Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tomas O'Leary's controversial tackle on Cian Healy
As Leinster charged towards the line, prop Cian Healy looked certain to score but with the tryline beckoning, he was taken high by Munster scrumhalf Tomas OLeary, knocking him to the floor and dislodging the ball in what proved to be a try saving tackle.
While Healy did lean into it as he was swerving, OLeary hit him pretty high, riding up and making contact with the face with his shoulder. By all means it looked like it would normally be called a high tackle, particularly based on the way Healy dropped like a sack of spuds.
Referee Owens initially ruled it was just a knock on, but it then got interesting as he decided to refer it to the TMO, justifying it by saying it was in the act of scoring a try, despite the tackle happening almost five meters out.
As with most decisions in rugby, it comes down to the referees interpretation of the laws, but this seemed to be a bit of a stretch perhaps? The TMO said it was too far out anyway, so Owens reverted to a penalty, rather than just making the call for a yellow card or penalty try himself.
Such is the respect that Owens commands, he seemed in complete control of the situation the whole time, and basically just gave OLeary a talking to and warning.
So while theres obviously tension between Leinster and Munster fans at the best of times, I thought it would still be interesting to post this and see what the general opinion is regarding the way it was dealt with by the officials. As a bonus the only try of the match, scored by Rob Kearney, is included in this post.
Posted at 2:39 pm | 72 comments
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Viewing 72 comments
Box May 19, 2010 5:19 pm

Mike May 19, 2010 6:08 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4wKr3DgynA&feature=related
I thought it was a simple run-in for Baby, he probably thought he'd just run over O'Leary. This man is the Anit-O'Gara.
View Video
jackohos May 19, 2010 6:14 pm

Anonymous May 19, 2010 6:20 pm

Anonymous May 19, 2010 6:21 pm

Anonymous May 19, 2010 7:02 pm

Anonymous May 19, 2010 7:08 pm

cheyanqui May 19, 2010 7:10 pm

He was too slow to call it on the pitch, so he's stretching the laws to make up for his blown call.
The TMO returns the favor by blowing the call of no penalty try, and no recommendation for a card.
cheyanqui May 19, 2010 7:11 pm

You're right about the knee. There was a Georgian hooker playing Top 14 a few weeks back who broke his ankle when he got hit by a swinging arm.
He fell like such a heap he broke it for himself.
Cymro May 19, 2010 7:11 pm

cheyanqui May 19, 2010 7:13 pm

If the referee can convince himself to use the TMO to rule on the foul play -- he said it was in the act of scoring the try.
How then could the penalty NOT be a penalty try?
Somehow it was in the act of scoring the try, yet too far out to award the Penalty Try (w/ Yellow).
Logically inconsistent
Mezza1982 October 19, 2011 9:48 am

Darren May 19, 2010 7:23 pm

Anonymous May 19, 2010 7:30 pm

That's really bad. Yellow and penalty try"
+1 !!!!
Bobby May 19, 2010 7:35 pm

cain healy May 19, 2010 7:38 pm

HamletScrummed May 19, 2010 7:39 pm

As for whether or not it was a definite try, I probably would have granted the penalty try. But I have seen what I thought were going to be unstoppable tries get stopped within 5 meters, let alone outside, so maybe Owen was trying to be too impartial?
Either way, though-- that tackle was intentionally high. No doubt in my mind.
Anrowa May 19, 2010 7:44 pm

Anonymous May 19, 2010 8:28 pm

(u-p)rick May 19, 2010 8:31 pm

well done o Leary... its a fucking mans game....'
Dont all you guys think the world is a odd place....i mean look at the above...This guy is just trying to be a fucker right...WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THIS VIDEO?!? "Tomas O'Leary's controversial tackle on Cian Healey"
HIS NAME IS IN THE TITLE, WHICH RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT 4 Inches away from where this message is being typed,....yet you still spelt it wrong.....
Anyway, onto the video...i gotta say i'd go with yellow and penalty try...
Ditto on the comment about Healey's knee/leg...those were my thoughts initially!
james May 19, 2010 8:43 pm

O'Leary may be big for a 9 but I do not think he would have stopped healy from getting the further 3 or 4 yards he needed for the score. A hit on a centre like a Baby is not a comparison to an International prop. Healy also a lot of pace for a front row-er and it was a dangerous tackle that stopped a certain try. Thankfully the match did not centre around this as the result would not have been different was the decision the one I had hoped for it to be.
mat May 19, 2010 8:44 pm

not a penalty try because the ball was lost in the initial hit on the shoulder. watch it again, he does rise up though and has got round his neck breifly.
just a penalty seems fair.
gotta say using TMO got the right descision but dont want to see it being used for everything within 5m of try line!
Pale sun May 19, 2010 8:46 pm

