Tune defends Tuqiri tackle

Ben Tune

Rugby World Cup-winning Wallaby Ben Tune has leapt to Lote Tuqiri's defence after the Australian wing was banned until November 2 for effecting a dangerous tackle on Richie McCaw during the All Blacks Tri-Nations clincher at Eden Park.

Tuqiri copped a five-match ban after a marathon Sanzar judicial hearing yesterday which deemed he deliberately lifted McCaw in a driving tackle before the upended New Zealand skipper landed head first on the turf in the 44th minute.

The suspension means he will miss one test - the Wallabies Tri-Nations closer against South Africa on September 9. He will be available to play Wales in Cardiff after missing three provincial games for New South Wales and a Wallabies tour match against Welsh club Neath-Swansea Ospreys.

Tuqiri maintained there was no malice or intent in the tackle which left McCaw dazed with a sore neck.

A defence mounted by Wallabies manager Phil Thompson and legal representative Tony Dempsey argued McCaw contributed to his own demise when he sought to change direction in an effort to retrieve the ball.

Suggestions McCaw's momentum was altered by his actions was dismissed by the three-member panel, though Tune said it was a reasonable defence -- and Tuqiri did little wrong.

"I will make only one point," Tune said on the Sydney Morning Herald website: "It is that the player getting tackled needs to take some responsibility for the part they play in getting themselves in as safe a position as humanly possible when lifted off the ground.

"Richie McCaw was lifted by Lote (not a lot I should add) but, instead of crunching his stomach and twisting his body, which is what you are taught to do when lifted off the ground; he stayed pencilled straight so that his head, instead of his shoulder blades, made contact with the ground.

"I am not condoning spear tackles ... and granted it looked ugly, but I will stand by Lote and say this was not a spear tackle but an aggressive, dominant tackle, which we are normally praised for doing."

Tuqiri has returned to Sydney to spend time with his family and emphasised he did not intentionally set out to harm McCaw.

"There was no malice in it. I hope he's all right and I wished him luck for the two tests in South Africa -- I'm sure they'll get up."

- NZPA