Super Rugby news: Hunter Paisami exploits dangerous tackle ban loophole in bid to face Tahs
Hunter Paisami held the Wallabies No.12 jersey for most of last year - before injury ruled him out of the spring tour. Now he plans on exploiting a loophole to boost his chances of facing the British and Irish Lions.
Hunter Paisami has undergone tackle school at Ballymore to ensure he can play against the NSW Waratahs in three weeks’ time, in a loophole allowed by SANZAAR, who banned him for three games.
The Wallaby and Queensland centre was handed a three-match suspension for a dangerous tackle against Moana Pasifika centre Lalomilo Lalomilo in the 30th minute of the Reds’ 56-36 win last Saturday.
While Paisami wasn’t sin-binned for the tackle, the Super Rugby Citing Commissioner ruled that the incident was at the entry point of a mid-range dangerous tackle, that starts at six weeks suspension.
With a good disciplinary record taken into consideration, the tournament’s foul play review committee handed Paisami a three-week ban, with a clause that if he completes tackle school he is free to play the blockbuster third game of that ban against NSW at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, March 15.
Paisami wasted little time taking up that option.
This masthead understands he was at Ballymore on Tuesday undergoing the necessary education.
Firstly, the player in question must be filmed watching the incident for which he was cited.
He then must go to a rugby field, and be filmed adjusting his tackle technique, making the necessary changes that would alleviate danger to an opponent if a similar situation were to arise.
The player must be filmed doing several repetitions of the tackle to ensure he understands correct body positioning and awareness of possible danger.
That footage is then sent to the review committee, who if satisfied the player has learned their lesson, will wipe a game from their ban.
Because the Reds are travelling to Perth on Wednesday for their clash against Western Force this Saturday, Paisami was able to undergo the tackle school training on Tuesday with key coaches, before they left for the trip.
It means that Paisami will miss the Force game, and the Reds’ match against the Crusaders in Christchurch on March 9, before returning for the grudge match against the Tahs.
This is a particularly important win for Paisami, who is battling to regain his Wallabies No.12 jersey for the British & Irish Lions series.
Having held the position for most of the year, Paisami was injured and missed out on the spring tour.
In a shock move, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt moved outside centre Len Ikitau to No.12. and put superstar recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii at outside centre. The duo excelled on the northern tour, leaving many to tip that they would be the starting midfield combination against the Lions.
But Suaalii is playing fullback for NSW while Ikitau has deferred to his usual No.13 position for the Brumbies, leaving the centre battle open.
However, Paisami can’t afford to miss too many games in Super Rugby Pacific if he is to stake his claim for the starting Wallabies spot.
Tackle school may well be the first step to getting him back there.
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