Absolutely mad scenes in the Gallagher Premiership this weekend with five red cards already being shown across the fictures and three of those shown in the match between the Leicester Tigers and London Wasps.
Leicester were in the lead and cruising as the best player on the pitch Jasper Weise was handed his marching orders for a dangerous clear out in a ruck after he made contact with a Wasps player’s head.
There were no complaints from the Tigers as he made his way off the pitch.
Just after half time it didn’t take long for Wasps to level the numbers with their own player getting red as well. Kieran Brookes was handed a red for making contact with a player’s head and not making an attempt to wrap.
Kieran Brookes is off for a collision with Lavanini.
That's our FOURTH red of the weekend. 🟥
We're 14v14! #GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/m6iBlziZQU
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) February 20, 2021
Premiership referees are cracking down on contact with the head and it’s a no tolerance policy so we’re seeing a lot more reds recently.
Speechless. 😳
Hanro Liebenberg picks up the third red of the game and our fifth of the weekend. 🟥#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/Ct3uhjzeJh
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) February 20, 2021
Liebenberg then picked up the final red of the game to bring Leicester down to 13 men in the very dying minutes of the match. This is arguably the harshest decision of the match as it seems Hanro has his eyes on the ball and can’t get out of the Wasps player’s way.
It’s understandable the way the referee comes to his decision as he explains his step by step process. It didn’t affect the game as it finished Leicester 27-8 Wasps.
Will the clubs appeal these decisions?