England Under-20 flanker Seb Kelly was shown a permanent red card after head-butting Junior Springboks full-back Luan Giliomee during their World Rugby U20 Championship semi-final.
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The incident occurred late in the first half with England trailing, as Kelly appeared to thrust his head into Giliomee following an off-the-ball confrontation.
After reviewing the footage, the TMO recommended a bunker review, with the yellow card subsequently upgraded to a permanent red card for foul play.
England were forced to play the remainder of the semi-final with 14 men, handing the Junior Springboks a significant advantage in their bid to reach the final.
The dismissal sparked a wave of reaction on social media, with many fans branding Kelly’s actions “reckless” and “unacceptable”, while others argued the red card effectively ended England’s hopes of a comeback.
Social media reaction
- “England would have collapsed in the second half anyway. South Africa are a lethal second-half team.”
- “Game was lost from then on.”
- “Shouldn’t be given an England shirt again.”
- “Is the guy for real? The wires must’ve crossed, it’s not possible.”
England U20s player ratings
England player ratings after a valiant semi-final defeat against the Junior Springboks in the Junior World Championship.
15 George Pearson — 7
Thrown into the side late after James Pater’s injury, the Leicester Tigers youngster showed flashes of his attacking threat with a strong carry from deep and plenty of energy when given the ball.
He was unfortunate to lose possession close to the line and was bounced by Kebotile Maake in the corner for a try. Despite limited touches, he remained lively and came through a worrying aerial collision unscathed.
14 Tyler Offiah — 6
Limited opportunities meant the 20-year-old Bath back struggled to make much of an impact, although he looked assured when fielding a kick from deep. His afternoon was cut short by injury, forcing him off after 58 minutes.
13 Nick Lilley — 7
The 20-year-old Exeter Chiefs back’s standout moment came with an excellent tackle to halt a dangerous line break before he was replaced after 52 minutes, with limited impact in attack.
With eight tackles, he was defensively solid.
12 Will Knight — 7
Knight, the 19-year-old Gloucester player, showed glimpses of quality despite a quiet outing. He was bumped off in the build-up to South Africa’s first try but impressed with his playmaking and produced a lovely wide pass to release Offiah on one occasion.
11 Sam Winters — 6
Winters made a solid start with a strong carry from deep and impressed with his work under the high ball. However, he had limited opportunities to influence the game due to a lack of involvement.
10 Hugh Shields — 8
Remember the name Hugh Shields.
The youngest player in the squad at just 18 delivered a breakout performance. He showed bravery in defence, composure from the tee with a near-perfect kicking display, and quality in attack with strong handling, a break and offload to create a chance, before scoring from close range.
He also impressed under the high ball and produced a superb recovery after Cheswill Jooste’s kick. Shields marked a brilliant game with his second try of the match right at the end, before a failed attempt at a drop goal conversion.
9 Lucas Friday — 7
Celebrating his 20th birthday, the Harlequins scrum-half delivered an intelligent performance, impressing with his communication, accurate box kicking and smart decision-making.
He produced a clever switch of play from close range to help create Hugh Shields’ try before being replaced after 54 minutes.
