Don’t think there is really any other option, I really can’t think of anyone who could play hooker. If we still had Shorrock in the squad then a decision is to be made. It’s a great time for a player to come into the side though, we are successful and playing well and most around will be experienced first teamers, it will be an unexpected call but it’s not in an injury crisis like happens a lot.

Oh I absolutely do understand your point, I just think (and if I'm honest know) your wrong
It's like closing your eyes, swinging your arms and then saying oh I didnt mean knock his head off. Yes he didn't mean it, but he did things that risk injuring the other players with bad technique

Rightly or wrongly the rules are now head to head contact must be avoided so its incumbent on the tackler to keep his head away from the ball carrier, and if you go head on face to face upright with your head in the path if the attacker you risk getting pulled/penalised/fined/banned for it

If Coopers head had caught his head in a way that concussed/injured the ball carrier then he'd have seen red imo (or at least banned on review) and under the current rules it would be fair, the fact it was the other way round is incidental and doesnt matter cooper was the one injured.

Liam Moore ref, Ben Thaler video, no way is this finishing 13 v 13

Respectfully, I think you're the one comparing apples and oranges now I know you've not done so maliciously, but you're making a strawman argument right now.

A careless and reckless tackle should be punished, absolutely. However, most genuine accidental head clashes should not be penalised as both the runner and tackler have a responsibility to ensure their heads don't whack into each other. Mulhern is running hard and Cooper is sliding to close the gap, it's unfortunate but a few miscalculations cause a headclash. It happens. I also don't dispute the ruling, but the new rules are just awful and I don't know any rugby fan that does like them.

I don't believe we'll come to an agreement on this so we'll just agree to disagree.

We are past that point and although accidental it still happened and was caused by Cooper. I have almost no doubt that Cooper got off lightly because he got knocked out himself and he would have almost 100% been sent off had Mulhern been knocked out instead. I personally think something like this should be chalked off as part of the game but it’s not and hasn’t been for a while, I also think that the fact Cooper got knocked out and not Mulhern also shouldn’t make any difference in decision but it always sways the officials.

I agree, I said to my partner at the time that I wouldn't be surprised if he was banned, the match review panels definitely reduced the punishment out of pity as he'll already miss the derby through HIA protocol.

Mbye appeal unsuccessful.

I’m happy with that.

Thank you.

What no additional matches for a frivolous appeal? What happened to that rule?

p.s. I am not saying Mbye should have got an extra ban.

Can we not appeal that? Hes dire

Looking more and more likely that Dodd has been dropped, Welsby to 6, Lomax to 7 and Robertson making his debut at FB. Huge call by Wellens and a last roll of the dice. Had he had 10-15 mins earlier in the season against the likes of London he would've been more prepared.

Now he's thrown in against the best team in the comp away from home.

Robertson hasnt played first team yet? or just not this season?

Nope, hasn't played at all.

It is a roll of the dice but it could also be a blessing in disguise as it will give you far more in what is currently a misfiring half back combination. In addition it's also looking likely that we'll be giving a young lad his debut in arguably the most pivotal position on the field which, along with it being only the 2nd game together for Smith and Farrimiond, goes some way to evening out Robertson's debut.