'It's not football. You can't slide tackle': Brian O'Driscoll calls for end to 'blight on the game'

Brian O'Driscoll has appealed to World Rugby to address the "blight on the game" of slide tackles.

'It's not football. You can't slide tackle': Brian O'Driscoll calls for end to 'blight on the game'

Brian O'Driscoll has appealed to World Rugby to address the "blight on the game" of slide tackles.

The Ireland legend and BT Sport pundit is disappointed by referees' ignoring illegal tackles such as Castres fly-half Benjamín Urdapilleta's knees-first hit before Andrew Conway's disallowed try.

Referee Wayne Barnes was

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"It's clear that Conway does knock the ball on but look at that for leading knees," said O'Driscoll.

"It's something that needs to be stamped out of the game and I'm disappointed to see that referees are allowing that go.

"I'm really disappointed because Conway missed the summer tour in Australia because of a similar knee drop.

"It's not football. You can't have a slide tackle.

"He's even not trying to go for it with his arms. I don't think it's a penalty try because I don't think you can guarantee that Conway is going to pick that up and score but it's absolutely a yellow card.

"EPCR [European Professional Club Rugby] and World Rugby need to stamp down on that because it's a blight on the game."

Meanwhile, former Munster star Alan Quinlan believes his old team's controversial Champions Cup defeat to Castres was

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