Anonymous May 19, 2010 8:50 pm

andy May 19, 2010 9:17 pm

(u-p)rick May 19, 2010 9:20 pm

Flooz May 19, 2010 10:01 pm

RD just highlight 2 videos with 2 players: Botha and O'leary who are often at the extreme limit of the legality. (i have to say that a good scrum half to be sneaky :))
But with all respect i have for o'leary, that tackle was just high and with his shoulder.
It was penalty try or yellow card.
As usual, Owens prove that he is the official referee of Munster...
Mike May 19, 2010 10:40 pm

But as I said, O'Leary is a very tough guy, even if this hit wasn't one of his best.
By the way, nicely worked try by Leinster too.
mise May 19, 2010 11:14 pm

Which is insane! A load of morons cheer him on over there, agreeing.
Anonymous May 19, 2010 11:56 pm

Xavier May 20, 2010 12:10 am

But I must go with yellow and penalty try.
Reckless, dangerous and illegal
johnny May 20, 2010 1:23 am

Anonymous May 20, 2010 1:43 am

darren May 20, 2010 3:26 am

As a neutral I agree entirely Cheyanqui, and I've seen penalty tries given for a lot less. Whether it was intentional or not is irrelevant, his hand was on the shoulder but his upper arm clearly takes him high and the head goes back.
For Owen to say that he should've just called a scrum is ridiculous, presumably he's seen the same video .. no wonder TMOs so often get it wrong. But that's sport I guess.
Anonymous May 20, 2010 8:00 am

Anonymous May 20, 2010 8:42 am

Stu
Anonymous May 20, 2010 8:54 am

I've a feeling that Healy and a lot of the more questionable players are really going to struggle in the summer tests. Should be interesting to see if Irealnd can live up to their recently deflated hype.
Anonymous May 20, 2010 9:17 am

Mike May 20, 2010 9:32 am

Agreed. I think after so many front-line players playing through the Lions tour, plus the age profile of several of them, we are going to get our usual beating down South.
Of course, when we beat the world champions at the end of their season last year, it was because they were tired, injured and didn't care. When we lose under the same conditions, it will be because we are rubbish :)
bob May 20, 2010 9:46 am

With lighter players their legs often follow through underneath them and the tackle looks a lot worse.
If you watch O'Leary's hit on Baby he had his full body behind baby and took an awful impact on the ground with Baby coming down on him.
If he did the same with Healy he'd have broken ribs with Healy coming down on top of him, that's why he only risked his shoulder and arm, to me it's a cowardly way of tackling that guys with good upper body strength often get away with.
The best tackle on a charging front-row has to be Denis Hickie against France back in 2000 (ish). He went low and hard and stopped a sure try legally.
That was before rugby league defence coaches started plying their trade in Union though.
Anonymous May 20, 2010 10:08 am

Too far out? i laughed so hard at that he was about a metre from the line lol with no covering tacklers
Fester May 20, 2010 10:32 am

hasif May 20, 2010 10:46 am

'cain healy said...
well done o Leary... its a fucking mans game....'
Dont all you guys think the world is a odd place....i mean look at the above...This guy is just trying to be a fucker right...WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THIS VIDEO?!? "Tomas O'Leary's controversial tackle on Cian Healey"
HIS NAME IS IN THE TITLE, WHICH RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT 4 Inches away from where this message is being typed,....yet you still spelt it wrong.....
Healey or Healy????
(u-p)rick you need to wear extra lens spectacles
Kenny May 20, 2010 11:18 am

Anonymous May 20, 2010 11:38 am

MCB May 20, 2010 12:13 pm

edbok May 20, 2010 12:28 pm

Don't know what the heck the TMO was supposed to do, pretty sure he's got no authority to advise that a PT should or should not be awarded.
(u-p)rick May 20, 2010 12:44 pm

I dont quite see what O'leary being a tough guy has to do with anything?!?
Hasif, the title has been changed, the e was in there, i copied and pasted it....and i was referring to the cian being cain....
RD May 20, 2010 12:49 pm

