I dont think Saints will consider themselves lucky at all (with the exception of that terrible VR decision on the last try). They'll be pleased about how they outscored the opposition in tries as well as points despite a heavy penalty count against them and playing with 12 men for the last 10 minutes. Job done after they conspired to throw the game away against Catalans at LP earlier in the season.

Quote ="Leon Ashton"Inglis has just got away with a challenge worse than Puletuas'" Got away being the operative word! www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5bcu-pi ... e=youtu.be That is a ing disgrace. If anyone thinks that is tackling they may as well go and watch heads outside clubs at 2am. Intentional attack to the head on a virtually defenseless player whereas Puletuas was a mistimed hit. Akin to a team mate holding someones hands behind their backs while someone throws punches at will at their head.

Quote ="Leon Ashton"Inglis has just got away with a challenge worse than Puletuas'" Got away being the operative word! www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5bcu-pi ... e=youtu.be That is a ing disgrace. If anyone thinks that is tackling they may as well go and watch heads outside clubs at 2am. Intentional attack to the head on a virtually defenseless player whereas Puletuas was a mistimed hit. Akin to a team mate holding someones hands behind their backs while someone throws punches at will at their head.

Quote ="Redchemic"Got away being the operative word! www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5bcu-pi ... e=youtu.be That is a loving disgrace. If anyone thinks that is tackling they may as well go and watch heads outside clubs at 2am. Intentional attack to the head on a virtually defenseless player whereas [i[uPuletuas was a mistimed hit[/u[/i. Akin to a team mate holding someones hands behind their backs while someone throws punches at will at their head.'" It may well have been, but it was worse than Moa's against the Cats and he was banned. For the sake of consistency Puletua needs to be banned as well.

Quote ="Redchemic"Got away being the operative word! www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5bcu-pi ... e=youtu.be That is a loving disgrace. If anyone thinks that is tackling they may as well go and watch heads outside clubs at 2am. Intentional attack to the head on a virtually defenseless player whereas [i[uPuletuas was a mistimed hit[/u[/i. Akin to a team mate holding someones hands behind their backs while someone throws punches at will at their head.'" It may well have been, but it was worse than Moa's against the Cats and he was banned. For the sake of consistency Puletua needs to be banned as well.

I can see were your coming from BUT it was border line and in no way was it definitely knocked towards the Saints line and by no means was it knocked back towards the Dragons line. If the VR can not rule on a forward pass because of camera angles then surely he cant rule on that. As from one angle it looked it went towards the Sts line and the other to the Dragons. It didn't hit the floor so that can not be used as a marker and Pryce was about three yards behind the play and ran forward to gather it. All in all inclonclusive benefit of doubt.

I think Puleutua can count himself unlucky. A couple of years ago, Ryan Bailey cleaned up Fa'asavalu in a similar fashion and commentator Paul Cullen defended him to the hilt. You don't penalise a high shot if the player ducks into it and, imo, if you run face first into a prop forward's brace shoulder you're asking for trouble.
I feel they should make a desicion to either outlaw the shoulder charge all together, a la Rugby union or realise that (in Terry O'C's words) its not tiddlywinks.

Regarding the dissallowed try from the kick - watching it I feel there is some argument that the catalan jumper made contact with the saints palyer very early and that the jump which followed was more of a token to fool the officials. It was a tough call, but not one completely bereft of merit.

As for the dissalowed try following the knocked pass. You can argue about the VR being allowed to rule on forward passes etc, but that wasn't a try in a million years.

Saints have had MANY bad experiences of Ian Smith as VR, so you'll not find many of us losing sleep when one goes our way.

Inglis doesn't really keep his elbow down very well, but the first contact this has is with the Dragons' player's arm chest, but then his shoulder whacks him in the face. Inglis's height is probably the main reason that the execution has ended up like this (puletua is also very tall).
In this case, the dragons' player was very upright, so there can be no argument that he in any way ducked into it in the way Faasavalu did against Bailey.


I think we all need calrification from the authroities about exactly how these situations are to be reffed and what responsibility lies with who.