Former Springboks front-rower Hanyani Shimange has dubbed Luke Morgan\u2019s cheap shot on Ethan Hooker as the \u2018worst thing\u2019 he saw on the weekend.<\/p>\n
The Sharks<\/a> and Springboks star will undergo scans this week to determine the extent of the damage caused by Morgan, who dove on the back of Hooker after he scored a try before half-time.<\/p>\n The Welshman\u2019s actions went unpunished, even though it ended the 23-year-old\u2019s game, and it has now been reported that the Sharks have \u2018demanded\u2019 that the United Rugby Championship investigate<\/a> the incident.<\/p>\n Springboks slam the lack of punishment for Luke Morgan<\/p>\n Hosting The Verdict<\/a> podcast, Shimange reviewed the incident along with fellow former Springboks<\/a> Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers.<\/p>\n The ex-hooker started the discussion on the incident during the section of the show named after him.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Shim bin, the worst thing that you saw this weekend, I know what mine was, the Ethan Hooker\u2019s popped shoulder from the late tackle\u2026 That\u2019s a disgrace,\u201d Shimange remarked.<\/p>\n Former centre De Villiers took umbrage over the fact that the match officials did not penalise Ospreys<\/a> and Morgan over the incident, as play should have resumed with a penalty to the Sharks on the halfway line.<\/p>\n \u201cThe injury is the biggest concern, but it was also disappointing that they didn\u2019t restart the game with a penalty because that is the way that the rules are written, and maybe even from that point of view, the game could have changed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s the fact that it\u2019s totally late, and it\u2019s diving down onto the player after the try is scored.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s extremely disappointing for Ethan Hooker and a player that I think can add so much on the international arena.\u201d<\/p>\n Welsh winger defends dogshot that injured Springbok claiming he was \u2018fully legal\u2019 amid \u2018shameful\u2019 backlash<\/a><\/p>\n The Sharks are done<\/p>\n Hooker\u2019s try meant that the Sharks trailed Ospreys\u2019 14-12 at half-time, but the Durbanites would go on to suffer a 21-17 defeat, a result that all but ends their chances of making the URC play-offs.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we look at it now, the Sharks are done,\u201d Shimange remarked. \u201cI mean, they are 11th on the log. I\u2019m not sure they can make it to the top eight.\u201d<\/p>\n Former flanker Burger agreed, adding: \u201cThere is a nice little gap now between ninth place with Connacht on 44, and there is a 10-point buffer on 10th and 11th \u2013 that\u2019s too much.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Sharks have got an easy run-in, but unfortunately, this weekend\u2019s result is no good.\u201d<\/p>\n Running through the permutations, ex-centre De Villiers said that they would need a few favours from other teams in the league and would require the current top eight clubs to drop points.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you need to ask where will they find their points, but first of all, who will drop points,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cTeams in the top eight need to drop points for the Sharks to be able to obviously make it because they can get a maximum of 15, which takes them to 49. But the Bulls in eighth place just need four more points to get to 49.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you look at the Bulls\u2019 fixtures, you would assume that they would get four or more points. Cardiff is in seventh place. They\u2019re playing the Ospreys this weekend, Glasgow away the following weekend, and then the Stormers at home. So there\u2019s a possibility, but I don\u2019t really see that happening. So mathematically, the Sharks can still make it, but I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n