International Rugby

World Rugby ridiculed: Global reaction to Franco Mostert’s Red Card

Published

12 months ago

16th November 2025

Keo

TURIN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 15: Players of South Africa line up during the National Anthems prior to the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match between Italy and South Africa at Allianz Stadium on November 15, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

World Rugby has been ridiculed: From former Italian international lock Carlo del Fava to former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson, to former England international Andy Goode, there has been ridicule at world rugby’s officials for the straight red card given to the Springboks lock Franco Mostert in Turin, Italy, writes Mark Keohane.

Mostert was shown a straight red card, as the second tackler, for what match officials deemed was an intentional shoulder to the head of Italian flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, who never went for an HIA and was up and running a few seconds after taking the tackle of Ethan Hooker and the secondary hit from Mostert.

Below is a collection of X feeds, which also showcased the inconsistency in all this weekend’s internationals when it came to shoulders to the head. In some instances, like James O’Connor taking one to the head in Dublin, it was play on. Others, like in Cardiff in Wales’s match against Japan, it was a yellow with a bunker referral to see if it was a red.

Same incidents, all different interpretations and applications.

World Rugby is a joke at the moment with its head contact policies that lack all consistency and all common sense.

If player welfare is indeed the reason, then why not send the victim of any head contact for an HIA?

Thomas Ramos, against the Boks last weekend, never went for an HIA and played the entire match. Garbisi never went for one in Turin and played the entire game.

It is a joke.

South Africans are justified in feeling aggrieved.

In my Sunday Times match review, I wrote that Justice, in the quality of the Springboks, triumphed over injustice, in the form of incompetent match officials, in Turin as the Springboks won for the 19^th time in 20 Tests against Italy.

These Boks have a spirit that can’t be bought or manufactured. It is inherent because of an environment that has been nurtured over the past nine years.

Jared Wright posted this: Brilliant stat via @StatBoy_Steven

‘Since the introduction of the 20-minute red card, the Springboks have been given a full red card 3 times: July 12 vs Italy: Wiese in the 12th minute November 8 in France: Lood de Jager in the 40th minute November 15 in Italy: Franco Mostert in the 12th minute In 178 minutes combined in those matches after being shown the red card, they have conceded just 17 points and just 1 try, and won all 3.’