NFL’s Saquon Barkley sparks ‘jump’ debate in rugby world

Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles has sparked an unusual controversy in rugby. Barkley did something special on 3rd and 8 yards to set up a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He beat two defenders with a juke and then did a reverse hurdle before being tripped by a crowd of defenders.

“Not rugby, of course… But this might be the most sporting thing I’ve ever seen. A reverse hurdle from Saquon,” Tight Five Rugby said on social media.

That sparked debate online about whether rugby codes should make rule changes to allow such a game. According to current rugby union rules, such a game is illegal.

“Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others, including leading with their elbow or forearm or jumping into or over a tackler,” according to World Rugby’s Laws of the Game.

Despite these limitations, there have been notable exceptions, particularly when players dive to attempt. And of course, players can jump for a ball regardless of where the defenders are near them. The most famous recent no-call was England’s Jonny May, who earned a draw at this year’s Six Nations Championship by jumping over an Italian defender. The move even led to the Six Nations social media account joking that the “Super Bowl happened last week.”

Jonathan Kaplan, formerly one of the most international rugby union referees of all time, later said the jump was legal after it sparked controversy online. The score had little impact on the game.

England beat Italy 41-18 at Twickenham in the second round of this year’s Six Nations tournament.

The Azzuri have never beaten England in rugby union. This year, Italy lost a 27-24 win to England at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

The close result was the closest margin for the two teams in their 31-game history.

Similarly, despite Saquon Barkley’s heroics in the third period, the Philadelphia Eagles eked out a narrow 28-23 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the current NFL team of former Welsh rugby international Louis Rees-Zammit.