VIDEO: Nigel Owens' take on Boks' Bloem cards
WATCH as retired referee Nigel Owens gives his insights on some of the most contentious incidents from the last round of international matches.
Owens joins the debate on whether South Africa’s André Esterhuizen should have been sent off in the game against Portugal.
The Springbok centre, Esterhuizen, was red-carded for an illegal tackle in the second minute of the Boks’ 64-21 win over Portugal in Bloemfontein.
He admitted it was a ‘tough’ call, with most divided between a ‘harsh call’ and being ‘justified’.
“An upright tackle is not illegal,” Owens said.
“It only becomes illegal if you fail to wrap with your arms, or there is contact with the shoulder to the head [of an opponent] a
nd head-to-head [contact].
“It is very simple to decide on what you have seen.
“The officials on the day felt they have enough [evidence] that there was head contact and therefore we ended up with a red card.”
The veteran match official also gave his view on the yellow card issued against Bok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse in the 33rd minute for a ‘crock roll”
He reiterated that players should get out of the habit of doing crock rolls – using the Malcolm Marx injury from the second Test against Ireland as an example of why it is being removed from the game.
