Rugby's red card laws are becoming 'less credible' - McGeechan

Lions’ guru Sir Ian McGeechan has hit out at the decision to suspend Leceister Tigers centre Guy Porter, who was this week banned for an accidental collision with a Clermont player.

Porter was suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing by video conference arising from Leicester’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round of 16 1st leg match against ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel-Michelin.

Porter and Clermont No.8 Fritz Lee collided in an accidental off-the-ball incident, with Lee coming off the worse for wear as a result.

While pretty everyone accepts the collision was accidental, many backed referee Nika Amashukeli’s decision to send off the Leicester man. McGeechan disagrees.

“It feels the laws as they stand are becoming less credible and fair,” wrote McGeechan in his Telegraph column. “Porter was sent off after 60 minutes for a “reckless act of foul play”. Yet neither player had the ball, both had an equal opportunity of going for it, and neither was looking at the other. But because Clermont had possession at the time, Porter was deemed to be in the wrong.

“For me, what is missing at the moment is an element of discretion on the referees’ part. The best referees have always been those who have used their common sense and judgement and interpret laws according to any given match situation, without fear or favour.”

McGeechan believes the arrival of the TMO over the last two decade has eroded referee’s ability to use their discretion.

“Referees will get told to stop the game and look at something on the monitor, and when that happens it comes down to a cold, black-and-white decision. They are working within a regulatory straitjacket.

“Surely if something is genuinely accidental there should be some discretion applied? A team should not lose a player for the rest of the game, and possibly for months.

McGeechan doesn’t believe a 20-minute red card or an orange card system for certain incidents will help.

“I think if it’s a red card offence, then by all means throw the book at a player. If there is a high tackle with contact to the head, for example, or a player hits a ruck awkwardly and makes contact to the head, or if someone is taken out dangerously in the air, then send them off. That is when players have to be re-educated.

“But for a genuine accident? Surely referees should have flexibility of interpretation. A yellow perhaps, but not off the field for the rest of the match. It is time to give back to referees some of their discretionary powers.”