Michael Allardice’s season is over. Reggie Goodes will miss one game.
The Chiefs second row has ruptured his medial ligament in his left knee, and is set for more than two months on the sidelines.
The injury came when he was bridging into a ruck during his side’s loss to the Hurricanes at the weekend. Hurricanes prop Goodes came off his feet, and dived at Allardice’s knee, shoulder first, bending the player’s knee and inflicting a horrible looking injury in the process.
Goodes was cited for the foul play, and will serve a one week suspension, despite his opponent due to be sidelined for the rest of the season.
Goodes claimed that he had intended to clear out the player at a safe height, but that a sudden movement from Allardice made that impossible.
Robert Stelzner, the SANZAR judicial officer, explained: “Goodes entered the breakdown intending to bind with his left arm on to the Chiefs player in order to clear him out and away from the ball. However, split seconds before making contact, the player slightly changed his position so that he bent further down towards the ball and moved slightly away from Goodes.
“This resulted in Goodes missing his intended point of contact on the upper body of his opponent and instead made contact with the knee. The different point of contact meant Goodes did not bind or grasp his opponent when making contact.”
With Iain Henderson escaping suspension for a reckless clearout last week, and Goodes receiving the minimal punishment today, it doesn’t look like rugby will be clamping down on dangerous play at the breakdown any time soon.
Hat-tip Andy McGeady
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