Bath Rugby prop Beno Obano’s Premiership final match came to a swift end on Saturday when he was given a sending-off just 20 minutes into the game at Twickenham Stadium.
The loosehead started the match well with the West Country side dominating the scrums.
But it all came crashing down when he made a high tackle on Northampton’s South African number eight, Juarno Augustus, inside the Saints’ 22 line.
Beno Obano red card
Play initially continued but then TMO Tom Foley informed referee Christophe Ridley that the tackle needed to be reviewed.
The Bath prop made direct contact with Augustus’ head but Ridley could not find any relief to avoid a red card.
“It was direct contact. He hit me on the jaw,” Ridley said in his conversation with the TMO.
“It’s clearly a foul because it’s an upward strike and it’s clearly a high risk because he’s moving forward during the tackle. We’re not considering any mitigation measures at this time.”
🟥 Beno Obano receives red card #GallagherPremierFinal! #Norbatpic.twitter.com/Kd0NjtxoSb
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) June 8, 2024
Foley intervened to ask the referee to show another angle because he “stepped back a little bit on contact,” but Ridley wasn’t convinced.
“I see this as a natural preparation for a clash (with Augustus),” Ridley added.
“I don’t see this as an unusual, sudden drop in height. I see some kind of reinforcement provision that needs to be made and I don’t see it as a mitigation measure.”
The TMO and the rest of the match panel agreed with the referee and Ridley showed Obano a red card, ending the match with an hour remaining.
The sending off put Bath at a further disadvantage, forcing head of rugby Johan van Graan to substitute back-rower Alfie Balbeary for the front-rower for the remaining minutes of the match.
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reaction
Overall, reactions on social media were in agreement that Ridley made the right decision.
“Beno Obano is not a dirty player but his tackling technique was wrong, he started high and aimed even higher. The red card was the right decision,” commented one fan.
Another added: “The red card was the right decision but it’s a shame for Obano, he’s had a great season, probably his best ever. It means he won’t be playing for England this summer. The ups and downs of rugby are right in front of our eyes.”
“Unfortunately the red card is 100% right. It’s unfortunate for Obano, he made the wrong decision and ended up with the right result but he has improved so much and I was really looking forward to seeing him get more caps for New Zealand. A big ask now for Bath,” agreed another.
“It was a red card all day for Obano,” wrote former England fly-half Andy Goode.
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