WHO WILL ISSUE THE FIRST RED CARD?

Radio DJ's used to call it the hit parade, but it had nothing to do with the game of rugby ... until now. World Rugby sent out a clear message prior to the start of RWC 2019 in Japan that it would clamp down hard on illegal "hits" - high, no arms tackles - and that referees would be encouraged to issue a straight red if warranted. Well that has worked out well ... for some reason ever since the Australian Hodge's shoulder to the head assault on the Fiji back rower (no card, later cited), all RWC referees seem reluctant to issue the ketchup (red card) preferring the mustard (yellow card).

The hit parade is on a roll .. whether it is England v Tonga with Zane Kapeli’s big hit on Billy Vunipola which achieved the rare feat of knocking the No.8 backwards. The tackle was actually illegal and should have been penalised as Kapeli made the tackle with his shoulder while keeping his right arm tucked by his side. 

Or, how about the Russia v Samoa match, where twice in the space of a few minutes during the first half, Samoan players Rey Lee-lo and Motu Matu’u made the kind of hits that were clear ketchup offences. Not only were the tackles to the head, they were forceful and the tackler did not properly wraps his arms around his opponent, who in both cases, was the Russia captain Vasily Artemyev. 

The referee after consulting the TMO downgraded the offence to mustard only as they thought the player had lowered his head (complete b*****). Funny enough both players have been cited. Later in the same match Russia’s Kirill Gotovtsev grabbed Samoa’s Afaesetiti Amosa around the neck in an attempt to stop a certain try. The tackler wrenched Amosa’s head violently to one side causing a hyper extension of his right leg which led to a tournament ending knee injury. Again, mustard was shown not ketchup.

How strange that football, a much less dangerous game than rugby, should be far better at protecting the most skilful players. Still, there is time, with five weeks remaining of the tournament, for the referees to wake up and start throwing the ketchup about.