Pieter-Steph du Toit unlucky to see red

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By Smile Staff Reporter


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Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit sits on the bench and cries after recieving a red card in the match against France.
A disappointed Pieter-Steph du Toit sits crying on the Springbok bench after recieving a red card for a dangerous clean-out.

 

Springbok utility forward, Pieter-Steph du Toit fell victim to harsh officiating in Marseille this weekend. Referee Wayne Barnes pointed a red card his way early on in the Springboks’ 26-30 defeat to France. While France centre Jonathan Danty was on the receiving end of an almighty blow to the face, Du Toit did not deserve a red card.

 

 

How Pieter-Steph ended up colliding with Danty

In the 11th minute of the match, Cheslin Kolbe gets ahold of the ball, from a long skip pass from Faf de Klerk. However, with the right side of the field sufficiently covered by French defenders, Kolbe breaks to the left and goes into contact in the midfield.

 

Danty and the French prop, Uini Atonio take Kolbe to the ground and Danty attempts to steal the ball. However, he overshoots the ruck situation and falls on his behind. That put him in an awkward position in a dangerous area, sitting on the ground with his face pointing forward, where he can see the Springbok infantry arriving to secure the ball.

 

The infantry includes Pieter-Steph du Toit, who loses his footing over Atonio, who is still laying on the ground. An off-balance Du Toit then gets a mighty thrust from Kwagga Smith which propels him into the ruck. Du Toit rockets forward, and his head catches Danty in the face. The French number 12 immediately flops over and clutches his face in agony.

 

 

It was confirmed after the Test that Danty suffered a broken cheek.

 

Due to the fact that contact was made to the head, a card was surely on the table. However, if the officials had taken the mitigating factors into account, they surely would’ve realised that a yellow card would be a justified punishment.

 

 

Despite losing Pieter-Steph du Toit early on, it seemed to lift the game of the Springboks. They stayed in the game and had a proper opportunity to walk away with the W.

 

However, in the last ten minutes, Deon Fourie picked up a yellow card. France made full use of the advantage to steal the win at the death.

 

This is how Twitter reacted

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smile Staff Reporter
Smile Staff Reporter

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