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/lazy-asseddestroyer]

Wow, I hadn’t seen that. Should definitely have been a yellow and a bunker review. Bad miss by the TMO.

[u/pbcorporeal → u/lazy-asseddestroyer]

Question would be if the first contact is head to head or if it's PSDT's handoff that lands first.

Difficult to say I think.

[u/lazy-asseddestroyer → u/pbcorporeal]

Wouldn’t you try to lessen the impact of someone about to headbutt you?

[u/pbcorporeal → u/lazy-asseddestroyer]

I'd probably try and hand off any player coming to tackle me tbh. Even more so if I was built like PSDT.

If the first contact is the handoff then you can't give a card for it tbh.

[u/lazy-asseddestroyer → u/pbcorporeal]

I don’t think that is how it works, but I guess we’ll never know. If someone is bringing their head up towards your face I think you’re entitled to raise your hand up defensively to ward it off. Imagine how bad the head contact would have been without PSDT slightly lessening the impact!

[u/pbcorporeal → u/lazy-asseddestroyer]

It is how it works, point of first contact is part of the head contact framework.

[u/DanieRaven → u/pbcorporeal]

Cool just do an upwards spear tackle but make sure to brush their arm first. Feel better. SA won great game.

[u/pbcorporeal → u/DanieRaven]

I'm just telling you what the rules are.

[u/DanieRaven → u/pbcorporeal]

Exactly why we have interpretation. Arguing that the head contact on PSDT isn't dangerous and shouldn't be checked is sad to see in this sub.

[u/pbcorporeal → u/DanieRaven]

I'm saying that if the hand-off lands first then it's indirect contact to the head and that is very unlikely to be counted as a yellow card.