Ireland international Bundee Aki has found himself in the firing line after angrily confronting an official for showing him the third red card of his career.
The decision was made following a reckless tackle from the centre during Connacht's United Rugby Championship clash with the Stormers.
Aki entered the fray early in the second half in South Africa, and was clearly eager to make an impact in his first provincial outing of the season.
But his enthusiasm perhaps proved to be his undoing, as he almost immediately gave away a breakdown penalty which allowed the home side to extend their lead to 19-8.
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Shortly after the hour mark, Connacht looked to have got themselves back into the contest after Tom Farrell went over, but it was ruled out after referee Gianluca Gnecchi and his television match official, Matteo Liperini, examined what they considered to be a dangerous clear-out from Aki in the build-up.
Replays showed the Connacht star's shoulder connecting with the head of Seabelo Senatla, and Gnecchi then decided on a red card, telling his TMO: "Direct contact to the head and high degree of danger."
The referee then called Connacht captain Jarrad Butler over to outline his reasons for the red card, only for Aki to react angrily to the decision.
Moving in close to the referee, he argued: "Where do you want me to go? Where do you want me to clear?"
The Italian official then asked Butler to take his player off the field.
Aki's dismay at the decision wasn't shared by some onlookers, mind.
Progressive Rugby, a lobby group campaigning for greater protection of players, tweeted: "The jackal should be outlawed. The jackaller in an incredibly vulnerable position and gives the competing player very little target but the head/neck/shoulder area. To compete, the only other option is to roll the jackallar but this carries significant risk of lower limb injury.
"Instead, once the tackled player has gone to ground they must place the ball immediately. An opponent must step one foot over them to play the ball. This puts the player in a side on position and offers a significantly bigger target to those wishing to drive them off the ball."
Connacht went on to lose the game 38-15.
While the initial concern was that Senatla could have sustained a concussion or a neck injury, Stormers head coach John Dobson confirmed that Aki's cleanout had actually injured Senatla's shoulder and pectoral muscle, given his position in the ruck.
"I feel a bit sorry for Aki, because I know what he's trying to do," he said. "It's tough, but we can't have Senatla out for the season. We'll scan him."
Connacht director of rugby Andy Friend, meanwhile, had no complaints over the decision. "There is contact to the head, so we need to protect players, bottom line. So, it's a red card," said Friend.
"My only frustration is that we had a player [Senatla] who was not supporting his own body weight, so it's an illegal act. And then we have a player who comes in, but you shouldn't hit the bloke in the head.
"The bottom line is we need to protect players, and there was contact to the head. It's hard enough to beat the Stormers away from home, but with 14 men, it makes it very hard."
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