As the Super Rugby Pacific competition has passed the halfway point, speculation continues to surround referees’ incessant use of red and yellow cards.
While some offenders have been shown the card for clearly reckless acts, others seem to have been harshly punished for unintentional collisions.
Former All Black Justin Marshall believes that World Rugby is trying to make a statement that player welfare comes first, however, he feels that some instances in recent weeks were unfairly dealt with.
“It’s obviously a message that they’re trying to get through to the players for player welfare, so it’s of benefit to everyone in the game,” Marshall said on SENZ’s The Saturday Session.
“Obviously they are policing it quite heavily now, but it is still regularly happening. I’m a bit on the other side of the fence to be perfectly honest.
“I'm very well aware of why we are trying to do this and I'm very pro trying to extricate this from the game, but I'm also very mindful that... and I know it is a cliché, but rugby is a contact sport.
“At times, things are going to go wrong and when you’re at the level that these guys are at, in that split second it can go wrong without any intent.
“You’ve just got your technique slightly off by a minute second, or the player who has the ball or doesn’t have the ball has done something at that precise moment that made your reaction different to the one that you had in your mind.
“I’m pretty confident to say that no one in this game is going out to get themselves carded or to go out there to take someone’s head off.”
Some players have been cited as repeat offenders after countless carding incidents across their career, however Marshall is adamant that suspension is more than enough punishment, and no further action should be considered.
“Look, you are going to get instances where players have got it wrong a couple of times, and no doubt about that, but I'm very much of the mindset that Scott Barrett is a clean player," Marshall said.
“Again, he hasn’t got a mindset where he’s intentionally trying to injure somebody.
“I certainly don’t think that hitting them in the pocket or doing anything more than what they’re doing now (is necessary).
“When they take you away from the field, I believe that’s where they’re hurting the player the most. They certainly would be if it was me.”