Rugby: Steve Hansen urges common sense approach with red cards

Benjamin Fall of France receives a red card during the International Test match between the All Blacks and France. Photo / Getty

A fortnight into the French series and never has there been more pressure on World Rugby to differentiate between the increasing incidents of accidental foul play which cause injury, and the flat-out dirty stuff of which there is less and less these days.

A day after the dramatic events at Westpac Stadium, Steve Hansen's sympathy was still with the French after Benjamin Fall's red card following his mid-air collision with Beauden Barrett, plus the match officials and especially referee Angus Gardner who was simply ruling to the letter of the law.

But he stressed the need for common sense has never been greater in a game which is become more dynamic and high-impact by the week. Few people want to see red cards for incidents like Fall's because it was clearly an accident and the test was effectively over as a result.

Various alternatives to red cards for such acts have been suggested in the wake of Fall's early departure from the pitch - including an "orange" card of 20 minutes in the bin, a yellow card with the offending player replaced rather returning to the field, and a report system, which is effectively already in place in the form of a citing commissioner.

"Our game is a collision game so there are going to be accidents in it," Hansen said a day after the 26-13 win in Wellington. "At the moment we're trying to treat every collision the same. Deliberate foul play – there's no room for it and it should be dealt to with a red card.

Benjamin Fall of France collides with Beauden Barrett of the All Blacks in the air resulting in a red card from referee Angus Gardner. Photo / Getty

"Unintentional collisions that result in people landing the wrong way, being hurt - there's got to be some wriggle room. There was a suggestion last night – if it has to be a card at all, then maybe it's a yellow and they can replace him after that 10 minutes or whatever, I don't know. But it's spoiling test matches, red cards, for unintentional incidents that are happening."

As for the potential to World Rugby to take the extreme step and ban mid-air contests for high kicks, Hansen hopes that never happens.

"Rugby's been dangerous for years," he said. "The only thing that's different is that you've now got bigger men, faster men, who are running into each other more often. We have to accept that there are going to be collisions – Ryan Crotty getting a cut head [for example]. People will unfortunately get bangs to the head – you're going to get double tackles. A lot of concussions are caused by friendly fire by their own teammates. You don't want to be red carding your own teammates.

"What we have to understand is these things are happening and how do we regulate for dirty play, and to be honest there's not much of that happening now, versus the grey stuff. Common sense has to prevail and the first part of that is accepting those things are going to happen. What the mitigating circumstances that will allow us to stop it happening as much?

"If Beauden hadn't fallen on his head he [Fall] wouldn't have got red-carded. So what's the action, is it Beauden falling on his head or is it because they both contested the ball? I even find that strange. It shouldn't be how you fall, it should be the action which caused the fall."

The debate is set to continue.