ACT Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has found an ally in the SANZAAR citing commissioner after Otago Highlanders winger Patelsio Tomkinson was charged with a dangerous tackle.
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Tomkinson was lucky to escape with a yellow card for a shoulder charge in the Brumbies 23-22 loss to the Highlanders at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
His shoulder made contact with Tom Banks' head early in the second half, which is usually penalised with a red card. Referee Nic Berry deemed the initial contact was shoulder to shoulder and opted for a yellow card.
After reviewing the footage, the citing commissioner charged Tomkinson on Sunday, deeming the incident had met the red-card threshold for foul play as direct contact was made to the head.
The case has been referred to the SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee to provide the option of a judicial process.
World Rugby has clamped down on dangerous tackles, vowing to protect players by issuing red cards for shoulder charges direct to the opposition's head.
McKellar believes Tomkinson should have been sent for the high tackle and says there should be consistency in refereeing decisions.
"I thought it was a red card, it was a shoulder contact direct to the head," McKellar said.
"The referees told us before the season started that's going to be a red card. So why wasn't it a red card?
"It's history now, for us the game is done and dusted. There's no benefit moving forward but you just want to see consistency."
MORE BRUMBIES NEWS
The shoulder charge on Banks wasn't the Brumbies only worry on Saturday night, with four players in quarantine with a mystery illness.
A contagious virus has swept through the Brumbies camp, putting Irae Simone, Darcy Swain, Bayley Kuenzle and Mack Hansen out of action.
Their absence led to 18-year-old Reesjan Pasitoa making his debut as the second youngest player in Brumbies history.
Pasitoa was thrown in for the last eight minutes to start his Super Rugby career, replacing Noah Lolesio at flyhalf.
The Brumbies will travel to Hamilton on Thursday and the teenager could be called upon if Kuenzle fails to overcome the ailment.
The New Zealand conference leaders will be the biggest challenge for the Brumbies young playmakers so far this season, having scored 105 points and won their opening three games.
The Brumbies playmakers are backing themselves to rise to the challenge, with Pasitoa noting the importance of maintaining a level head under pressure.
"It's important in our positional role as a 10 or 12 to stay calm and composed so we can keep a cool head to direct the team around," Pasitoa said.
"It's important for us young boys to do that and it's great to do at an early age as well. But I think it's just the position, everyone has to stay cool."
Lolesio has enjoyed a golden start to his Super Rugby career but appeared a bit rattled in his first test against a New Zealand side.
The Highlanders applied pressure on the 20-year-old flyhalf and targeted his kicking game. Jona Nareki charged down one of his clearing kicks in the second half and scored a momentum shifting try.
"He's had some good moments in the games and then others he'll learn from. That's part of it," McKellar said.
"It's Super Rugby and it's what you get with young players, you can't put an old head on young shoulders.
"He's just going to keep getting better with every game, but what I do like about him is that when things don't go perfectly for him he just gets on with the next job."
SUPER RUGBY ROUND FOUR
Saturday: Waikato Chiefs v ACT Brumbies in Hamilton 5.05pm