As if being on the receiving end of a hammering from Toulon wasn’t bad enough for Brives Nicolas Bezy, the scrum half had to suffer the indignity of being bounced twice in quick succession by Toulon’s Fijian winger, Josua Tuisova.

Tuisova’s fellow winger, David Smith, will claim much credit for his four tries in the rout of Brive, but the Fijian will look back on the game with a sense of satisfaction.

To be fair to Bezy, though, he never shirked from his responsibilities and put himself forward for more tackling work soon after being bounced the first time.

Youtube Credit: A1 Rugby

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Just watching this made us wince.

During last weekend’s Top 14 clash between Grenoble and Montpellier, Kiwi number eight Rory Grice laid down a significant physical marker on Montpellier’s Ben Lucas.

Catching the Australian late, the ferocity of Grice’s shoulder saw a yellow card brandished, justifiably, and the injury withdrawal of Lucas.

Youtube Credit: Boucherie Ovalie

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In a tepid affair, dominated by both team’s defensive acumen, Racing Metro and Clermont Auvergne played out a 13-13 Top 14 draw last weekend.

Aside from both sides’ tries, the games most memorable moment was former All Black centre Benson Stanley’s thundering hit on French hooker and should be hair model, Dimitri Szarzewski.

In this exchange, that showed a wanton lack of care towards the lustrous mane of Dimitri Szarzewski  it was definitely the back who gained the ascendancy over the forward.

Youtube Credit: gorpitsen junior

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Ooosh!

In a sequence of play that resonated with prescience and strength, Sales Sharks’ former Munster and All Black centre Sam Tuitupou smashed London Irish’s Jimmy Stevens with a tackle last weekend.

Tuitupou’s aggression and quality summed up Sales afternoon as they ultimately surged to a 36-8 victory.

Youtube Credit: Premiership Rugby

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Powerful tackling and defensive vigilance is not something you associate with Northampton’s former Osprey and Samoan international scrum half Kahn Fotuali’i.

Usually, the 32 year old is known for his off the cuff style and attacking improvisation; but, last weekend-during Samoa’s test with Canada-, the scrum half showed his game is fortified with defensive steel as he tracks down his opposition number nine, Gordon McRorie’s attempted snipe and powerfully drives the 26 year old into touch.

Youtube Credit: Habi Aftabi

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Your international debut is a seminal moment in any player’s career and, on Saturday, Augustine Pulu made his All Blacks bow in their clash with the USA in Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Even though the game was well over as a contest when Pulu, The Chiefs scrum half, was introduced, but, in typical Kiwi fashion, the tempo and physical intensity of New Zealand’s remained high until the very end, something which Tom Coolican can attest to.

Like the proverbial torpedo, Pulu fired himself at Coolican, knocking the back row into touch with aplomb. Latterly, due to the impact of the hit, Coolican had to receive medial attention.

Youtube Credit: NZAUTVRUGBYINTERNATIONALS

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Message to professional Rugby players the world over, if it all possible, avoid Aaron Flagg.

Aaron Flagg, Canada A’s lock, put on a one man tackling clinic in the recent America’s Rugby Championship clash against Argentina’s A side, with Facundo Isa and Juan Ignacio Brez providing the live samples.

Impressively, after first felling Isa, the number eight, Flagg picks himself up and, in the next phase, smashes another Argentine, Brez.

Bosh, for days.

Youtube Credit: Ruddy Darter

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In one of the most remarkable games of recent times, Taranaki and Auckland’s ITM Cup Semi Final was full of tries, drama and big hits.

After a 30-30 draw in normal time, the game went to extra time with Taranaki adding nineteen further points to eventually triumph 49-30.

Aucklands Peter Saili, however, can at least be proud of the fact that he put in a bone crunching hit on ‘Naki’s Cody Rei.

Youtube Credit: NZAUTV Rugby Union

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Now, here’s something you don’t see every day: a gargantuan prop stopped short of the line by a scrum half.

In Northampton’s comprehensive bonus point victory over Sale on Saturday, Kahn Fotuali’i, the former Ospreys scrum half, felled Italian prop Alberto di Marchi short of the line with a tackle of courage, conviction and, most of all, strength.

Fotuali’i’s intervention was the Samoan’s second big moment in the game as, earlier, he touched down for a try. All of this, from the bench.

Youtube Credit: Ruddy Darter

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Fijian winger Timoci Nagusa of Montpellier gave Bayonne fly half Blair Stewart a one way ticket to Smashville this weekend, during Montpellier’s Top 14 victory over Bayonne.

The Fijian timed his tackle perfectly and sent the Kiwi hurtling to the ground with aplomb.

Youtube Credit: Yoe91

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