Jermaine McGillvary calls for “stiffer sanctions” for “shitty tackle technique”

Yesterday Jermaine McGillvary was outspoken on social media about the hip drop tackle from Morgan Knowles which ended Mike Cooper’s season.

Today, McGillvary addressed whether there was dangerous intent in the tackle having suffered a nasty injury to a similar tackle from Knowles in 2022.

He said:

“Did Morgan Knowles mean to do it? I Don’t think he did. I don’t know him personally, I know the Head Coach at Saints and some of the boys and some of them are the most professional in the game, I don’t think he meant to do it but it is just a poor selection of a tackle technique.

“Sometimes it is tough in the heat of the moment and we are all putting our bodies on the line.

“Everyone on that field deserves respect but it has happened to two of us now with the same selection of tackle and it’s not good.

“Who knows what we have planned outside of rugby. Plenty of players live paycheque to paycheque and if that goes, a few of us would be f**ked.

“We need to look after each other. It is a tough game, it doesn’t need shitty techniques in it.”

Knowles was banned for five games last night for the tackle on Cooper and today McGillvary called for more stiffer sanctions when asked how can the sport stamp out this kind of tacle.

“Yeah stiffer sanctions but I don’t think people are doing it intentional, it is just about technique,” he said.

“We are all trying to make the game slower in defence, but how far are you willing to go. Are you willing to get into shit positions and force a player to do his ACL.

“It is just a shitty situation especially where Mike is.”