Mick Byrne did not hold back to question why Ireland’s first five eight Sam Prendergast was not shown a red card for a high-high tackle on openside flanker Kitione Salawa.

Speaking to RTE after Fiji’s 52-17 loss to Ireland in Dublin yestrday morning (Fiji time), the Flying Fijians head coach said that it would have been a red card if it was one of the players.

“He’s wearing a green jerset so it starts yellow,” was Bryne’s take on the incident when interviewed by the Irish Independent.

Replays seemed quite clear that Prendergast shifted his shoulder forward as it made contact with Salawa’s head.

Commentator’s Theory

Alan Quinlan in co-commentary, as well as Andrew Trimble and Ian Madigan in the Virgin Media studio, felt Prendrergast could consider himself fortunate.

Trimble made the point that his relative slightness may have worked in his favour.

The pundit pondered: “If he’s five kilos heavier I think that’s a red card because there’d be way more force and danger as a result.

“So I think he’s been very lucky.”

Madigan tacked on to that: “If that’s a Fijian player are they getting red-carded? Potentially so.

“You’ve got to avoid head contact and if you’ve an opportunity to pull out- which I feel he did- you have to take it.”

So it can’t just be chalked up as sour graoes that Bryne went down a similar train of thought in his post-match interview.

Byrne did then accept accountability for his own side’s disciplinary failings as he eschewed the option of blaming (referee Hollie) Davidson or her crew.

He said of their 17 conceded penalities and two yellows: “It was definitely on is. We just need to get better,

“Sometimes our enthusiasm to get the job done, especially early on, we came in from the side of the ruck a couple of times, but at the end of the day, it’s on us. It’s not on the referee.

“The 50/50s, that last try, if you have another look at it, the green jersey was holding on to the white jersey, but nothing comes from the TMO (television match official).

“I’m sure if it was the other way around, you might not have got that try allowed,” Byrne said.

“But that’s our job, our jon is to earn ourselves, over the next two years, the respect of World Rugby and we have to play a little bit better than we did today to get that.”

Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj