Highlanders winger Sio Tomkinson has been banned for three weeks after failing to wrap his arms as his shoulder hit Brumbies fullback Tom Banks’ head.
Highlanders winger Sio Tomkinson has been slapped with a three-week suspension for his hit on Tom Banks, but that will be of little comfort to the Brumbies.
The Highlanders clinched an after-the-siren victory in Canberra with Tomkinson on the field after he escaped being sent off for the dangerous tackle on Banks in the 44th minute.
Tomkinson failed to wrap his arms as his shoulder hit Banks’ head, but referee Nic Berry deemed the initial contact “shoulder to shoulder” and opted for a yellow card on Saturday.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar called it a red card and the SANZAAR citing commissioner agreed the next day before accepting Tomkinson’s guilty plea and banning him on Tuesday.
World Rugby dictates any foul play involving contact with the head must start at a mid-range grading level, which carries a minimum of six weeks.
But due to Tomkinson’s clean record, his suspension was halved and he’ll be free to play against the Jaguares on March 15.
McKellar suggested after the game Super Rugby officials were not following the strict red-card precedent set at the World Cup last year.
World Rugby vowed to protect players at the 2019 World Cup and a record eight red cards were brandished – more than the past four tournaments combined – including one by Berry.
McKellar didn’t blame Berry’s decision for the heartbreaking loss which snapped a 10-game winning run at home, but was adamant it should have been red.
“I thought it was a red card,” McKellar said.
“If you’re asking me as a rugby fan, I thought, from what we’ve seen previously, I thought it was in that red card threshold.”
Even Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger conceded by the letter of the law Tomkinson could have been sent off.
“It’s a tough one, isn’t it,” Mauger said.
“If you’re reffing to the letter it’s contact with the head, but I don’t think there was any malice there and there’s nowhere for him to go.
“It’s one of those ones that happens in a split second, so I don’t think there was any chance of pulling out.”
The Brumbies were kept scoreless in the 10 minutes Tomkinson was off the field.
Conversely, when Brumbies lock Murray Douglas was sin-binned in the 80th minute for repeated infringements the Highlanders were able to score and win 23-22.
DNZ
Guest
I don't know if you've been wasting as much time on the internet too much lately as me Paulo but tax minimisation is definitely something that gets the masses wound up and hysterical.
Cheers mate
P2R2
Roar Rookie
why weaker....they have good replacements...
P2R2
Roar Rookie
again...very logical and correct....
P2R2
Roar Rookie
very logical and correct Corne...
P2R2
Roar Rookie
Not necessarily....but give up the HOPING....game is done ..
P2R2
Roar Rookie
Brumbies couldnt score for 10mins he was OFF....whether it should have been RED or YELLOW and the Brumbies Lock who was YELLOW'd for REPEATED infringements...should that have been a RED...in the end the better TEAM won....
Jacko
Guest
Yep. Cant argue that. I thought they had definitive protocols in place for that.
Jacko
Guest
No it just means that with further time and evidence a slightly different decision was arrived at
Lux Interior
Roar Rookie
Good to know KEN.
I am just wondering why Banks didn’t go for a HIA, harsh to expect referees to dish out a red card if the tackled player isn’t required to do an HIA, surely the requirement or non requirement is an indicator?
Jacko
Guest
TBH in one of the angles they showed the tackled players head was below the nipple line at point of contact. I thought that was enough to keep it to a YC at the time but also have no issue with him being sighted after the match...I am not a fan of only blaming the tackler in this type of tackle but that seems to be the rules these days....So be it...Just the consistency of it that gets us fans annoyed
Purdo
Roar Rookie
CVV: I didn’t think of it at the time, but yes!
MonkeyBoy
Roar Rookie
Berry stated he believed it was shoulder to shoulder and would be YC, unless the TMO could show him conclusive proof it was to the head. The angles available at the time particularly on the old screen showed probably directly to head but possibly some shoulder ergo not "conclusive" TMO will not overall he may suggest another look which he did. Upside next home game there will be a new bigger screen at the other end of the field which should be clearer.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Not all Australian supporter were seeing red EDDIE.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“Should have been a red, and red cards ruin games” (and necks and heads). Yes Paulo, refs are in a tough position. And to counterpoint my own point regarding necks and heads.. There have been countless cards where the tackler did not realistically threaten injury but the height of the tackle, the position of arms, the point(s) of contact, the degree of force, the proportion of intention/accident, the complicity of the tacklee.....etc.etc all add up to a ‘soft red’ in law. So an act on the yellow/red line deemed ‘red’ on the spot punishes a team disproportionately, especially of its a first half offence. Yet, other less visible, and arguably more sinister, tactics, such as ruck neck rolls, get off scot free. We expect a lot of a referee. The intense forensics within the role now is off the charts. Personally, I don’t mind the each way bet of a yellow card. With a proviso - that if it is deemed a red card offence after the game when the player has had 70 unworthy minutes of contribution to his team’s victory, then there be no discounts. Make the half-punished red cardees pay in full. I’m thinking of Moody and his cynical elbow here. Commits a high shot to a defender’s throat In 2018, then scores a try. Gets cited, but the game has turned and the points are in the bag. Not punished enough after the event for mine. As recently as the last World Cup ‘Elbows‘ was back at work. I am not declaring current practices perfect, but we need to make the game safer. Those bleating against the ‘ruination’ of games by red cards would be well advised to look at another ruination - the lives of families caring for neck and head injured players.
If there was suspected contact with the head would that not then be protocol?
Purdo
Roar Rookie
no
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Refs really are damned if do, and they are damned if they don’t. Should have been a red, and red cards ruin games. Pick your flavour depending on what team you support it seems for most people. Same with TMOs. TMO should have told ref what happened and TMOs get too involved and should let the ref make up their mind. People typically (not always) seem to be in the camp which favours there team at the time, ridiculously coincidental.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
And then he played to the refs rules, not the spectators, he gets labeled a cheat and a grub (a term normally used for someone who commits numerous cheap shots and/dog shots). But if you ‘minimise’ tax with inventive deductions, no one labels you a criminal a fraudulent, even though you are both just using interpretations of laws. Shows how emotion can cloud judgement to a very large degree.