With Scotland attacking the Italy line and looking as though they may score, a huge hit went in on Italian defender Ignacio Brex with Luke Pearce quick to stop play with a potential head injury to the centre.
He sent Brex off the pitch for a head injury assessment, telling the player "I'm looking after you!" amid protest from the 29-year-old Benetton man.
Head injuries are a big talking point in rugby at the moment with Friday's Wales vs France game featuring an injury to Tomos Williams, two weeks on from criticism for his teammate Tomas Francis being allowed to carry on after a similarinjury against England.
However, on this occasion the referee was praised, with the Scottish Rugby Podcast tweeting that: "They should show footage of that Luke Pearce intervention in referee school"
Another Twitter user Owain Thorngate offered his view, saying: Luke Pearce highlighting why he’s one of the best refs in the world with that call. Player welfare is so important, great spot."
ITV pundit Jim Hamilton also found praise for the Englishman saying that any intervention is 'more important than a game of rugby'.
The 34-year-old is a popular referee and was chosen to officiate at the 2019 World Cup in Japan as well as officiating matches at the highest level for a number of years, with great things expected.
He was just 24 years old when he first refereed a European fixture and on this evidence, the players are in safe hands with Pearce at the helm in the future.
