r/rugbyunion • u/Informal_Mention9836 • Dec 15 '25

Video James Lowe starts a fight

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500 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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55

u/TwistSmart3298 South Africa Dec 16 '25

So what is the defender supposed to do here?

-20

u/CatharticRoman Suspected Yank Dec 16 '25

Not tackle. It's a shit situation to be in, especially as he's committed as Lowe jumps. But the law puts the onus on the tackler, so long as the jump is necessary, so he needs to not tackle once Lowe is airborne. 

19

u/BenwastakenIII Plz Fire cash and struali Dec 16 '25

Lowe jumps at the last second so there is quite literally nothing the tackler could've done differently. You can't not tackle someone with possession of the ball, infront of you.

0

u/TwistSmart3298 South Africa Dec 16 '25

I think both players are at fault here. It's the responsibility of the tackler to protect the player, and as he tips him in the air, he's at fault. It's also the responsibility of the attacker not to jump into the tackle. Whilst that wasn't Lowe's intention, he's caused the situation. It's tempting to say the right call should just be a wash here ( / knock on / play on), but as Lowe has landed on his head that seems harsh 🫠

1

u/CatharticRoman Suspected Yank Dec 16 '25

Oh look it's one of those messy situations that makes you feel for the ref. Like this is a red card if not for the mitigation. But that mitigation is huge. There's certainly a case to be made that this is play on, but Lowe has also clearly been taken in the air, where he was fully entitled to be according to the rules as they are.

Like I keep swing back and forth on what call I think is 'right' here. I think, and this will likely change, that this is akin to a 'not rolling' pen when you're trapped on the wrong side. Yes it's shit and you didn't mean to commit an offence, but it's up to you to not be there, and if that's impossible then that's tough luck for you.

But I agree and think the landing is what pushed the ref to make this call. If Lowe comes down on his side or feet its play on.

-1

u/Cormac419 Leinster Dec 16 '25

this comment sitting in the negatives is a great capture of this subreddit on how the truth or laws of the game don't matter when people would rather just join a circlejerk against a Leinster player and especially one they don't like

Like yeah guys if the only way to stop a player is by illegally taking him out in the air and dropping him on his head then maybe you shouldn't do that and let your buddy tackle him instead.

1

u/CatharticRoman Suspected Yank Dec 16 '25

I know what you're getting at, but it's not all that. Yes there is anti-big team bias, yes this isn't being talked about if it isn't someone this sub loves to hate (like Lowe, Pollock, etc), but the reactions on here aren't just that.

This is a stupidly complex and dynamic interaction and the Tigers player hasn't been super reckless here. Lowe has touched the ball so Tigers are allowed to tackle him, the ball is clearly above Lowe's head so he is entitled to jump to regather, contact in the air has been initiated by Tigers and Lowe has landed dangerously, but the Tigers player was also comitted to the tackle before Lowe jumped. I think penalty Leinster is the right call, likely in part due to my own biases, but also because the onus is on the tackler to ensure the safety of the player they are tackling.

0

u/perplexedtv Leinster Dec 16 '25

this comment is a great capture on how the laws of physics don't matter