France coach Shaun Edwards could be in trouble after he took aim at referee Jaco Peyper following Freddie Steward’s red card.
The England fullback was sent off just before half-time after his elbow accidentally made contact with Hugo Keenan’s head.
The Ireland fullback left the field for a head injury assessment, which he failed.
Stricter refereeing around dangerous challenges is part of World Rugby’s efforts to reduce head injuries, but critics, in this case Edwards, have raised serious concerns over red cards deciding the outcome of matches.
Ireland led 10-6 when Steward left the field and went on to win 29-16 in Dublin.
“Freddie Steward’s red card on Saturday night was an injustice,” wrote Edwards in his column for the Mail Online.
“It was an injustice to Steward himself and also to the England fans who had paid good money for their tickets. Referees need to be given more control and power to make their own decisions.
“In football, ultimately it comes down to the referee’s discretion if he is pulled over by the VAR for a penalty check. In rugby, it is like a village council meeting!
“In my eyes, Steward’s actions barely warranted a penalty. I have no idea what he could have done to avoid contact. The problem we have is refereeing has become a box-ticking exercise.
“We have some brilliant referees but they don’t seem to have any discretion because the game is basically officiated by World Rugby checklists.
“The referee on the pitch is the person with a feel for the speed and intensity of the game, but they don’t seem to have any leeway.
“It feels like the human side of refereeing has been removed and we are seeing far too many red cards. That’s not good for the show.”
Read his full column by clicking here.
“It’s personal” – Five players who won’t play for England again under Steve Borthwick
Steve Borthwick has been brutal In his short time in charge of England, dropping a number of major stars ahead of the 2023 Six Nations.
Below, we look at three established stars who are unlikely to win another cap.
#1. Joe Marler
Age: 32
Position: Loosehead-prop
Caps: 83
Marler is unlikely to return to the England team during the 2023 Six Nations after he breached one of Steve Borthwick’s main rules.
The new England boss has a “no sh**talking policy” with England, whereby he expects players to behave appropriately on the pitch.
As a result, Marler was left out of the Six Nations squad despite his fine form with Harlequins this season.
Marler’s latest ban was for six weeks – four of them suspended – after accepting a charge regarding comments made to Bristol flanker Jake Heenan about his mother.
At this stage, an international return looks very unlikely.
DID YOU KNOW? Marler started his career at Haywards Heath RFC in Sussex where he played in the same side as fellow England international Billy Twelvetrees