Cokey wrote:
A shoulder charge above the knee?
Except it was on the knee, as Mata’utia clearly had markings in the subsequent set. Just because you’re parroting your esteemed leader doesn’t make it true. It was everything that was reckless and dangerous about the tackles last year (low body position, no sight on the contact as he was looking the wrong way, and despite what has been claimed there was no attempt to wrap the arms). About his only defence was he didn’t have both feet off the floor and that’s only because his body position was so low one of his calves was dragging on the floor. The Saints reaction is exactly what he was going for given Paasi is still months away from recovery.
Moreover, the fact he did it in the first tackle of the game makes it clear he was trying to be the clever pantomime villain. Didn’t work out too clever for him.