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International

'Sad': Rassie Eramsus addresses Boks' second red card in two weekends

Ian Cameron

166 days ago

Franco Mostert (L) of South Africa has an altercation with Ross Vintcent of Italy during the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match between Italy and South Africa at Allianz Stadium on November 15, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus cut a conflicted figure after South Africa’s gritty 32–14 win over Italy in Turin, praising his side’s adaptability while laying bare his frustration over another week dominated by card decisions and head-contact flashpoints.

The Springboks finished with 14 men after Franco Mostert’s red card, just days after Siya Kolisi’s milestone 100th Test was also marred after he was subbed following Lood de Jager’s red card dismissal against France.

Erasmus didn’t lash out at the refereeing, but admitted he was sad for the knock-on effect it had on skipper Siya Kolisi and Ben-Jason Dixon.

“It is what it is. What I say can’t make a difference. I’m just grateful that we had Ben O’Keeffe on the one side and an experienced referee (in James Doleman).

“I’m not saying it in a negative way. What I can say is that it’s sad that our captain, who had to make that sacrifice in his 100th game and in this game.”

Erasmus said tackle zone officiating was leaving his tallest players struggling to stay compliant.

“I always thought we wanted to get to 20-minute red cards, and we have to re-check on that, but it’s not my place to talk about it. However, for a captain to twice in a week to suffer for us to win is sad.

“I’m not saying the calls were wrong, but I definitely saw a lot of other shots in the game. By that I’m not criticising, that is life, and once we review the game, we may come to a different conclusion and see that we were totally wrong, and then we have to rectify it.

“We got a red card, and they got a yellow card, which I probably thought was the right call, but losing two locks in two games now for going lower than they can go, it’s tough to understand.

“Again, I’m not saying anyone is wrong, but we don’t know how to coach guys to go lower, especially for a two-meter-tall guy to face someone who is on his knees is tough. And then to play with 13 men, and them with 14 for a while, it was tougher than last week.”

Despite the circumstances, South Africa’s defence and control down the stretch secured a third straight win on tour. Erasmus, though, said it was impossible to separate the satisfaction of the result from the emotional toll on those copping the sanctions.

“Yes, we have a way to adapt, but it’s unfair on individuals like Siya and Ben-Jason (Dixon), who received a chance for the first time in a long time,” said Erasmus.

“Everyone, even the players not playing, were making plans, but we are a very proud team in the way we level change and avoid head contact, and we’ve received so many red cards. Makazole Mapimpi and Jasper Wiese both got six-week (suspensions), and we are really trying hard.”

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Comments

23 Comments

Jacque 165 days ago

Ramos, against the Boks last weekend, never went for an HIA and played the entire match. Garbisi never went for one in Turin and played the entire game.

ABSOLUTE JOKE.

Since the introduction of the 20-minute red card, the Springboks have been given a full red card 3 times: July 12 vs Italy: Wiese in the 12th minute November 8 in France: Lood de Jager in the 40th minute November 15 in Italy: Franco Mostert in the 12th minute In 178 minutes combined in those matches after being shown the red card, they have conceded just 17 points and just 1 try, and won all.

N K 165 days ago

The head contact mitigating factors become irrelevant when the tackling player doesn't wrap, as it makes their actions “Always Illegal”. Therefore when there is head contact, the sanction starts at Red then is mitigated down, if there are sufficient mitigating factors, and it meets the yellow card threshold, then it is a bunker review. A tackler who commits foul play that is not a tackle, ie, a tucked arm is not afforded those mitigating factors.

As SA players seem to be having more straight red cards, it says more about the actions of those players rather than the state of the officiating.

Granted the incident in the Welsh match, should have been a straight red and not a bunker review, and that is on the referee. The bunker can only issue a 20min red.

JJ 165 days ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-AvlAPzkSA

Venomenal1 166 days ago

I say the fans and players and clubs have to move towards something to welcome a better organisation than World Rugby in. Ship out this current system with their silly laws and get something in that is fair all around. World Rugby isn't doing what they should be and they are causing issues with our great game. Go all avenues to bring in something new. Enough is enough.

DP 166 days ago

Alez Alez to the French TMO, looking for some revenge after last week. Nice try but he clearly wasn’t paying attention, if the Boks can beat France in Paris with 14 men they can beat Italy in Turin with their 14 men B-side. Laughable.

LE 166 days ago

To say this was always illegal is nonsense he was bent at the waist in a classic tackling position but there was a late drop in height due to the player being tackled by another player. To claim no mitigation is quite frankly ridiculous. At worst a yellow but im inclined to say it was just a rugby incident play on. Regards an england fan

JJ 165 days ago

I didn’t think it was even a penalty. It will be rescinded, but that’s too little, too late. Until these referees and TMOs get bans like the players do, they will continue to cheat.

JJ 166 days ago

I’m sure Bryce Lawrence was thrilled with the standard of refereeing in this one!

Boddasaffa 166 days ago

Ultimately R360 is going to provide a simplified game with non confusing rules that spectators enjoy, WR need to exercise real caution as the game as we try to understand it, is a shambles.

RM 166 days ago

The problem is there was absolutely no evidence of direct head contact and in the meantime Japans number 19 does a much worse tackle getting only a yellow (which I believe was the correct decision). I just find the lack of consistency a real issue

wiluaom 166 days ago

Sometimes we have a sad moment in a great spectacle, namely, when a player is carried off the field with a neck brace. We do not want to see that! Now we have the other extreme when tall men ends up low in a double tackle situation and for their efforts they receive a red card and the rest of the spectacle is ruined for the spectators. That is also very sad. Unfortunately, unless World Rugby rethinks, rugby will be the ultimately looser.

I believe the solution is to simplify the rules as rugby is now to technical and subjective that spectators cannot always understand it. Keep is simple, for example:

1) Give a penalty for mistakes/offences (for example: offside)

2) Give a yellow card for cynical or blatant mistakes/offences (for example: offside and blatantly interfering with play to avoid a try)

3) Give a red card only for blatant malicious mistakes/offences (for example: punching, kicking an opponent, eye gauging)

Or do nothing and let the sad state of rugby continue.

Hammer Head 166 days ago

Both head shots were completely accidental. Due to the tackled players dropping in height prior.

Everyone can see it. Everyone knows it.

We were meant to have 20min red cards to save the game from red cards ruining games. Or so I thought.

As someone else has rightly said - this is all just a massive PR excercise to make it seem as if WR is doing everything they can to make the game safer. That’s it.

We’ve seen a steady increase in efforts of players to milk an advantage, milk cards. Players and referees in constant discussion over incidents on the field. Calls for TMO reviews. Rugby is starting to look like NFL or some derivative.

So much for speeding up the game.

It’s become a complete sh1tshow. We’ve taken two steps back from where we were at the end of the last year - during this years 6N and RC even.

We’re constantly having to accept new rule trials. How about we trial new people in charge of World Rugby.

I can’t wait until I see a player drop to their knees to avoid being tackled…

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