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Springboks decry 'unfair' red-card treatment ahead of Ireland Test
South Africa assistant coach Mzwandile Stick has accused officials of unfairly targeting the Springboks after a spate of red-card incidents, including Franco Mostert's dismissal in last weekend's 32-14 victory over Italy and Lood de Jager's four-match ban for a high tackle on France's Thomas Ramos.
Disciplinary backlash
Mostert faces a World Rugby disciplinary hearing this week for a shoulder-to-head challenge on Italy's Paolo Garbisi, while South Africa has appealed De Jager's suspension. Stick, speaking in Dublin ahead of Saturday's Test against Ireland, questioned the consistency of officiating, citing recent bans for Makazole Mapimpi (five weeks) and Jan-Hendrik Wessels (eight games) in club competitions.
"Every week we are losing players, and it's sad," Stick said. "We've never talked bad about other teams. We play in good spirit, but are we treated fairly? I don't think so."
'Not by the book'
Stick defended Mostert and De Jager, arguing their actions were unintentional. "Franco did everything by the book-his only mistake was contact starting at the chest but ending at the head," he said. "To call that a permanent red card is disappointing."
He also claimed South Africa faced 20 of 21 unfavorable decisions in the first half against Italy, attributing the bias to "comms from [the referee's] team outside." Stick apologized to Italy, acknowledging their competitive effort despite the contentious calls.
Broader context
The Springboks, reigning world champions, have faced scrutiny over physical play. Stick referenced unpunished incidents in other matches, including Fiji's and France's recent games, as evidence of inconsistent enforcement.
"Our players are tall and try to do things right, but rugby is physical-sometimes it's not perfect," he added. "For them to say a tackle was 'never legal' is harsh."
Up next
South Africa prepares for Saturday's Test in Dublin, where Ireland's Robbie Henshaw called the Springboks "the talk of world rugby." The match follows a week of disciplinary controversy, with Stick urging fairness: "We deserve better as a team."
