Quote: ratticusfinch "Well kc had time to put his brain in gear and still failed. Where does smith say anything regarding saints players or anyone trying to deliberately injure someone? He's pointing out that certain tackling techniques, not just the cannonball, need looking at by the rfl and he's right.'"
He wasn't, he was ranting about that one incident in particular. If he thinks there was any intent to cause injury he's way off the mark. It was unusual for Smith, he's not usually like that. There is a huge difference between what Saints did to Evans and things like cannonball tackles or chicken wings. I've watched the game for 30 years now and have never seen an injury like Evans's. It was a freak outcome to what isn't generally a dangerous technique. Everyone team does it in modern rugby league, you lift the leg to turn the player to face him away from your own line with the intention of slowing the play the ball down. It happens when the ball carrier has lost momentum and is stopped or stopping.
Smith is just wrong on this one. He himself had his own angelic troops doing wrestling training on Sky Sports News before the start of this season.