Nonu cleared
15 Mar 2010
A judiciary has found Hurricanes centre Ma’a Nonu not guilty of foul play.
Nonu was yellow-carded last week in the Canes’ loss to the Cheetahs for a spear-tackle on Juan Smith, and was lucky not to be cited for that infringement. He fell foul of the law again for his tackle on Peter Grant in the 71st minute of their 37-13 loss to the Stormers on Saturday.
On Monday, Sanzar judicial officer Rob Stelzner considered evidence from the player, referee Steve Walsh, video recordings and heard submissions from Nonu’s representative.
Stelzner deemed Nonu’s tackle did not breach Law 10.4 (e) and adjudged that in an attempt to make the tackle, his arm slid upwards on impact with Grant’s ball-carrying arm. He ruled that there was no impact above the line of the shoulders.
In the circumstances he ruled that a penalty was sufficient punishment and as a result, the Hurricanes centre will be available for selection for his side’s next match against the Bulls on Friday.
157 Comments
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14 Mar 2010, 23:33 pm
@poppa69: thanks for the info boet, was a good read. Damn rugby was hard back then.
14 Mar 2010, 23:40 pm
@rangerman: @Mustard: I was fortunate to see the man play, hence trying to decide on Zinny or Buck is so difficult for me..
What a life Ranger, hope the fishing was grand and the diving serene..
there are some vids on youtube, not sure if they show his play at all, but there is one of him leading the Haka…
14 Mar 2010, 23:43 pm
http: //www(dot)youtube.com/watch?v=ItPmdSpBamk
this is a tribute to him, just watching it myself now..
replace the parenthesis and remove the spaces
14 Mar 2010, 23:58 pm
@poppa69: who do u think is the front runner for the no 8 jumper for the tri nations? Luaki has been dissapionting and Soailo pat hes use by date. Read or Kaino maybe?
15 Mar 2010, 01:03 am
@Mustard: I would think read is the likely candidate…and the way Braid is playing, I would like to see him and McCaw as the flankers…depends if they will relax the laws for those in Aussie… with Kaino as an alternative blindside.. the Saders have been playing McCaw at blindside, so think the ABs might try the same approach
15 Mar 2010, 01:12 am
Hopelik kry Ma’a Nonu nou wat hy al verlede week moes kry – 2 weke se verpligte rus. Was dit Bakkies of Schalk Burger of JP Nel sou hulle 3-4 weke gekry het.
Praat van Schalk, hy speel vir my weer baie goeie rugby vanjaar en sy span lyk baie goed. Sal sien hoe hanteer hulle die Cheetahs. My geliefde Bulls sal blitsig die verdediging moet uitsorteer – sommer Vrydagaand assseblief.
15 Mar 2010, 01:42 am
@poppa69: Reds have been good with Braid, his maturity is helping the boys aplenty. I hope for the Red sake the ARU look at him favourably.
I reckon the blindside fit for McCaw is smart, it leaves Henry’ options wide open to play him either side depending on form. Kaino looks pretty good too, another year may be all he needs.
15 Mar 2010, 01:45 am
@Tjokker: Dunno Jokker, I didn’t watch the match (4.ooam) is a bit rich. If he gets a suspension it could help the Canes, he has been not good this season.
15 Mar 2010, 02:40 am
@RugbyRulz: I think Braid leaving Auckland has rejuvenated him, he is finally in a pack that works as a unit (and as a blues fan thats what irks me about them)… I also like McCaw at 6, though we dont really have anyone stepping up and demanding the 7 spot.. they are all very young, guys like Whitelock, Vito etc… Id still prefer a robust no. 8, with Read at 6 and McCaw in his preferred posi, but would be quite happy to have a Braid, McCaw, Read loose trio..
