Chiefs No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula's hurdle try was illegal, refs tell Highlanders
Paul Cully
17:00, Feb 23 2022
Pita Gus Sowakula hurdled Aaron Smith to score in the Chiefs v Highlanders Super Rugby Pacific match.
The hurdling career of Chiefs No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula is over – at least on the rugby field.
The big Fijian produced one of the highlights of round 1 in Super Rugby Pacific, jumping over All Blacks No 9 Aaron Smith on the way to the try line, but the try should never have been allowed in the first place.
“We got an email from the referees saying that is now illegal,” Highlanders head coach Tony Brown said on Wednesday.
“Dangerous play I think is the ruling. Even though it is not a law it is being deemed as dangerous now.”
They sought clarity from World Rugby, and rugby officials are clearly worried about the consequences for the tackling player, despite Sowakula’s admirable athleticism.
Had Smith not missed Sowakula entirely, he could have felt the full force of the 110kg loose forward around the head or neck area.
Brown, however, was not bitter that referee Paul Williams did not penalise Sowakula, instead light-heartedly pinning the blame on his captain Smith.
“I am more disappointed with Aaron Smith really,” he said. “I am not disappointed with what happened at the weekend, I just want to make sure Aaron does his job.”
Meanwhile, the Highlanders could exit the Queenstown bubble and remain in Dunedin after the game against the Crusaders on Friday.
Stuff revealed earlier this week that NZ Rugby was discussing an early end to the bubble and for the Highlanders that could come as early as this week.
“Potentially we stay at home after we play the game at Forsyth Barr [Stadium],” Highlanders loose forward and vice-captain James Lentjes said on Wednesday.
“But, everything is changing all the time, so we just take it day by day.”
The Highlanders will be told one way or the other before their game on Friday but even if they do go home they will be required to follow guidelines designed to lessen the risk of contracting Covid-19 as it spreads throughout the community.
It is a distraction they could do without before facing the Crusaders and Lentjes indicated the players were trying to put it to the back of their minds for now.
“We are just focusing on the Crusaders and we will sort that stuff out if we stay home,” he said. “We will know what that looks like before we go home.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ll-highlanders
