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

Name: WATCH: Rugby player's instant red-card high tackle
Uploaded: 2010-09-19T09:01:34+12:00
Description: WATCH: Rugby player's instant red-card high tackle. Source / Rucked Magazine via Twitter

NZ Herald

18 Sep, 2021 08:05 PM2 mins to read

WATCH: Rugby player's instant red-card high tackle. Source / Rucked Magazine via Twitter

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.

At what point does the game start saying that certain things should result in potentially career impacting bans? There has to be consequence. I don’t know this guys history but it always makes me laugh when previous conduct, etc is taken as mitigation to the length of a ban.
— James O’Mahony (@jhomahony) September 18, 2021

That has to be the worst 'tackle' I have ever seen. That really was an assault
— Ian Brotherston (@iandb1970) September 18, 2021

Doesn’t deserve to play the game if he is going to tackle like that. It was premeditated and designed to hurt the No.9. Should be season ban minimum
— Wayne Tuckwell, CISMP (@waynetuckwell) September 18, 2021

That’s not a tackle, that’s attempted murder
— Christopher Lowe (@Chris7lowe) September 18, 2021

I would of sent him of for that tash alone... Jesus looks like someone mixed his weetabix with redbull this morning... horrendous attempt of a tackle/charged down
— Lloyd Adams (@lloydus7) September 18, 2021