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High shot on de Klerk results in red card and likely semi-final ban for Exeter's Skinner
Referee Karl Dickson and TMO Clare Hodnett were extremely busy on Saturday at Sandy Park, their decisions resulting in a second-half red card for Sam Skinner of Exeter for his high shot on Sale’s Faf de Klerk and a first-half yellow card – downgraded from a red – for Dave Ewers for his high shot on Simon Hammersley.
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There were 53 minutes gone when Scotland international Skinner was sent off with Sale leading 19-3 and five metres out from the Exeter line in search of their fourth try of the match. Referee Dickson had no hesitation in brandishing the red card after consulting with Hodnett and reviewing the footage of the foul play.
“It’s direct contact to the head,” said Hodnett, who added she felt that de Klerk had fallen into the contact and wasn’t bolt upright when Skinner’s shoulder connected with his head. Dickson, though, replied: “There is a high degree of danger because he is high going into the tackle and it is at high force and there is a forearm,” agreed the referee.
“We have got direct contact with the head. It’s with high force, there is a high degree of danger and I’m actually not seeing any mitigation at this point because Faf is at the same height he would have been if he was running normally and the player has not done enough to get low.”
Calling over Skinner, Dickson told the offending player: “So we have got direct contact to the head. It’s a high degree of force and there is no mitigation, so it is going to be a red card.”
Sale versus Exeter isn't yet a rivalry anywhere near Saracens versus Exeter, but Alex Sanderson is salivating that it is now set to heat up…#EXEvSALhttps://t.co/iodndhQlCv
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 12, 2021
Dickson’s speed in reaching this decision was in contrast with the lengthy review that took place in the 34th minute when Ewers’ shoulder crashed into Hammersley’s head. The deliberations started with a suggested red card but the referee revised that opinion down to yellow after considering the footage from a variety of angles. “We have shoulder to the head, we have got a high degree of danger, (but) we have got to discuss mitigation,” said Dickson.
“The only thing we have got to consider here is the fact that the player is being tackled and spinning out of the tackle as the (second) tackler is coming across. For me, that is the only part that I can see for mitigation, so that is what would bring it from red down to yellow because of the spin in the tackle and the change in direction of the ball carrier.”
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With Skinner sent off, the scene was seemingly set for Sale to go on and record the bonus-point win that would have lifted them into second on the table ahead of Exeter and resulted in the Chiefs having to visit the AJ Bell for next weekend’s semi-final. However, the red card instead inspired an incredible Exeter comeback as they defiantly fought back to win 20-19, ten points coming their way after Ben Curry was yellow carded.
Sale’s misery was then compounded by impressive out-half AJ MacGinty getting stretchered off with the knee injury that will likely rule him out of next Saturday’s semi-final rematch between the teams at Sandy Park.
RugbyPass Offload EP 33 with Jack Nowell & Freddie Burns ?
Massively excited to announce @nowellsy15 as a new panellist on the podcast ?
Jack talks us through his return from injury while we are also joined by Freddie Burns fresh from Japan ??
?? – https://t.co/Jk2H9HA0ci pic.twitter.com/g39WMcNQzf
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 9, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments