Kiwis star felled by brutal friendly fire head clash

2 years ago 116

Raiders prop Joseph Tapine was forced disconnected with facial injuries aft a nasty caput clash successful the Kiwis' World Cup opener, but bravely returned to play a starring role.

Late successful the archetypal fractional of New Zealand's triumph implicit Lebanon, Tapine collided with Storm firebrand Nelson Asofa-Solomona, and came disconnected 2nd best.

Former Kiwi planetary Robbie Hunter-Paul was capable to spot the positives during the incident.

"That's not a atrocious injury, it's a achy injury, and it makes you look truly silly arsenic good due to the fact that your eyes puff up similar a panda bear, but it's not a limb, right?" helium said connected commentary.

"It's not a genu joint. It's not beauteous to watch, either ... I've had my chemoreceptor breached a fewer times connected precisely that benignant of play."

Tapine near the field, but returned aft the interruption - clocking 163 moving metres successful 59 minutes earlier being withdrawn precocious successful the contest.

He was 1 of New Zealand's champion connected the day, but the prima of the amusement was Roosters centre Joey Manu, who continues to thrive arsenic a fullback successful the planetary game.

Joey Manu scores unthinkable idiosyncratic try

The 25-year-old scored a fantastic solo try, portion mounting up different two, and was mostly progressive successful everything affirmative for the Kiwis.

Former Wallabies manager Michael Cheika, who is present coaching Lebanon, poured praise upon Manu aft the match.

"Joey Manu – you emotion him for the Roosters, but you've got to not similar him for the Kiwis, helium is excessively bloody good," helium told reporters.

Lebanon volition person to regroup for a crunch crippled against Ireland adjacent weekend, with the victor astir definite to decorativeness 2nd successful the radical down Michael Maguire's team.

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