15 Mar 2010, 03:02 am
@poppa69: The AB loose trio needs to be settled this year. looks like soiaolo is on the outter especially after the last few games. what about kaino, messam, thompson?
agree that mccaw could establish himself at blind, but feel that read does a better job there than at 8. although i dont rate read a better blind than kaino or thompson or even messam. he has more bulk it seems but he isnt as destructuve type of player as the other 2.
that said it seems with the way the last few rounds have been, the bigger opensiders are fairing a bit better. on here there been comments about how the change in rule interpretation has given the bigger opensides a foot in the door.
i wonder if henry will stick with mccaw at 7, or will test him a few more times at 8. dont think he will play him at 6. it seems at 6 for the saders he is a bit too far from the action where is world class.
i’d like to see an AB trio of
7 messam, 6 Read/Kaino, 8 mccaw
15 Mar 2010, 03:20 am
Really think the Republic has the best bunch of loosies at the moment.
15 Mar 2010, 03:54 am
its been a while since nz has unearthed a freakish loosie talent that the coaches have bought into. other than messam the last few years, well since mccaw came into the test arena there hasnt really been anything.
surely they are due for a freak. before mccaw was kronfeld, before him the iceman, zinny.
15 Mar 2010, 04:12 am
Agree. Still think McCaw is the best in the business. But NZ now needs more than one freak to compete with SA.
15 Mar 2010, 04:19 am
@Rugbyfiction: vito is probably nz’s closest to something like spies, but he doesnt have the same size.
there are some guys who culd still make the step up colin bourke, stephano and vito come to mind, but get impression henry has gone for read already and will chuck all his eggs in that basket and hope it delivers.
15 Mar 2010, 05:12 am
@Tomsta: No other country has a Spies, he is unique and suited to the Bok game. That does not mean a clone would necessarily suit another teams style. As long as the Bok game is successful, many little Spies-es will be cloned; it stands to reason. A perfect example of this is Shane Warne’ influence. Every kid in Australia instantly thought spin was cool. Jury is still out on his texting skills
15 Mar 2010, 06:22 am
This guy is a walking card. Thinks he is untouchable as well. Don’t need doos’s like him on the park!
15 Mar 2010, 08:01 am
i thought the brumbies winger that shoulder charged odwa should have been cited too.
15 Mar 2010, 09:38 am
@poppa69: Braid’s a prospect, but is he eligible to play for NZ?
15 Mar 2010, 10:04 am
Nonu’s tackle looked fine to me. Across the chest.
“we’re not playing tiddly winks” are we now.
15 Mar 2010, 10:08 am
@cane: C’mon dude…he tried to take Grant’s head off…Carter would have been hospitalised ..no fair..!
15 Mar 2010, 10:10 am
@cane: Lol I actually agree, but had it been Bakkies on Danny Boy you’d be in a foaming froth
15 Mar 2010, 10:18 am
@Atreides:
You got that right Atreides, Bakkies only has to appear on my TV screen and I’m purple with rage.
A couple of stiff Johnny Walkers and the blood pressure is back to near normal.
15 Mar 2010, 10:21 am
@Storm outta hell:
I only saw his arm go across the shoulder and chest of Peter Grant. I’m sure Grant felt it, but it was not a decapitation.
15 Mar 2010, 10:22 am
@cane: I’ll get Bakkies to blow you a kiss when he’s back on the pitch
15 Mar 2010, 10:23 am
@cane: The way Grant’s head whipped back sure looked like a decapitation…
15 Mar 2010, 10:31 am
@Storm outta hell:
whiplash.
He came to a sudden stop.
15 Mar 2010, 10:34 am
@cane: Might as well have been an uppercut..!
15 Mar 2010, 11:05 am
@cane: Lol I know the feeling, I used to get it watching Kelleher…
15 Mar 2010, 11:28 am
@Atreides:
What could Lord Byron ever do to upset anyone?
15 Mar 2010, 11:33 am
@Storm outta hell:
Yeah I agree…………..”You may as well be hung for a sheep, as a lamb”.
The SAFFA judiciary are going to crucify Ma’a anyway………………..So he may as well have given poor Pete an Upper Cut.
