Nigel Owens has explained why France star was not red-carded for controversial incident

Owens, never one to shy away from giving his opinion, has now offered his expert take on the incident and why the outcome wasn’t a red card.

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The incident unfolded after 20 minutes, with France leading 10-0. Mauvaka, in a moment of frustration, launched himself at White while the Scottish scrum-half was lying helpless on the ground. Referee Matthew Carley showed a yellow card, and while TMO Ian Tempest had a closer look, the decision stayed as a sin-bin offence.

Despite avoiding a red at the time, Mauvaka’s luck ran out post-match. Cited for the offence, the Toulouse hooker was slapped with a three-game ban—down from an initial six due to his admission of guilt and a previously clean record.

Addressing the chaos on Whistle Watch, Owens explained on Whistle Watch why the on-field decision remained a yellow.

“A lot of you have been talking about the Peato Mauvaka yellow card which was reviewed and remained at a yellow,” Owens began. “So what we have here is a player clearly launching himself at an opponent who is on the ground.

“Now the key thing here is footage to see if there is direct contact with the neck or the head area and if there was so, then I’m pretty sure there would be no doubt that it would be a red card.

“But because of the footage available to everybody on the day, it was not possible to make that judgement call.”

Owens highlighted a crucial detail that likely saved Mauvaka from an early shower.

“I know some of you will be asking, ‘Why was it not the red card relevant to where the contact is?’ Because it seems to the officials of the day that the contact was with the shoulder,” he continued.

“Now imagine if there was a punch to the shoulder—would that mean because it’s to the shoulder that is not the red card? Maybe so. It all comes down to your interpretation of the referee on the day. If they believe it warrants a red card.”

Owens wrapped up his assessment by pointing out that, had there been head contact, it wouldn’t have been a 20-minute red.

“The other thing to remember as well is if the officials felt that there was direct head contact to the head or shoulder in a head-butting action, then it would have been a straight red card because it is an act of foul play, so it wouldn’t be a 20-minute red card as we’ve seen being trialled in this year’s Six Nations.”

From a fullback who was once undroppable to a powerful winger who was compared to Jonah Lomu, here are five England stars who have fallen completely out of favour—one of whom could be lost to Wales for good.

It wasn’t long ago that Freddie Steward was considered a guaranteed starter for England. A defensive rock under the high ball and a reliable last line of defence, he played a crucial role in England’s World Cup campaign.

Yet, in a shocking turn of events, Borthwick has axed him in favour of Marcus Smith—a player who isn’t even a specialist fullback. This drastic move highlights just how far Steward has fallen in the pecking order. Nobody saw this coming.

Zach Mercer’s return to the Premiership was met with serious hype. After being named Top 14 Player of the Year at Montpellier, it seemed inevitable that he would finally be given a proper shot in an England jersey.

A call-up to a World Cup training camp suggested Borthwick was keen to reintegrate him, but Mercer never added to his two caps. His stint at Gloucester has been frustrating, and with reports suggesting he’ll leave at the end of the season, his England career looks all but over.

This summer marks EIGHT years since Joe Cokanasiga was first called into an England squad. His blend of power and pace drew early comparisons to Jonah Lomu, and at just 19, he looked set for a long international career.

Yet, despite earning 14 caps, he has never been able to cement a regular starting role. A surprise recall before the 2023 World Cup ended in disappointment, as he was cut after an underwhelming warm-up match against Wales. Despite some strong performances for Bath this season, Borthwick remains unconvinced.

The England boss reportedly gave Cokanasiga areas to improve on, but with no recall in sight, his international future remains in doubt.

Hassell-Collins looked like a long-term England winger when Borthwick handed him his debut in 2023. However, after just two caps in last year’s Six Nations, he has completely vanished from England’s plans.

Not only was he ignored for the current Six Nations squad, but he was also left out of the England A side that faced Portugal. Instead, Warren Gatland has taken notice, with the Wales boss openly discussing Hassell-Collins’ eligibility to switch allegiances.

The Leicester Tigers winger himself has admitted he could be tempted to play for Wales. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: “I’ve got two caps for England, and obviously I’m English. But if I don’t see anything in the next few years then it’s definitely something that I would consider.”

Could England be about to lose him to their biggest Six Nations rival?

At 25, Pearson is still an exciting prospect, but he has only managed a single England cap to date. His physicality makes him a standout performer at club level, yet Borthwick clearly doesn’t see him as the answer to England’s back-row dilemma.

While other uncapped players have leapfrogged him into recent squads, Pearson remains on the outside looking in. With England’s back-row options constantly evolving, his wait for another chance could be a long one.

Despite facing a formidable All Blacks side, the squad was packed with legendary talent representing England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

From unforgettable tries to moments of controversy, this tour had it all—and it’s time to see just how much you remember!

Can you recall every player who pulled on the famous red jersey during that iconic tour? Dive into this quiz to test your Lions knowledge and relive a piece of rugby history!