Cheap shots or legal brutality? Debate rages over ten-hunting Kiwi hitman

A series of cheap shots on players in vulnerable positions? Or perfectly legal, but brutal, tackles designed to intimidate ballplayers from straying too close to the defensive line?

Already this year, Finau has smashed Queensland’s Tom Lynagh, ACT’s Noah Lolesio and William Havili of Moana Pasifika in almost identical fashion, and only the Lynagh one was penalised. “I do know in rugby league they definitely protect the kicker, and there are times there where it’s not too different where a ballplayer pulls off the ball and is not moving forward and is not braced for contact, how you adjust that? I don’t know. I don’t have the answer right here and now. It might be worth looking at.”

Of more concern for McMillan is the potential for one of Finau’s flying monster-shots to go wrong, given he is hitting people so close to the line of a high tackle. It would not take much in the way of error for Finau to not only see a red card, but potentially cause a serious head injury to a No.10 as well.

Queensland coach Les Kiss said Super Rugby Pacific needed to crack down on late hits like Finau’s, saying playmakers needed to be protected.

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