Pat Lam insists Siva Naulago’s red card against Bath for a high tackle was the result of poor decision-making by the Bristol Bears wing rather than a technical deficiency, with the Fijian suspended for the next four weeks.
Naulago received his punishment this week following his second such dismissal of the season as he was sent off against Bath at the Rec for a dangerous tackle on Will Butt after just 33 minutes of an intense derby clash.
Having only returned from a two-game suspension for a similar offence against London Irish in February, questions are obviously being asked of the 30-year-old’s tackling technique, given it’s caused him to miss six games this season.
However, while admitting that the Bears have worked thoroughly on Naulago’s approach, the cut and thrust of a match means that the real test is of which type of tackle he chooses in that specific moment, rather than an underlying instinct from the player to go high.
Indeed, although fully understanding of the punishment, Lam did hint he had an element of sympathy with the winger because the 6ft 3ins Butt slightly dipped his head into the collision, making Naulago’s decision to go for the upper body look even worse.
“We’ve done the technical work,” Lam said, also playing down any connection with his Rugby League heritage. “Earlier in the game, he went for the ball on the far side, I think Ben Spencer was making a break, and he got right down under the ball and forced a turnover. It’s shot selection.
“He did drop his height to go for the ball. Will Butt is a tall guy and he came down to there [stoops down] and the reality is if you go around the ball or the chest height and the player ducks you run the risk, and it didn’t pay off. He does have a lower tackle, and he has used that.
“We know what it looks like and he definitely has to change his tackle selection in that situation. We have worked on it but it’s like, we work on players passing and catching and you still have poor passes and dropped passes; we work on them being onside and players are still offside - we work on all these things but, players, and pressure in the moment, like anyone, don’t always get the decision right and there are consequences for it.
“There are a variety of types of tackles, you’ve just got to choose the right one depending on the situation. Earlier in the game he chose the right one, in this moment he chose the wrong one and paid the price.”
There is a certain irony to the discussion around tackling with Bristol Bears because Lam faces being without utility back Ioan Lloyd for Sunday’s clash against Harlequins after the 20-year-old elected to go low on Ewan Richards and received a knee to the cheekbone for his troubles.
Given Naulago’s position on the field as well, a 1v1 situation out on the wing means that if he was to automatically go for the legs that leaves him exposed to Butt off-loading the ball and breaking the defensive line, hence the reason why players go for the body, almost in an NFL-style hit to try and create a turnover.
“What you can’t determine is what the other guy is going to do,” Lam added. “So you might go for ball and all, and the guy stays up high and it’s perfectly fine. The next time, the same tackle, the next guy might come down lower and you run the risk of shoulder contact to the head or throat area and a red card.
“But that’s what is in front of you and that’s what you have to learn; try and recognise in that situation, you’re just going to have to drop it down even lower.
“But your natural instinct comes in and the natural instinct of some players is to be more aggressive to stop someone in that situation, but you have to try and channel that aggression at a lower height. That’s just the way it is, and I think it’s important for the game.
“I still think when you’re picking and going; I think back to my playing days, having to put your head down when teams are close to the line and doubled up, putting your head in there… that is an area where the tackler faces a lot more danger as well.
“If you go low, the tackler runs the risk of head injury and if you go high, the ball carrier runs the risk. Those are all the factors that you need to think about when you go to do a tackle and that’s what we try and train - keep your eyes open and the best tacklers spot the mark where they want to get to, and get their feet closer.
“It happens like this [clicks fingers] and unfortunately we still will get these situations.”
