The Lawes tackle was right on the borderline. On balance, I think it was over-exuberance rather than malice, and at least he bothered to use his arms unlike most of the south sea islanders. On the flip side, I don’t think there could have much complaint if it was a penalty. If it had been given as a penalty, Lawes could have been in the shit as if a tackle like that is deemed foul, it is a sin bin at the least. Very close.
For the record, the frog forwards also did well not to chin him and thus get themselves into bother. It’s a massively physical game, aggression plays a big part, switching off that aggression at a stroke is not easy.
Come on England. Let’s just stop missing first-up tackles, please…..
