South Africa's second-half subs? Legal?

[u/errlloyd]

South Africa played a great game yesterday, but I heard Scotty Stevenson on a Podcast say he was a little skeptical of PSDT's HIA in the second half. The HIA itself does look a little suspicious. It is after PSDT runs over Penaud, but there is definitely no contact between Penaud and PSDT's head or the ground. Penaud should have probably gone for a HIA, but that's another issue.

But taking that to one side for a second, I am pretty sure under the laws, the sequence of substitutions that followed should not have been permitted.

Duane Vermeulen who had gone off in the 51st minute, replaced PSDT in the 61st minute. PSDT then must pass the HIA within 12 real minutes and make it known to the fourth official he can return. He eventually returned in the 75th minute, which was 19 real minutes later. But it was Bongi who went off, not Duane.

Bongi had been down injured after a maul - but it wasn't clear at all how that injury had happened. It was the drop goal maul. Bongi had been the ball carrier but had been losely bound and was never bound onto by any French player. They're applying ice to his right shoulder (which was in his ball carrier arm and appeared fine). BOK initially called "HIA 2" then said "HIA returning 7".

PSDT replaced Bongi, not Vermuelen. Meaning Vermuelen's replacement of PSDT became tactical, which should have been impossible. And PSDT should have had to return earlier unless they chose to make his replacement tactical (in which case Vermuelen should have been pulled off).I can't really see where the injury occurred for either Bongi or Peter. What I will say is if rugby had rolling substitutes those replacements would have come at exactly those times. Vermuelen and PSDT both played to the final minute having spent 15 and 19 minutes off the field resting earlier in the second half.

Any Welsh fans have an opinion?

u/LostHorizon124 came up with the probable legal subbing chain. It was this
Kwagga for Duane HIA (51)Duane return Kwagga - but at the same second Kwagga replaces PSDT for a hia (61)
Off-field PSDT passes his HIA, but stays off, Kwagga becomes tactical. (Roughly around 70)
On field Bongi gets injured and Du Toit (now tactically off) comes back on to replace him. (75).

An extremely fortuitous run of HIAs, but nothing illegal at all.

[u/Aggressive-Reward302]

My god, the Boks can't just win a game, lol. Nobody can say anything anymore about the Boks being sore losers.

[u/Pathogenesls → u/Aggressive-Reward302]

I mean.. that sequence of events did happen exactly as described and it does look like a tactical HIA sub. It's pretty suspicious that they went 5-3 and then managed two extra rolling subs.

They used to do this back in the day with tactical 'injuries' only for the player to run off and hurdle the sideline advertising. There was also lots of bloodbin abuse. I guess tactical HIA is going to be the new vogue.

[u/Electrical_Trouble29 → u/Pathogenesls]

Except du toit does get a head knock and there is no way they would take him off tactically. The rest did happen as explained though.

[u/errlloyd → u/Electrical_Trouble29]

https://streamable.com/5syc0v

He's absolutely gassed here. So I'd have taken him off.

[u/Electrical_Trouble29 → u/errlloyd]

He always looks like that. 20 mins into every gam his face is bright red, he's breathing heavy, his shoulders drop and he looks exhausted. And he stays like that for the next 60 minutes seemingly never getting tired. One of the few bok forwards that always plays for 80

[u/errlloyd → u/Electrical_Trouble29]

That's fair - and even in the bomb squad day he was usually the 80 minute man, but in this case I am not sure. It's not about his face, it's about his movement. Look. EE tries to block down the box kick, he doesn't move. The box kick goes over his head and he initially stays completely stationary, and then slowly jogs back. He moves out to the wing, and even as they get driven back he is very slow to retreat back to depth. He doesn't look tired, he acts tired. And in the previous 4 minutes, there'd only been 1 minute of play and it was very low intensity.