Thomas Clarkson tackle: Why Leinster prop avoided a red card against the Lions

Leinster prop Thomas Clarkson should have been shown a straight red card for his tip-tackle on Lions scrum-half Nico Steyn during Saturday’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final, according to widespread opinion after the incident was reviewed by the bunker.

Leinster went on to win 59-10 at the RDS Arena, but the handling of Clarkson’s tackle is likely to remain a major talking point from the match.

The incident took place in the 35th minute when Clarkson lifted Steyn off the ground and drove him down head-first. Steyn turned his head at the last moment before making contact with the turf, potentially avoiding a more serious injury.

Referee Sam Grove-White issued Clarkson with a yellow card and referred the incident to the bunker for further review. However, despite the clear danger posed to Steyn’s head and neck area, the bunker upheld the original decision.

That meant Clarkson was allowed to return to the field after serving 10 minutes in the sin-bin, rather than being removed from the match permanently.

World Rugby Law 9.18 states: “A player must not lift an opponent off the ground and drop or drive that player so that their head and/or upper body make contact with the ground.”

Many pundits, including those at KickOff Rugby, believe the tackle met the threshold for a straight red card. The decision not to upgrade Clarkson’s sanction after the bunker review to a 20-minute red card has also prompted widespread debate on social media.

The question of whether the decision affected the outcome is more difficult to answer. Leinster were dominant on the scoreboard, while the Lions were not exactly setting the RDS Arena alight during the match. Even so, the incident has raised fresh questions about the consistency of foul-play decisions in the United Rugby Championship.

The controversy comes shortly after URC referee boss Tappe Henning warned that officials would take a tougher approach to ill-discipline and dangerous play during the play-offs.

That warning has placed additional focus on both Grove-White’s initial decision and the bunker’s subsequent review. The process is intended to provide a further safeguard in incidents involving potentially serious foul play, but this case has led to renewed scrutiny over whether the system is being applied consistently.

There is also criticism of the decision to refer the tackle to the bunker in the first place rather than issue a red card immediately. Sending an obvious dangerous-play incident to the bunker can be viewed as avoiding responsibility for the most important call, but once referees choose that route, the officials reviewing the decision must ensure the final judgement is correct.

Leinster’s emphatic victory means the result itself was not seriously threatened by Clarkson’s continued involvement, but the incident has revived the debate around how dangerous tackles are punished in the URC.

With the competition insisting that foul play will be dealt with more firmly in the play-offs, the Clarkson case will test whether those words are being matched by decisions on the field.