In Marseille
The bunker, much criticized during the World Cup, has returned for its first time in the Six Nations Tournament.
And he did not fail, from the outset, to add confusion.
The official hidden behind his screen was asked twice by the English referee, Mr. Dickson, regarding Paul Willemse.
9th minute, the French second row clears the Irishman Porter and his shoulder hits the head of the pillar head on.
Yellow card and call to the bunker.
Who will decide not to go red?
32nd minute.
Willemse does not bend down when tackling and his shoulder hits an Irish header again, this time that of the third row.
Doris.
The field referee shows a second yellow card.
Which amounts to expulsion, so he holds up the red.
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But Mr. Dickson nevertheless appeals to the bunker.
To leave it to him to judge the seriousness of the prohibited contact.
The official decided, ten minutes later, that this second fault by the Montpellier resident was worth a direct red.
The English referee will inform the captain of the Blues, Grégory Alldritt, upon returning from the locker room before the start of the second half.
Anecdotal is this change of color since, in any case, Willemse was already definitively expelled?
Not for the upcoming sanction.
The disciplinary committee will be more severe for a yellow card then a direct red card, than for two yellow cards.
The duration of the suspension of the second row, who was making his return to blue after missing the 2023 Six Nations Tournament then the World Cup due to injury, will therefore be higher.