Mostert red card shows a sport in need of practicable solutions

Lack of consistency in decision-making in the tackle situation is making rugby almost impossible to play without a high degree of jeopardy. By Craig Ray

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Franco Mostert tackles Italian flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, clearly making contact below his head. Bok coach Rassie Erasmus

(Photo: Screengrab Photo: Getty Images)

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus cut a frustrated and confused figure during a post-match media conference after his team's 32-14 win over Italy in Turin.

For a second week, the Boks were forced to find a way with 14 men on the field. Lock Franco Mostert was red-carded by referee James Doleman for a “dangerous” tackle on Italy flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, forcing the Boks to play almost a full game with a man down.

Watching the incident again, it’s frankly amazing that the officials reached the conclusion they did.

The 2m-tall Mostert set himself low to make the tackle. An instant before he drove into the tackle, with textbook head-on technique, by squaring shoulders to hit the target before wrapping arms, Bok centre Ethan Hooker hit Garbisi on the hip with a low tackle from the side.

Even so, Mostert, who had a split second to react, drove his shoulder into Garbisi’s chest. The Italian’s head, under the force of almost two simultaneous blows from two men weighing more than 100kg, whipped, which made it look worse. Play went on, Garbisi got up, as did the two Boks. Moments later, French television match official (TMO) Tual Trainini alerted Doleman to potential foul play.

Initially, the on-field officials thought it might meet the yellow card threshold, which was strange as the initial contact by Mostert was clearly on the chest (see photo top right). But with additional urging from the TMO, they decided Mostert did not wrap his right arm in the tackle and therefore it was a red card.