My recollection of the incident is Webb didn't lead with the knees as such, but rather Charnley put the ball onto Webb's knee in the process of trying to ground the ball and it was Webb's natural running action i.e. his knee lift, that caused his leg to be in that position in the first place. I don't remember Webb "going through" the player with his knees at all. At the time I couldn't fathom out why he was penalised. Thomas didn't warrant penalising either.

You're absolutely right Andy, grabbing someone's shirt and leading with your knees are incomparable as only the latter can cause a serious injury to the recipient. Whether Tommy was making a 'genuine attempt' or not is utterly irrelevant as he made that attempt with his knees, therefore it's not just unlawful, it's downright dangerous. Good that you don't care about that though.

Oh, and regarding your second comment - this incident was far more clear cut than the Webb one. It's possible to argue (although on reflection I don't have a particular problem with the penalty) that Webb had to put his body in that position to attempt the tackle, whereas Tommy attempted to affect the tackle with his knees.

As for this being a meaningless fixture, I presume you have a better idea as to how to get some kind of meaningful game for the England team?

What, exactly, is a meaningful fixture?

You play to win - winning is what sport is all about. OK, so some games have a greater reward than others but none are meaningless.

The entire meaning of any contest is to win - in fact the more I think about the more I have to conclude that there is no such thing as a meaningless fixture.

Just watched it again Andy, Leuleui slid in with his legs first. Looks like he thought of trying to kick the ball because he was well behind Hall and not getting to the ball with his hands or shoving Hall off. He seemed to try to pull the boot away and ended up going in knees and hip - but obviously didn't get the foot away in time. Having said that, I can't see anything actually wrong with the challenge - no great contact on Hall and I can't see any intent to foul him. I feel for Tommy, terrible injury - can't see how anyone would think he deserved that.

These rugby gods can be scamps at times!

If you are using this unwarranted opportunity to take some revenge at the Wigan fans who wished McGuire's career over at the end of 2010, you are almost as bad as them IMHO.

Leulaui got his toe to the ball, that was his intention, nothing else. I'm no doctor but that's looking like 5 or 6 months out, and therefore probably the end of his Wigan career. Hope it's somehow just sprained ankle ligaments.

In other news though, it will only take 1 or 2 more injuries to players in key positions before Wigan's grip on the title (which I believe they have at present) gets slightly looser.

Nobody does. That's the point.

The original comments by Phil Clarke about rugby gods are the reason so many of these threads are started. In my opinion those original comments are amongst the most pathetic statements i have ever heard from a rugby league commentator. No-one in their right mind wishes horrible injury upon any player, no matter who they play for, or in what circumstances those injuries occur. Wishing Danny Mags' injury to be long and serious last year was as low as you can get, I for one hope Thomas Leuluai makes a speedy come back, his skill and tenacity was already going to be missed next year.

If someone is going to ground the ball and you lead with your foot/legs/knee then it is very dangerous. More so than anything McGuire ever did. Leuluai made no effort to prevent the try with his upper body.

My abiding memory of our victory in the 2010 playoff at Wigan is not a happy one despite the result. It is of a stricken Mcquire laying seriously injured and Wigan players bent over him spouting bile in his face. I cannot feel sympathy towards any person that reacts to another human being in this manner now the tables are turned. Maybe now Leuluai will have plenty of time on his hands to reflect on his unnacceptable behaviour in 2010. If there are such things as "Rugby Gods" they may now be entering the name of Ben Westwood and a Warrington address into there Satnav.

Exactly the rugby gods comment was disgusting if a football commentator had made it he would got the sack, nobody in there right mind wants to see players injured

FFS!!!!


Let it go! It's been pathetic for a while now.

No player in any team in any sport 'deserves' to get injured. Why do all of the Leeds fans blame Wigan for the ridiculous comments made by Phil Clarke? Perhaps we should all go onto the Dewsbury board each time Stevo the clown opens his mouth with his inevitable garbage?

They dont , Clarke will have to live with his comments alone .

Leeds fans do remember a large number of Wigan fans wishing career ending injury on their stand-off however .
Thankfully not one Leeds fan has wished the same on Tommy .

What do you call a large number?
10, 50, 100, 1,000?