A controversial yellow card to Levi Aumua during Moana Pasifika’s historic golden point win against the Hurricanes has left New Zealand rugby greats scratching their heads
With Moana Pasifika searching for the first win of their inaugural season, life was made extra tough late in the first half with scores locked at 7-7 at the time.
They received their second yellow card of the first half when Aumua clashed heads with Hurricanes winger Wes Goosen in a sloppy tackle attempt.
READ MORE: World champ doubles down on bold SBW claim
READ MORE: Hot Khawaja comeback rolls on as epic finale awaits
At the moment of contact, Aumua dipped and attempted to go low, but it wasn’t enough as Goosen copped the worst of it.
Goosen was forced out of the match after failing his HIA.
Karl Te Nana, a New Zealand rugby sevens great, said that despite poor technique from Aumua, the incident wasn’t deserving of a yellow.
“It’s head-on-head, so I don’t know what we’re looking at. Sure, it’s bad technique,” Te Nana said in commentary.
“I don’t know about this. He tried to wrap him up.
Watch every game of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, streaming ad free, live and on demand only on Stan Sport. Sign up for your free seven day trial!
“No one goes and tries to tackle with their head.”
During the moment, referee Brendon Pickerill explained his reasoning for the yellow card.
“There is head-on-head. He is too upright in the tackle, however, there is a late step and slight dip that I’m going to use to mitigate here,” the referee said when speaking with the TMO.
“He is an at speed, he’s not in control of the tackle. He’s made head-to-head contact which is dangerous.”
Meanwhile, Mils Muliaina, who earned 100 caps for the All Blacks during his career, said there was little Aumua could’ve done to avoid the head-on-head clash.
“I disagree with this, what more could he have done?” Muliaina said.
“I know the referee said the mitigating factor and that he has hit the player’s head coming in at speed, but what else is he going to come in at?
“Is he going to try and slow down and let Goosen get past him?
“This is a massive blow. I believe it was the wrong decision.”
Aumua made up for his time off the field when he scored midway through the second-half to level the match at the time.
At the 17th-minute mark, Sekope Kepu was the recipient of Moana Pasifika’s first yellow card due to mounting penalties.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!