Early last year, Tongue made several key errors in pass coverage and on special teams, including drawing a 12-men-on-the-field penalty during the Jets' 13-7 loss to New England in October.
While New Zealand would not comment, Friend said World Rugby also needed to look at the sanctions for an eight-man breach, as the current punishment was a mere on-field penalty.
Example: offending player is ejected from the game and penalized $150,000; on-the-field penalty is automatic half the distance to the goal; and the owner of the team is fined $150,000, and financially responsible for all medical expenses incurred by the injured player for life.
In between, Green Bay tallied 24 points, scoring on four of five possessions, with its final touchdown — a 9-yard catch by John Kuhn, who earlier scored on a 3-yard run — coming on the first play after the Vikings self-destructed: a too-many-men-on-the-field penalty turned fourth-and-4 into first-and-goal.
But stiffer on-field penalties, fines, suspensions, seminars, summit meetings, press releases — these are knee-jerk public-relations reactions that will do little.
In the case of a running backs rule, the N.F.L. would also have to determine where on the field the penalty could be called — could the league really prohibit a running back from lowering his head in the crowd near the line of scrimmage, or would it be prohibited only in the open field?
Local TV commentators speculated that had the incident taken place at the other end of the field, a penalty would surely have been awarded.
Both teams must resume the game with the same players who were on the field when the penalty was taken in the original match, although England can change who takes the penalty.
Both teams had to resume the game with the same players who were on the field when the penalty was taken in the original match, although England could have changed who took the penalty.
1998: Ahead in overtime, Oregon State forced a turnover on downs, and its students stormed the field, except a penalty had been called.
Then came Tuilagi's thunderous tackle and, when Ford returned to the field, a Geordan Murphy penalty had put the home side five points ahead.
