Munster back-row CJ Stander has not been cited for a tackle he made on Gloucester's Billy Twelvetrees during the Heineken Champions Cup clash at Thomond Park.
Munster secured a bonus-point victory after Danny Cipriani was sent off for a head-high hit on Rory Scannell. However, a certain section of viewers highlighted Stander's shot on Gloucester's centre as evidence of a similar tackle that went unpunished.
"Not to sound like two grumpy oulfellas saying 'the game's gone soft', but you'd like for a bit of common sense to be brought in."@RonanOGara10 & Shane Jennings don't believe Danny Cipriani deserved his red card at Thomond Park.#ChampionsCup #VMSport pic.twitter.com/wx00WpvthD
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) October 20, 2018
Red card then? #MUNvGLO pic.twitter.com/NqdEltiTss
— Dan (@barker316) October 20, 2018
European rugby confirmed on Tuesday that three players will face the independent Disciplinary Committee after the second round of matches but CJ Stander was not one of them.
Regarding the CJ Stander non citing, I can understand how a player can avoid sanction during a game. But for something like this to be over looked post game, is negligent or corrupt.
— Ceri (@cezzapazza) October 23, 2018
No citing for CJ Stander as Conway avoid any citing last week, against Castres Munster players will be armed with lightsabres now they realise their Jedi mind skills are fully operational #TheseAreNotThePlayersYouAreWantingTooCite pic.twitter.com/jqfgk9o08W
— BathBytes (@BathBytes) October 23, 2018
If cips is red that is defo at least same maybe worse
— Austin Healey (@IamAustinHealey) October 21, 2018
No citing for either Stander or Twelvetrees from the Munster vs Gloucester match. Doesn’t change the fact Cipriani’s hit was a definite red, but it just makes it all so frustrating and inconsistent.
— Alex Shaw (@alexshawsport) October 23, 2018
If Cipriani’s was a no brainer red mate, I’d be interested in your take on the double high hit in Twelvetrees and the clothesline on Morgan...? Munster were good yes, but they pushed the breakdown and offside laws beyond the limit with impunity.
— Damion Williams (@DamoW11) October 21, 2018
It has been well documented that world rugby are trying to lower the tackle height and this has been a huge feature of the rugby season thus far. Trials had been put in motion for the tackle height moving to the nipple line while Toulouse's Jerome Kaino was hit with a five-week ban for his high hit on Jamie Roberts two weeks ago.
In Stander's case, it seems as if his tackle was deemed to be on the shoulder rather than the head. In saying that, there is an enormous grey area that officials are finding difficult to navigate. Both Stander's hit and Billy Twelvetree's tackle on Joey Carbery in the first half could have been deemed red card offences.
The new crackdown is a welcomed move in the long-term interest of player welfare, but there will be a bedding in process.
