Former England international Austin Healey is at odds with Lions legend Brian O’Driscoll over James Haskell’s red card for his horror tackle on Welsh star Jamie Roberts on the weekend.
Watched the @jameshaskell tackle again and I still don’t think it’s a red contact is more with chest than shoulder #harsh
— Austin Healey (@IamAustinHealey) January 14, 2018
Are all head high shots not mistimed?! First point of contract is with the head & with force = red.
— Brian O’Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) January 14, 2018
I think first contact point is chest on shoulder, no swinging arm, JH is very upright with arms open JR sinks in tackle and the force of collision alongside slow motion makes it look worse than it was. Just a big slightly mos timed collision
— Austin Healey (@IamAustinHealey) January 14, 2018
It’s outcome not intent based these days. I’m the first to discourage the game from becoming sanitized but when the first contact is on the head with force then there is only one decision. Jamie said it himself that the shot was on his jaw.
— Brian O’Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) January 14, 2018
It’s not as though Jamie has ducked into the hit mind! He’s 6 4’. What Haskell can do is not run the risk by going 6 inches lower. I know it’s 100’s of a second stuff but these days you know if you go high & misjudge – you’re off.
— Brian O’Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) January 14, 2018