The tackle so massive the touch judge collapsed from the shockwaves
Not often is a tackle so hard that the officials are left wincing in pain just watching it, it takes a special kind of tackle.
That particular type of hit came from South Africa’s Damian Willemse in the third Test against Wales this month in Cape Town. The fullback lined up his opposite man Liam Williams in the first half and put in a perfectly timed hit, catching Williams as he tried to release the ball.
The hit stopped Williams dead in his tracks and put him on his backside, but also had the knock on effect of causing the touch judge to fall on the floor.
Maybe it was him wincing in pain for Williams, maybe it was the shockwaves of the tackle or maybe he was just avoiding the ball from hitting him, but not very often does an official do something like this. It could even have been his unbridled joy at seeing a perfectly timed tackle like that.
Take a look at the tackle:
Willemse was retained in the Springboks squad for the Rugby Championship, which starts next month with back to back Tests against the All Blacks for South Africa.
Springbok squad for Castle Lager Rugby Championship:
Props:
Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks)
Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers)
Vincent Koch (Wasps)
Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers)
Ntuthuko Mchunu (Cell C Sharks)
Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks)
Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)
Hookers:
Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers)
Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)
Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks)
Locks:
Lood de Jager (Wild Knights)
Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks)
Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers)
Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls)
Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers)
Loose forwards:
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz)
Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks)
Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls)
Evan Roos (DHL Stormers)
Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)
Duane Vermeulen (Ulster)
Utility forwards:
Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse)
Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers)
Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves:
Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles)
Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks)
Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers)
Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks)
Flyhalves:
Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes)
Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers)
Midfielders:
Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks)
Damian de Allende (Wild Knights)
Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins)
Jesse Kriel (Cannon Eagles)
Outside Backs:
Warrick Gelant (Racing 92)
Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz)
Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks)
Utility Backs:
Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls)
Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs)
Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers)
