Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne after his yellow card was upgraded to a red card during Saturday's Test match against New Zealand at Soldier Field. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
The relatively new 20-minute red card and bunker system were severely tested in Soldier Field last Saturday. It took only moments for the procedure to come under pressure.
Dan Jones was the foul play review officer (FPRO) for the clash of Ireland and New Zealand. His upgrading of Tadhg Beirne’s yellow to a red card was wrong – plain and simple. Welshman Jones is a perfectly pleasant guy who used to referee in the United Rugby Championship, but, having missed out on appointments in recent years, he now officiates in England.
The drama started even before the FPRO was called up. Referee Pierre Brousset and TMO Ian Tempest, not helped by the atrocious communication and replay system, eventually decided Beirne’s action reached the yellow card threshold.
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