Springbok frustration grows as Stick questions red card consistency

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick did his best to remain diplomatic about the red card epidemic affecting the team this season, but he could not hold back at a Dublin media conference, saying the Springboks are being treated “unfairly.”

The red card suffered by Franco Mostert against Italy last week was the final straw in a season marred by contentious send-offs for Lood de Jager, Jasper Wiese, and Makazole Mapimpi, while Jan-Henrdik Wessels missed the tour following a bizarre no-evidence ban after a Bulls game against Connacht.

The Boks face Ireland on Saturday and may yet have the services of Mostert, who could be exonerated when his hearing takes place on Tuesday or Wednesday. De Jager, meanwhile, has appealed against his four-match suspension.

“As a team, we are just disappointed with how things are flowing at the moment. We are losing players every week,” Stick said.

“It’s sad because the build-up to the Italy game was good, and the vibe in Turin was excellent. Everyone was looking forward to an entertaining game given the form Italy were in after beating Australia, but early on, the game took an unfortunate turn in the 11th minute when Franco was sent off.

“We are disappointed with the way things are being handled at the moment. If you look at the actions of Franco and Lood the previous week, they did everything by the book.

“With Franco, it was probably just that there was contact to the shoulder, but it moved to the head. I don’t understand how it becomes a permanent red card. For us as coaches, we have to work hard because we are working with these big men.

"They are very tall guys. They’ve tried to do everything by the book, but rugby is a physical game. Sometimes you don’t get it perfect. But for them to say the tackle was never legal was disappointing. I think we are being treated unfairly.”

Stick added that there were extenuating circumstances for the referee because he is part of a team of officials.

“We feel for the referee because we understood the communication that was happening between him and his team outside of him. He has to respect the communication from his team. There were about 21 decisions that were supposed to be made in the first half; 20 of them went against us.”

He also highlighted inconsistencies over the weekend.

“If you are going to say that Franco deserved a red card, then there were more than five other reds that should have happened. And several more yellow cards, too.

“I don’t want to say things and then also get banned like Rassie in the past. But looking at the Fiji and France game and the cleanouts there … the same with the Ireland-Australia situations, which were even worse than what our guys have been suspended for.

“They are suspended, but other players will play again this week. Surely somewhere, somehow, this is not fair. I don’t think we deserve this as a team.

"Are we treated fairly?

"I don’t think so.”