Sharks coach opens up on Williams incident
REACTION: Sharks head coach Sean Everitt is hoping scrumhalf Grant Williams doesn’t get a heavy sanction for his red card against Bulls in Pretoria over the weekend.
The Sharks edged the Bulls 29-22 in a match where both teams were reduced to 14 men.
Bulls flyhalf Morne Steyn was sent off in the 11th minute for a dangerous high tackle on Lukhanyo Am, while Williams was sent off in the 62nd minute for a head-on-head collision with Chris Smith.
Everitt admitted he was frustrated with the decision on Williams, but said he expected the red card to come out of the referee’s pocket.
“There has been a lot of emphasis put on head contact,” said Everitt.
“We know we are in a contact game and sometimes there are going to be collisions and there are going to be head-on-head clashes.
“I was watching the game between Edinburgh and Leinster and there was a similar incident, which was a yellow, so I think we need to be mindful of the fact that it is rugby and that is one thing that frustrates me a little bit.
“I think if you maliciously go shoulder on the head then there is a problem. The way I saw it I thought Grant was a bit unlucky and I hope he doesn’t get sanctioned too hard for that.
“A guy is shooting off the line and if the guy steps you do get the adjustment wrong and accidents happen.
“That is why I talk about rugby collisions. In saying that, the law is there, it is in black and white and if you are looking at it so many times, unfortunately there is a head collision, there is an injury.
“At that stage in the box, I didn’t have any doubt that Grant was going to go off.”
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Everitt said it was an incident that could be debated.
“We will have to hear the outcome of that hearing,” Everitt added
“I am not at all saying that the referee is wrong or the officials are wrong, but I suppose it is one we could debate.
“We will support Grant throughout his hearings.”
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