"Worst tackle I've ever seen" - Red card shocker in Top 14 game

Publish Date
Sunday, 19 September 2021, 11:34AM

You can't get more of a straight red card than this.

While the Wallabies-Springboks encounter in Brisbane last night featured yet another yellow or red card debate there was no question about the sending off of Castres player Ryno Pieterse during a Top 14 clash overnight.

Pieterse was given a red card for a brutal late tackle which has been described as one of the worst tackles ever.

Pieterse hit Bordeaux-Begles halfback Maxime Lucu in a no-arms late tackle after Lucu had kicked a clearance.

The former Bulls lock had only been on the field for 13 minutes after coming on as a second half replacement.

Referee Romain Poite took little time to decide which card to pull out.

Former top referee Nigel Owens said that Pieterse should face a long suspension.

"I never get involved in Citing's or length of ban conversations. But this was as obvious a RC you will see and well done Romain, no TMO lengthy conversations. But it has to now be followed by a very very lengthy ban," he said on Twitter.

Despite the red card, Castres kicked a late penalty to earn a 23-23 draw.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission

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