hospital pass
n.— «In rugby parlance Robinson was thrown a hospital pass as he tried to maintain the success. With Johnson retired and Wilkinson a shadow of the player he was two years ago, Robinson is conspicuously short of leaders on the pitch.» —“Robinson must axe or be axed” by John Rawling Guardian (U.K.) Aug. 15, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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