During Montpellier's loss to Exeter, Zach Mercer (far left) was the last player to see red after colliding with an opponent& #39; his head. Photo: Getty Images/Harry Trump.
Zack Mercer, No. 8 Montpellier No. 8, will take little comfort in the fact that his red card, which came shortly after the one shown to English fullback Freddie Steward, was retroactively annulled.
Mercer was sent off for contacting Exeter Chiefs flanker boss Christ Tshiunza in the 49th minute of a 33–33 draw in the round of 16 of the Champions Cup. The England No. 8 contender was the second person to make contact with Chiunza, who was already going down due to Jan Serfontein's initial tackle. Head contact was undeniable and referee Andrew Brace, along with Joy Neville, who was the TV match official, did not grant any relief despite Mercer pleading with his knees bent. On Wednesday afternoon, an independent disciplinary committee ruled that Mercer should not have been ejected from the field, and thus he was not removed from suspension.
While viewers and visitors at Sandy Park continued to enjoy one of the most exciting matches of the season, a borderline and ultimately wrong decision by the referees irrevocably impacted another high-profile match. Considering how close the final result was, with Exeter taking the lead through extra-time tries, it's not hard to argue that Mercer's sending off, unlike Steward's against Ireland, made the difference.
Nightmare moment for Montpellier star Zach Mercer when he sees red for a high tackle… 😳#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/nF07pwP8Ag
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) April 2, 2023
Rugby seems to be trapped in the Groundhog Day version of the need to eliminate head contact in a high-speed collision where head contact, whether intentional or not, is unavoidable. It is here that there must be a certain empathy for the officials in the middle, who are asked to provide both consistency and common sense, which are often mutually exclusive properties. A recent report on dealing with suspected dementia found the rugby authorities wrong in pursuing contact with headwear.
However, it is clear that asking officials to quickly decide on these fringe decisions in front of a crowd that gradually expresses its outrage in each replay on the big screen is far from ideal. The referees can't help but be swayed by these cheers in much the same way that Caesar would explain the feelings of the crowd by giving a thumbs up or down to a fallen gladiator.
Despite receiving a Mercer red card, Exeter Chiefs rugby director Rob Baxter also believes that the crowd has too much influence. «I just don't like the whole process,» Baxter said. «We played a London Irish match a couple of weeks ago and the whole stadium boos every time they need a replay,» said Exeter's director of rugby.
“We have to do something about it. It's not good for the game. Whether the decisions are right or wrong, this confusing replay look to see if it's a penalty, yellow or red card with the crowd booing every clash is just not to my liking. To me, this is not what rugby should be.”
It is a welcome development that World Rugby is considering a proposal to allow a separate TMO to adjudicate these borderline red card decisions outside the stadium while play is underway. . A possible change in the law is still being tested to smooth out any unintended consequences.
But the clock is ticking louder as the World Cup approaches in the fall. This sport has never needed more demonstration. As much as possible, World Rugby should make it so that the world admires Antoine Dupont's missed pass or Cheslin Kolbe's evasive move in France, rather than furiously discussing yet another avoidable red card.
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