Quote: tigertot "As I saw it (several times thanks to replays on TV) the tackle was effectively complete, '"
BUT THE REF HAD NOT CALLED 'HELD'
Quote: tigertot "it had nothing to do with the lifting. Bateman dropped on Hodgson to slow PTB, but Hodgson was sat upright so he landed on his head/kneck. ..'"
Correct, but I don't think there is any way Bateman [iintended[/i to do what he ended up doing, which was a fluke due to the unfortunate coincidence that as he did what he did, the tackled player happened to line up in an exactly vertical position.
I am sure neither player thought there was any malice in it, and I'm equally sure that Bateman was sorry for the result of his effort, as he went out of his way to apologise immediately afterwards. It looks like everyone who saw it "live" including the fans and the players didn't think (regardless of the result) Bateman had done anything malicious, which is why nobody came charging in or remonstrating.
Nor did the ref, or the linesmen, all of whom we presume were watching the game, call for a penalty. So they all saw it same as us.
I do presume it went on report due to yet more VR interference in the process, but even without that, the way things are going the Match review lot would have singled Bateman out anyway. I expect that if one of our players farted in a scrum he'd be at Red Hall on Tuesday.