Anonymous May 20, 2010 1:37 pm

But why the hell do leinster fans need to bring in sad soccer and hill 16 chants into the game of rugby?? Very set of people!!
Connacht Rugby fan.
Chris Boy May 20, 2010 3:36 pm

Joseph May 20, 2010 4:54 pm

It was high and should have been a penalty try at least. Having Said that, Owens managed to come out of it smelling of roses and Kearney's try was awesome.
Anonymous May 20, 2010 7:40 pm

Huh!! the 3rd May 20, 2010 8:06 pm

In a way, I'm glad Munster lost. Hopefully it'll lead to some players being dropped, Horan, Hayes, I'm looking at you. Dave Ryan did very well when he replaced the hapless 'BULL'. He's 23, is already a better scrummager than all those selected for Summer tour and can play both sides. Now if MccGahan has the cojones to start him inside of the other 2 clowns.
Also. I've commented here previously about some of the hyperbole that goes with Munster fans, Grace of God shit and so on (I should know, I'm one), but the Leinster (or LONSTOR if your D4) fans chanting 'allez les blues' has to take the medal. Its alright if Leinster are playing a French side, better if its in France, and beating them, chant all you want, but in an Irish derby!!!; Retarded.
Anonymous May 21, 2010 12:19 am

Have to say the Leinster supporters chanting was disgraceful at times just like it was last September. That kind of behaviour belongs at football matches
Joeschmo May 21, 2010 4:49 am

That's why his legs buckle, he got knocked out. That floppy leg thing is the same thing you see in boxing and MMA when a punch hits at just the right angle to knock the brain up against the skull and turn the lights out for a few seconds.
I doubt it was malicious, but definitely warranted a penalty and arguable a try.
Kenny May 21, 2010 9:05 am

You mean the GOYS
Lunsters are people from Leinster particularly around D4 walking around with Munster jerseys on.
"but the Leinster (or LONSTOR if your D4) fans chanting 'allez les blues' has to take the medal. Its alright if Leinster are playing a French side, better if its in France, and beating them, chant all you want, but in an Irish derby!!!; Retarded."
SOUR GRAPES mate; as a Munster fan id say it was horrible being at the RDS especially when Heaslip used Ronan O fucking Gara as a mobile shoe shine!!
"Have to say the Leinster supporters chanting was disgraceful at times just like it was last September. That kind of behaviour belongs at football matches"
What are the fans meant to do; sit down and stay quiet; its a provincial derby and in September Munster lost it 30-0. Now if thats not a reason for Leinster fans to chant and be merry, what is.
Get over it Munster fans including Lunsters
Manu May 21, 2010 10:26 am

Ben May 21, 2010 1:39 pm

And I have to comment on this about all the nonsense posted above. Those thinking O'Leary hit the shoulder first and slid up, what video are they watching? O'Leary's upper arm snacks into Healy's chin, while his wrist hits the shoulder. If Healy's head had been up, it would have been on his throat. Clearly high, and should be a penalty try and yellow card.
Chucky May 21, 2010 2:27 pm

Huh!! the 3rd May 21, 2010 8:26 pm

I actually didn't mind O'Gara being done. Not like it hasn't happened before. I'm a fan of great bollocking charges whether its for or against my team. Also, I agree with your comments to the anon below me. Its fair game. Munster fans had their oportunities up until last season, now the Leinster fans have bragging rights. That doesn't bother me unlike some of my fickle co supporters.
deadeyedave May 22, 2010 8:08 am

Except...........Cian Healey did a Hollywood! Did he lie down due to embarrassment at blowing a certain try. The I'm poleaxed routine wasn't a pretty sight from Mr Tough Guy.
Cian Healey could develop into the prop that Ireland needs but I wish he would play rugby, stop running his mouth and learn his trade.
For the record I am NOT a Munsterman.
Johnno May 22, 2010 7:24 pm

An anonymous stated this above somewhere, personally without trying to cause offence it is that comment that is absurd.....
When I was a schoolboy we had a damn good first team set up (i'll add i was in it) So obviously our players were pretty key and losing a good player was frustrating, BUT we also used to do a 'House Sevens' tournament, this was where each of our school houses played against each other...
When you are in a team you play for that team, you dont play for tomorrows team or next weeks team, or last weeks team!!! We'd probably come out with more black eyes and injuries from one sevens tournament than a whole year of first team rugby....
So to say he wouldnt hurt a fellow international...is ridiculous, i doubt international crossed his mind when making that tackle....well perhaps 'trysaver, give me kudos so i get selected' ....but nothing about Cian














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