Monday, March 22, 2010
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 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, whos 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."
Hes 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. Rangers 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.
"Im disappointed that I was involved in something and that it has got to this stage. Its not good for me or my family and its not good on the team," said Ranger.
"Its now in the courts 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: 0:50
Posted at 12:23 pm | 36 comments
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Posted in Big Hits & Dirty Play
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Viewing 36 comments
Benson March 22, 2010 1:24 pm
VMC RFC March 22, 2010 1:26 pm
Benson March 22, 2010 1:32 pm
Jeroz March 22, 2010 1:39 pm
JLH March 22, 2010 1:40 pm
Teddy Bruckshot March 22, 2010 2:14 pm
luxi March 22, 2010 6:11 pm
just checking, but i suppose Christian Lealiifano is an pacific island-born player...
Joost March 22, 2010 6:28 pm
Anonymous March 22, 2010 9:10 pm
Bobby Nations March 22, 2010 9:13 pm
Anonymous March 22, 2010 9:18 pm
.....
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.
school lunch time. March 22, 2010 11:09 pm
Sweet hit and sweet inside pass.
FrankyH March 22, 2010 11:15 pm
Ben March 22, 2010 11:18 pm
despite the poor FRA vs ENG match, there was a great crunchy hit from dusautoir on lewis moody.
if RD can find out it ;)
Tui March 23, 2010 12:53 am
Anonymous March 23, 2010 2:01 am
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.
Anonymous March 23, 2010 2:03 am
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.
Anonymous March 23, 2010 5:10 am
Anonymous March 23, 2010 6:02 am
Anonymous March 24, 2010 7:20 am
You may not be scottish, but you are of scottish de...cent...sent..(i dunno how to spell it)
goodNumber10 March 24, 2010 6:08 pm
"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.
Anonymous March 24, 2010 10:58 pm
Tommo March 25, 2010 11:21 pm
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.
RememberTheMer March 26, 2010 5:05 am
The point of the rule is to stop people bracing their arm against the side and leaning in sideways for league style shoulder charge.
goodNumber10 March 26, 2010 8:37 am
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.
Anonymous March 28, 2010 10:11 pm
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.
urcuzzybro April 15, 2010 11:07 am
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