Ex-Wallaby calls on refs to consider ‘the old school red card’ after Angus Blyth hit

Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui believes Reds lock Angus Blyth should’ve been given a straight red card following “the world’s worst attempt at a charge down” on Friday night.

Playing against Australian rivals the Brumbies in Brisbane, the Reds raced out to 7-nil lead after an early try to hooker Matt Faessler.

The Reds were rightfully jubilant as they celebrated their try-scoring statement, but their smiles were soon wiped from their faces.

Out of nowhere, the match took a shocking turn as Blyth was sent to the sin bin in the ninth minute following a brutal high tackle on Brumbies winger Corey Toole.

Nasty hit on Toole 🤯

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Much like a boxer who refused to throw in the towel, Toole tried to walk it off – but his legs turned to jelly, so referee Ben O’Keefe told him to sit down.

Blyth was sent to the sin bin, but the incident was put under review by referee O’Keefe. Shortly after, the punishment was upgraded to a red card.

Stan Sport commentator Morgan Turinui has called on referees to give players red cards “straight away’ for high tackles.

“The process right now is if there is clear, unequivocal foul play of a red card threshold, the referee can still give a red card,” Turinui said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“I suppose we can call is the old school red card, ‘You’re off, you can’t be replaced after 20, you’re gone, your team lose a man.’

“An obvious, direct, zero mitigation, straight away high tackle can and should still be one of those red cards.

“We’re saying kicking and headbutting and punching, yeah of course. But it doesn’t mean that high tackles can’t be in that too.”

Inside the opening 10 minutes of the contest, winger Corey Toole had gathered a Reds’ clearance kick – and looked set to return serve with one of his own.

While the former Australian sevens ace got boot to ball, he was met by a late and high tackle from Blyth.

SUSPENSION NEWS: @Reds_Rugby lock Angus Blyth has been suspended for 3 wks. Was 6 week entry point, reduced on basis of clean record & “acceptance of guilt at first opportunity”. | @9NewsQueensland @SuperRugby @StanSportRugby @wwos @brisbanetimes

— Michael Atkinson (@kinson88) April 11, 2023

Blyth has reportedly been given a three week suspension for the incident, which will see him miss the Reds’ trip to Apia in round eight.

“It was like the world’s worst attempt at a charge down, the way his body was,” Turinui added.

“The issue was he showed no regard for the safety of the opposition player. I would have been very comfortable with taking 30 seconds to give that a straight red card.

“It actually did help their cause because instead of having the full red, they were only without a player for 20 minutes.”

The Reds take on Moana Pasifika in Samoa on Friday afternoon, before a round nine bye.