Andre Esterhuizen runs with the ball before being binned in the match between the Boks and Portugal. Picture: Charle Lombard/Gallo Images
Could he have gone lower? Yes. Was it a high and dangerous tackle worthy of a red card? According to the TMO and referee who handled the match between the Springboks and Portugal in Bloemfontein on Saturday, the answer is yes.
Bok centre Andre Esterhuizen’s tackle on Portuguese midfielder Jose Lima in the first two minutes of the Test has become the biggest talking point and issue of the one-off, historic Test between the nations.
For the record, the Boks, with predominantly backup and young players in the matchday-23, won the match comfortably 64-21. They scored 10 tries to Portugal’s three and had to play most of the match with 14 men after Esterhuizen was red carded for his early tackle.
Following what looked like a perfectly executed “hit” on Lima, which sadly left the Portuguese player concussed, and carried off, and out of the action, Esterhuizen was yellow carded by referee Hollie Davidson.
A few minutes later, with the TMO having viewed the footage, the yellow card was upgraded to a red, for a high and dangerous tackle, with head on head contact. But was this the right decision?
From several videos doing the rounds on social media, it looks like Esterhuizen’s tackle was perfectly timed, with the Bok star bending his knees to go in lower, and it appears he makes contact with Lima’s shoulder, rather than his head. Is it clear and obvious head on head contact?
Sadly Esterhuizen falls on top of Lima as he hits the ground, with his head hitting the turf quite violently.
World Rugby will now probably charge Esterhuizen and ask him to appear before a disciplinary hearing.
From the footage below, did Davidson and the TMO make the right call to red card the Bok centre?
