Louisa Wall: Sorry Brian, but remember the unwritten rules

I read an article last week that made me angry because it accused the All Blacks of taking longer to say sorry than the Japanese.

Okay then, I'll start the chorus as an All Black loyalist.

Sorry Brian that you only played less than a minute of the first test of the Lions series after Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu cleared you from the ruck.

Sorry Brian that you had to leave the field with a dislocated shoulder and were ruled out for the remainder of the tour.

Sorry Brian that some anonymous and unfindable woman asked you for your one and only Lions playing jersey as she attempted to cut it off your back when you were in agony.

Sorry Brian that you missed the on-field Lions experience of being resoundingly beaten 3-0.

Sorry Brian that you cannot play in the All Blacks v Ireland test match this weekend in Dublin.

Sorry Brian that the NZRFU and the Lions management signed a tour agreement whereby disciplinary matters had to be resolved within 12 hours of the match.

Sorry Brian that none of the match officials took any action at the time and for the inaction of the South African citing commissioner post match for not citing either Umaga or Mealamu for foul play.

Sorry Brian that charges of assault were not laid against Umaga or Mealamu and the threshold of intent was not explored.

And finally, we are sorry Brian that Gavin Henson in his book has accused you of deliberately attempting to push a finger into his eye during the Wales-Ireland Grand Slam clash in March 2005.

We know that this accusation must disgust you and we agree that there is no place for that sort of behaviour in sport and we thank you for believing Umaga when he told you that there was no intent or malice involved and that you are happy to take him at his word.

Brian, as you know, two years ago Umaga received the Pierre de Coubertin Trophy for Fair Play for stopping during a test match to attend to Colin Charvis who had been knocked out by a thumping but legal tackle from Jerry Collins. Tana is a role model in New Zealand and internationally and we hope that by writing your book you are able to get on with your life.

And just a question; to be a spear-tackle, does the tackled have to land on their head?

There is no definition or description of a spear-tackle in the laws of rugby. But there is a definition in league that refers to a tackler who "dangerously throws" an opponent in a tackle, usually by forcing them head-first into the ground, aka the "spear-tackle".

Section 15, Law 1 (d), Notes 1 (d) of the rugby league laws state: If, in any tackle of, or contact with, an opponent that player is so lifted that he is placed in a position where it is likely that the first part of his body to make contact with the ground will be his head or neck (the dangerous position), then that tackle or contact will be deemed to be a dangerous throw unless, with the exercise of reasonable care, the dangerous position could not have been avoided.

We note that this spear-tackling issue was discussed at the annual referees congress last week.

What was discussed was the unacceptability of spear-tackles with video evidence of your tackle and footage of another controversial tackle, by Lions centre Gordon d'Arcy on centre Rua Tipoki in the Lions match against New Zealand Maori in Hamilton, and we note that the Ireland centre later apologised.

We note that you are looking for an apology, Brian, and that hopefully you get what you are looking for.

So we hope you enjoyed last week's game and we hope you are enjoying being the host for this weekend's game and that the beer tasted good. That's usually how on-field issues are dealt with. Also known as: what happens on the field stays on the field.

* Louisa Wall is a former New Zealand netball and rugby representative