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Freddie Steward storm rumbles on as England legend brands red 'utter farce'
By Ian Cameron
The debate around the red card shown to Freddie Steward during Ireland and England’s Six Nations game in Dublin last night continues to spark controversy this Sunday morning.
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The 6’5, 110kg England fullback was sent off just before halftime after his elbow made contact with Ireland fullback Hugo Keenan’s head. Keenan left the field for a head injury assessment, ultimately failing to return.
Former England scrumhalf Matt Dawson has labelled it “an utter farce”. He and many others argue that Steward did not intend to make contact with Keenan’s head and that the collision was simply an unfortunate accident which is impossible to avoid in a contact sport.
“The officials are showing a lack of understanding of the game. I can’t disagree with how the contact is a red but it is the context of how it went to that contact,” Dawson said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “He is stepping and slowing and turning to get out of the contact area, and has been punished by being sent off. It is a mockery.
“He was doing his utmost to avoid any kind of contact. It is an utter farce.”
Newcastle Falcons press officer Mark Smith wrote: “Is Freddie Steward meant to just vaporise and disappear? Bloke ran in to him head-first and he was just bracing for impact. All for player safety, but what can he actually do there?”
Is Freddie Steward meant to just vaporise and disappear?
Bloke ran in to him head-first and he was just bracing for impact.
All for player safety, but what can he actually do there?
— mark smith (@markismith50) March 18, 2023
The Rugby Paper’s Neil Fissler wrote: “The more you look at the Freddie Steward red card the more it looks like an awful decision. If they aren’t careful this is going to be a non contact sport.”
https://twitter.com/neilfissler/status/1637151956052443139
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Bristol Bears women’s player Simi Pam wrote: “What could Freddie Steward have done differently in that situation? It was a reflex. He braced to protect himself and unfortunately the Irish player hit his elbow. It’s just one of those things that happen when you play a contact sport in my opinion.”
What could Freddie Steward have done differently in that situation? It was a reflex. He braced to protect himself and unfortunately the Irish player hit his elbow. It’s just one of those things that happen when you play a contact sport in my opinion?????? #SixNations
— Simi (@simsimpam) March 18, 2023
Mike Bubbins wrote: “That really is incredibly harsh on Freddie Steward. I am a major advocate of making the game safer, but I don’t see what else he could do, there. He’s been one of Englands best players this Six Nations.”
https://twitter.com/MikeBubbins/status/1637149905381728261
Steward will now face a Guinness Six Nations disciplinary panel and it will be fascinating to see whether the red is reduced to a yellow card.
Quite often the answer to "what else could he do?" is to not get into that situation. Once in this particular lined-up-for-a-tackle position, your only choices are to attempt a legal tackle or to get out of the way. Bracing yourself for a non-tackle impact is not one of the choices, and is clearly illegal.
If, on top of that, the impact involves the attackers head, then the sanction for your illegal tackle is certain to escalate.
I woukd note that the ref mentioned Steward looking at what he was doing. The point is that Steward was not standing in his own space, minding his own business. He ran into the tackle area and then executed a body check to someone's head.
I think there are smarter sanctions than red cards that would have equal or greater negative consequences to the perpetrator, without disrupting the contest. And we should get creative about that, for obvious reasons.
But, as relates to the incident in question, players should be held accountable for the safety of others. Specifically, if Steward could not get out of the way then his only alternative was to attempt a legal tackle.