Referee comments show why Codie Taylor avoided red card for Sexton tackle

"I've seen reds given."

New Zealand hooker Codie Taylor was shown a yellow card after only 12 minutes of his side's clash with Ireland. Taylor was sent to the sin-bin by referee Luke Pearce after his tackle on Johnny Sexton was highlighted by the Television Match Official. https://twitter.com/RTErugby/status/1459545403926454282 After watching four replays, English referee Pearce gave his reasoning before showing Taylor that yellow card:

"We've seen enough. So, first of all lads, we have foul play - yes. There is contact to the head - yes. "But I'm not seeing it as a high level of danger. Just a low level of danger. I'm on a yellow card for this."

Over on RTÉ, former Ireland captain and manager Donal Lenihan noted that Taylor's shoulder connected with the head of shoulder and 'I've seen reds given for' those sort of contacts. Not everyone agreed with the decision, including former Wallabies star Lote Tuqiri: https://twitter.com/LoteTuqiri/status/1459545633426055168 Ireland scored a try through James Lowe, as Taylor stewed in the sin-bin, but New Zealand tagged back three points through a Beauden Barrett penalty. Late in the half, replacements All Blacks hooker Dane Coles called Ireland captain Johnny Sexton 'a mouthy c***' after another tense exchange.

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