Nigel Owens Says Ardie Savea Was Very Lucky to Escape Red Card for Jasper Wiese Hit
- Former Test referee Nigel Owens commented on Ardie Savea's tackle on Springbok No 8 Jasper Wiese during the match at Ellis Park
- Referee Matthew Carley reviewed the incident after TMO Mike Adamson flagged Savea's upright contact with Wiese
- Owens backed the on-field decision but said a marginal difference could have changed everything for the All Blacks captain
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Former Test referee Nigel Owens has weighed in on the tackle by All Blacks captain Ardie Savea on Springbok number eight Jasper Wiese at Ellis Park, saying Savea was fortunate to walk away without sanction.
TMO Mike Adamson flagged the incident to referee Matthew Carley during the match, directing his attention to replays showing Savea in an upright body position at the moment of contact with Wiese. After reviewing the footage, Carley ruled that Savea's initial point of contact was the Springbok's shoulder, with the subsequent head contact occurring as a result of the tackle's force rather than a direct strike.
Nigel Owens backs referee's ruling
Speaking on World Rugby’s *Whistle Watch*, Owens admitted the replay initially made him think Savea could be in serious trouble.
“ To be fair to the TMO, when I was watching that live, I thought, ‘Oof, they’re going to check this’ because it looked high,” he said.
The former referee then explained why the tackle did not cross the threshold for foul play. In his view, Savea made first contact with Wiese’s shoulder, while the Springbok No 8’s head was driven forward into the All Blacks captain by the force of the collision.
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Owens also pointed out that an upright tackle is not automatically illegal. The crucial issue is whether the tackler leads with the shoulder or makes direct contact with the ball-carrier’s head or neck.
In this case, Owens said there was no direct head or neck contact from Savea, making a sanction unlikely.
A fine margin for Savea
Owens backed Carley’s decision, but stressed just how fine the line was for Savea. He maintained that Wiese’s head moved into Savea during the tackle rather than Savea making direct contact with the Springbok’s head. Savea had also admitted after the match that he was nervous when the TMO review began, knowing the tackle could have had far more serious consequences.
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Source: Briefly News
