O’Sullivan ‘confused’ at failure to punish Nonu spear tackle

IRELAND coach Eddie O’Sullivan yesterday admitted he has been left confused by the failure to punish All Blacks centre Ma’a Nonu for his spear tackle on Gordon D’Arcy.

Nonu was before an International Rugby Board disciplinary hearing on Tuesday night after being cited for the challenge in the second half of New Zealand’s 45-7 triumph at Lansdowne Road last Saturday.

But Judge Wyn Williams concluded the tackle, which saw Nonu lift D’Arcy from the floor and drop him head-first onto the ground, warranted nothing more than the penalty and caution referee Jonathan Kaplan issued at the time. Williams also made the distinction that Nonu had not driven the Ireland centre into the turf.