Rob Kearney has called for longer bans for players who receive red cards for high tackles after Joey Carbery was on the receiving end of a dangerous hit.
Carbery’s afternoon was brought to an early end, as the Ireland out-half went off for a head injury assessment after Fiji’s Albert Tuisue hit him high in a tackle in the 45th minute.
Tuisue was shown a red card by referee Mathieu Raynal after a TMO check and Carbery never returned to the field of play, which presumably means that he failed his HIA.
Former Ireland international Rob Kearney was speaking on Virgin Media after the game and called for longer bans to be dished out to players who are shown red cards for high tackles.
Rob Kearney on high tackles in rugby.
“They’ve got to start giving out lengthier bans for this. What has happened doesn’t seem to be working because we’re still getting these incidents,” Kearney said.
“It’s not working, so what’s the alternative? We’ve got to start giving out bigger bans so then coaches come under more pressure and put it back on the players.”
Players who receive bans can often have their suspensions shortened by a week if they attend a tackle workshop, a practice which Kearney believes should end.
“Even the reduced ban by two weeks to go to tackle practice and lower your body height work shop, players have been doing this their whole lives. A week’s workshop is not going to make much of a difference.”
“They’ve got to start giving out lengthier bans for this!”
Rob, Andrew & Matt on Fiji’s Api Ratuniyarawa’s red card.
#IREvFIJ | #ANS pic.twitter.com/JLTJmFufuj— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) November 12, 2022
Joey Carbery is unlikely to feature next weekend.
It hasn’t been confirmed if Carbery failed his HIA or if Ireland head coach Andy Farrell just decided that he wanted Jack Crowley to remain on the pitch for the remainder of the game, although the 27-year-old will be assessed further either way.
Carbery will stand down from contact rugby for 12 days if it is confirmed that he suffered a concussion, which will rule him out of Ireland’s game against Australia next Saturday.
Tuisue will likely be banned for at least three weeks for his dangerous tackle, which means he will miss Fiji’s game against the French Barbarians next weekend and at least a couple of matches for Gloucester.
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