The expulsion of Scott Cummings in the first part Scotland v South Africa match at Murrayfield Sunday was met with boos and confusion.
The Scottish national team became the first player from his home country to be shown a red card within 20 minutes, the second such card of the day after Fiji’s Semi Radradra was sent off. Sent off in Cardiff for a high tackle on Wales’ Cameron Winnett.
While Radradra’s moment of foul play was clearly within the red card threshold – although he was initially shown a yellow card by referee Luc Ramos on the pitch before the decision was improved in the bunker – in Cummings’ case there was a general surprise after his yellow card. Card for a crocodile roll on Franco Mostert.
Cummings appeared on the big screen landing on Mostert’s lower leg as he cleared the Springbok block in a ruck alongside Rory Darge in the 11th minute.
Addressing the incident, referee Christophe Ridley, who could be heard over the Murrayfield public address system speaking to television match official Ian Tempest, said: “It lands on the lower limb, so it’s foul play and reaches the yellow card threshold for me. Do we agree with that? We have a decision, it is a dirty game, it reaches the yellow card threshold, so it will go to the sin-bin.”
A few minutes later, before the match restarted following a Finn Russell penalty, Ridley brought together the two captains, Sione Tuipulotu and Eben Etzebeth.
“I have received feedback from the bunker: it will be upgraded to a 20-minute red card,” he said. “It’s very dangerous and falls on the limb.”
Reacting to TNT Sports, David Flatman said: “The initial blow is Darge to the knee. Cummings effectively lands on Mostert’s right leg at an awkward angle.”
Rory Lawson added: “I see him less like a crocodile and more like he missed a shot and his weight ended up off the side. I don’t think he misrepresented Mostert. But I understand, you have to protect the lower extremities. We’ve seen a couple of horrendous ones, Rory Darge being one in a club match. “But that is a huge blow for Scotland.”
Max Williamson came on in the 32nd minute to give Scotland a full squad of players back, but the hosts still trailed 19-9 at half-time.
The 20-minute red card is one of Several variations of the law are used during autumn international matches.. It is designed for “technical violations” and allows offending players to be replaced after that 20-minute period. Officials retain the ability to permanently eject players for foul play that is deemed deliberate and dangerous.