks. Seems right.
Hendrick March 07, 2010 6:31 am

Silly little saffa March 07, 2010 9:27 am

Anonymous March 07, 2010 11:49 am

get highights of castrogiovani's man of the match performance!! and his intercept try was awesome! ty RD
Anonymous March 07, 2010 6:10 pm

Shaft March 08, 2010 8:39 am

Ban fully deserved.
Eoghan March 08, 2010 9:17 am

No problem with the ban.
I wish people would stop with the 'Shalk Burger only got x so how can this be y' BS. Burger should have go longer, end of. His outcome has not now set the benchmark for upper end bans.
Anonymous March 08, 2010 11:14 am

Drogba and co need to see this!
Anonymous March 08, 2010 9:35 pm

High, late, Swinging arm. Contact with the jaw was reckless being kind - looked intentional to me.
No problem with the ban.
I wish people would stop with the 'Shalk Burger only got x so how can this be y' BS. Burger should have go longer, end of. His outcome has not now set the benchmark for upper end bans.'
Well said.....everyone, even bok fans (sensible ones) agree he was very lucky to be banned for such a small amount of time....and as you said he has not set a precedent.
Agree also with the anonymous above.....Players having at each other throwing punches is not nice but in my eyes it is an acceptable level of illegal behaviour...i mean that in the sense that 'it happens' and it should not be cried about (but still punished) but this was really thought about and timed....and this stuff is going to ruin someone really bad one day, it already ruined this guys year.
Anonymous March 12, 2010 1:23 am

It beats me how the islanders (Samoa, Fiji and Tonga) go to the IRB and cry that no international team wants to play with them when we see stuff like this every week... Of course you don't want to play with guys who'd rather coat han/spear tackle/high tackle/gang tackle you than make good hits. Disgusting. Shaun Edwards should go and teach these guys what defence is all about.
can Shaun Edwards show me how to climb on a coconut? i dont think so














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