Australia second row Darcy Swain was red carded for a headbutt in retaliation to hair-pulling from his England opposite number Jonny Hill in a hugely eventful first-half in Perth.
Swain was sent for an early bath by Kiwi referee James Doleman while Hill was sin-binned following their dust-up after 34 minutes of the opening Test of a three-match series.
Given his reaction to the incident on Sky Sports, former England prop David Flatman said: “There is absolutely no defending it at all. There was a little bit of mucking around, a little bit of silliness. The hair-pulling from Jonny Hill is too much and the head to head from Darcy Swain, he just control and Australia have paid the price. Whatever way you look at that, you can not do it."
Speaking at half-time on Sky, former England captain Dylan Hartley said: “It was a bit reckless from Jonny Hill. It kind of all calmed down, but for Swain to continue it after the dust has settled is just a moment of madness, which is ironic coming from me.”
Social media footage has also emerged of another altercation where Hill appeared to push 6ft 7in Swain to the face with both hands. Irish rugby reporter Pat McCarry commented: "Jonny Hill should be on a red and a yellow by now."
An incident-packed first half, which also saw a gruesome arm injury to Aussie full-bank Tom Banks, ended with the sides level at 6-6. England went ahead after the break through a try from prop Ellis Genge, only for Banks’ replacement Jordan Petaia to go over as the hosts grabbed the lead going into the closing stages.
Then, after Billy Vunipola was yellow carded for a shoulder to the head of Michael Hooper to make it 14-a-side, the Wallabies extended their advantage with a try from hooker Folau Fainga’a.
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