15 Mar 2010, 11:45 am
@cane: I dunno…the SAFFA judiciary are notoriosly slack on these things,more likely to see it your way and give him the doubt as a straight arm,more so ’cause Bash just shrugged it off…but he sure looked like a crash test dummy
15 Mar 2010, 12:09 pm
@Storm outta hell:
I will accept the Judiciaries findings, without rancor, based purely upon your post.
15 Mar 2010, 14:12 pm
@Tomsta: forgot about thompson
would be in my squad, but not starting…great replacement to change the game plan. Though on further reflection, Thompson and McCaw is quite decent because of his work rate too
as stated before, we need a robust number 8, no one has really stood up and asked for it, we havent unearthed a decent one since Zinny really.
weve generally always produced decent 8s, but we are thin there IMO. not necessarily a Spies mould, though think he would work in NZs game plan perfectly..
Zinny, Iceman, Kronfield, McCaw some good players missed out to like Mike Brewer…
Messam needs to mature as a player IMO, often gets isolated from his supports, and lacks confidence in test match rugby.. but not sure the coaches really brought into him either..
15 Mar 2010, 18:49 pm
Sooooooo…cleared.
Nonu hit Spies in the throat last year in Wellington, got off free too.
Well, I sure hope Wynand Olivier plants his colourful head in the Loftus turf like he did to Del Malmanche.
15 Mar 2010, 18:56 pm
….so lucky… does that make him fair game?
15 Mar 2010, 19:01 pm
Well he’s definitely going to pull stunts on Fryday, last chance in Africa. How upset an honest team: play negative dirty rugby.
15 Mar 2010, 20:14 pm
olivier & dippenaar vs nonu & smith…hhmm??? Should be a juicy clash, but i know Snakey can bamboozle dippenaar!
15 Mar 2010, 20:34 pm
Thank goodness. Now we don’t have to hear it was because Nonu wasn’t there if we win.
15 Mar 2010, 20:56 pm
Things were much simpler in the past
The teams took care of the like of Nonu on the field, the retribution was prompt and adequate, you didn’t get away with such things usually.
Nonu seemed to get away with a lot, it bulds up nicely his intimidating factor.
I would be surprised if he gets away with it against the Bulls though.
15 Mar 2010, 20:57 pm
@catleya: I don’t think they’d be saying that anyway the way he’s been playing in recent weeks. So typical that he got cleared though, thug idiot.
15 Mar 2010, 21:41 pm
rob stelzner must be an incompetent transformation appointee to let nonu off.
15 Mar 2010, 22:24 pm
that’s insane… 2 weeks in a row and nothing!
16 Mar 2010, 00:52 am
Maybe nonu wanted a go at fourie after last years 3N
16 Mar 2010, 03:33 am
I’ll accept it this time, but next time (if there is one) he must be sanctioned.
He was wild the last match, and unruly this one. Hopefully this hearing will bring more reason to his play, without sacrificing natural aggression.
16 Mar 2010, 03:36 am
However, as far as consistency goes in the judiciary system, there is none.
An independent panel of three Senior Counsel, one from each country, should be retained on contract to form and function the judiciary. I don’t accept there isn’t money to do this. It would cost all of several hundred thousand dollars per year in a billion dollar sport.
16 Mar 2010, 04:06 am
Alternatively three independent Senior Counsel from London would do the job well
16 Mar 2010, 05:27 am
And, was it Nonu that crocked O’Driscoll when the Pommie Lions played the All Blacks in NZ? Could there be another to be so fortunate as to escape “deserving’ censure. Either the judiciary and/or THEIR “rules of engagment”. Supposedly they are waiting for a serious injury to propel them into pro-active action! The “judiciary” is as toothless as an old hen.
16 Mar 2010, 05:36 am
Perhaps Umaga was the culprit re O’Driscoll? Give a dog a bad name!
16 Mar 2010, 07:02 am
@Bludeks: more like Umaga & Keven Mealamu
16 Mar 2010, 07:26 am
Justice has been done. Nonu shouldn’t have been cited in the first place.
To those above, baying for blood like rabid dogs……………GFY’s.
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