Sunday Social: Juggling with Finn Russell, heartfelt goodbyes, sevens madness and Wallabies tennis

It is time for Planet Rugby’s Sunday Social, your quirky recap of the serious and not so serious talking points from the past week’s action.
Goodbye, Freddie. It was an emotional week at Welford Road as the Leicester Tigers bid farewell to their 2021/22 Premiership final hero Freddie Burns, who will be joining the Highlanders for Super Rugby. The 32-year-old sat down with BBC Sport Leicester, where he read through some of the supporters’ tributes to him, one of which reduced him to tears.
It will be 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀' 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 in a Leicester Tigers shirt on Saturday🐯
He built such a special bond with Tigers' fans, and his title-winning drop goal is in Leicester folklore. We asked for your tributes, and showed them to him.
This one was special😢 pic.twitter.com/bm6y5QHMGZ
— BBC Sport Leicester (@BBCRLSport) January 27, 2023
Burns was given a well-deserved standing ovation on Saturday when he left the pitch in the 68th minute of the Tigers‘ 18-19 defeat to Northampton Saints.
One final goodbye 👏@FreddieBurns gets a well-deserved standing ovation as he leaves the field 🙏
Watch the final 10 minutes on @btsportrugby 📺#GallagherPrem | #LEIvNOR | @LeicesterTigers pic.twitter.com/MgdydUfEg3
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) January 28, 2023
Sticking with the fly-halves, Scotland and Racing 92 playmaker Finn Russell showed off his juggling ability. Russell has flaunted the skill in the past, but took it to another level in a recent interview with the Daily Mail.
Spectacular photoshoot with @finn_russell coming in tomorrow’s @MailSport by @KevinQuigley_DM 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BIAMe6PPgu
— Nik Simon (@Nik_Simon88) January 28, 2023
From skills off the pitch to skills on them, Ox Nche showed that he is far more than a powerful scrummaging prop by making a wonderful break on the wing against Edinburgh. He fended off the attempted tackle from Ben Vellacott before finding Grant Williams in support. Superb!
🌪️ Ox Nche showing wings how it's done. #URC #EDIvSHA pic.twitter.com/U5FPhWvbZP
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) January 28, 2023
The cake-loving prop certainly earned his treat through his performance against the Scottish side as the Sharks secured a narrow 19-22 victory.
No, @oxnche – it's not cake time. Yet.#EDIvSHA | @Vodacom #URC | #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/NwdcwnZhgD
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) January 28, 2023
Tighthead Jeff Toomaga-Allen was in fine form on Friday evening as Ulster cruised to a 35-5 victory over the Stormers. He scored a try in the win and was named man of the match for his performance. The former All Black is clearly enjoying his time in Belfast and couldn’t stop smiling during the post-match interview.
🔋🙌 Loving the energy from @UlsterRugby's Jeffery Toomaga-Allen. #URC pic.twitter.com/T8MHIWa8xQ
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) January 27, 2023
Staying with the props, Harlequins and Springbok tighthead Wilco Louw impressed the Stoltman brothers, Luke and Tom, dubbed the world’s strongest brothers. Louw shunted the scrum machine backwards with Tom and Luke on top, with the sled weighing 345kgs, according to the Premiership club.
🤯 Wilco Louw was #ReadyToReign when he scrummed not one but TWO strongmen!
💪 @stoltman_tom and @luke_stoltman were in awe of our tighthead’s power.
🎞 Watch the full video here: https://t.co/sT0QqufZFJ #Reign #MadeItReign #COYQ pic.twitter.com/G8MPCBB2lp
— Harlequins 🃏 (@Harlequins) January 25, 2023
Louw has been in excellent form for Quins recently and showed off his strength in-game with a superb lift on Stephan Lewies, who over-extended when plucking the ball out of the air.
All in a day’s work for one of the strongest players in the game 💪 pic.twitter.com/VSrcvmWxGC
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) January 25, 2023
The innovation from tap penalties continues! This time it was Japanese side, the Canon Eagles, who produced a new twist on the move with lock Kobus van Dyk tapping the ball before placing it on the ground for Faf de Klerk to scoop up. The Springbok scrum-half then drew one defender before putting SP Marais through for the try.
Canon Eagles rally a pure bit of training ground genius for this SP Marais try.
Kobus ✋🏼 Faf ✋🏼 SP#SaffasAbroad | #LeagueOne pic.twitter.com/wmfjkpWgLV
— Darren (@SaffasRugby) January 28, 2023
The sevens in Sydney this weekend produced two bizarre moments that exposed loopholes in rugby’s laws. The first was a try in South Africa’s match against Ireland. Jaiden Baron was out of the field of play when he kept the ball alive by kicking it before he crossed the line. Because he never had possession of the ball, the try stood as explained by EK rugby below.
Here's a legal curio for you if there ever was one;
Most people would look at this and say no try, Jaiden Baron's standing foot is in touch.
However, the laws say you can kick the ball while standing in touch…so long as it doesn't pass the line while doing it.#Sydney7s pic.twitter.com/IAoVRY6ZPB
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) January 28, 2023
The second came from Uruguay’s Guillermo Lijtenstein, who headed the ball forwards in the lead-up to a try against Spain. The try was allowed as the laws around knock-ons only mention the arm and hand as body parts that the ball can be knocked on with.
Header and chase!! 🤯
Guillermo Lijtenstein with a glorious piece of skill 🤩#Sydney7s | #HSBC7s | @RugbyUruguay pic.twitter.com/9VdvRTYz08
— World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) January 29, 2023
It was certainly an entertaining weekend in Sydney with a hilarious budgie smuggler race. The contestants had to sprint, down a milkshake, eat dry Weetabix and slot a drop goal, all in sandals!
The action on the pitch has taken an unexpected turn… #Sydney7s | #HSBC7s pic.twitter.com/1Yzw48L1an
— World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) January 28, 2023
We stay in Australia, where Nic White and Ned Hanigan caused a bit of a stir while attending the Australian Open tennis. Stan Sport interviewed the Wallabies duo before taking on a challenge where they were tasked with hitting tennis balls at a screen with a cutout of French referee Mathieu Raynal.
Nic White and Ned Hanigan targeting Mathieu Raynal at the Aussie Open.
Stan deleted the clip. pic.twitter.com/HpAl5ZPr0T
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) January 28, 2023
The RFU’s decision to lower the tackle height in the community game continued to be hotly debated throughout the week, with former All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams weighing in. Williams shared this clip highlighting the worst concussion he had in his career.
The Worst concussion i had in a 20 year career was from a low “textbook” tackle – the reason everyone (like me) is so confused by these rumoured law changes is because the logic isn’t being shared with us. Can anyone share the science behind these decisions? pic.twitter.com/mcmhlRUmkA
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) January 27, 2023
On a lighter note, Williams might consider another code switch after shining in league, union and professional boxing after displaying his basketball skills. He shared a clip of him nailing a long-range shot brilliantly. Nothing but net!
Haters would say it’s photoshopped, but I say it looks like a 5th pro sport is calling my name 👀 pic.twitter.com/VJtLGb8xyx
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) January 28, 2023
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