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Controversial red card decision for hit on Retallick overturned

Highlanders centre Sio Tomkinson

Highlanders centre Sio Tomkinson will face no further action after his red card for a tackle on Chiefs captain Brodie Retallick was rescinded.

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Tomkinson was given his marching orders by referee Glen Jackson just five minutes after coming on in the second half of the first game of the Super Rugby season in Hamilton last Friday.

The 22-year-old was adjudged to have been guilty of a dangerous hit on the New Zealand lock, who was unable to continue in a contest which ended with a 30-27 victory for the Highlanders.

However, it was ruled at a SANZAAR judicial committee hearing that Tomkinson should not have been dismissed.

Judicial committee chairman Michael Heron QC said: “The judicial committee conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and relevant match reports. 

“The committee heard evidence from the player, a member of the Highlanders’ coaching staff, and received submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd. The committee adjourned the hearing to make further inquiries with the match referee and received additional information from him. 

“With the benefit of this further information, the judicial committee was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the referee was wrong in issuing the red card. The committee determined to remove the red card from the player’s record.

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“The judicial committee found that the player made contact with his shoulder to the shoulder of the Chiefs player. On careful review of the footage, and on receiving further evidence as above, the committee determined that the player did not make contact with the head of the Chiefs player and he did attempt to use his arm in the attempted tackle. 

“Due to the rapid change in angle from the Chiefs player, and the tackle of the other Highlanders player involved, the incident appeared to be more significant that it was. 

“The committee had the benefit of lengthy analysis and review of the footage and the other evidence which enabled it to determine that there was no contact to the head by the player and no foul play.”

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Nickers 33 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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