Japan Lock Harry Hockings Sent Off in First Minute Against England
Japan lock Harry Hockings was sent off in the first minute against England in the Nations Championship after a shoulder-to-head hit on Ellis Genge. Officials upgraded a yellow card to a 20-minute red. Here is how World Rugby's head contact rules led to the decision.
Japan lock Harry Hockings was sent off in the first minute of his side's Nations Championship match against England after a high tackle on England prop Ellis Genge.
The second row made direct contact with his shoulder to the head of Genge, the English loosehead prop, as he tried to make the hit.
Referee Damian Schneider consulted television match official (TMO) Marius van der Westhuizen. They first judged that the incident met the yellow card threshold.
Foul play review officer Aled Griffiths then upgraded the sanction to a 20-minute red card. The challenge was judged to be a high degree of danger with no mitigation.
Under World Rugby rules, Japan may replace Hockings once the 20 minutes have elapsed. They are not left a player short for the full match.
The law behind the decision
Head contact in the tackle falls under Law 9 of the Laws of Rugby Union, which covers foul play. Law 9.11 says players "must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others", including leading with the elbow or forearm.
Law 9.13 says a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders, even if the tackle starts below it.
A referee who finds such an act reckless or dangerous may issue a yellow or red card.
World Rugby says player welfare drives its "zero tolerance of foul play, especially where head contact occurs". Its guidelines add that the focus must be on the actions of those involved, not the injury. A head injury assessment does not necessarily mean there was illegal head contact.
Four steps for referees
World Rugby issued its latest head contact process guidelines in March 2023. Referees work through four questions: has head contact occurred, was there foul play, what was the degree of danger, and is there any mitigation.
The first step is relatively simple. Head contact covers the head and face as well as the neck and throat area. Any contact at all moves the referee to step two.
At step two, referees ask whether the contact was intentional, reckless or avoidable, for example because the defender was always upright. If so, the tackler is penalised and the referee moves on. If not, play continues.
Step three sets the initial punishment by degree of danger. High danger covers direct contact, high force, a tackler lacking control, high speed, leading with the head, shoulder, elbow or forearm, or a reckless tackle. A high-danger finding brings a red card.
Low danger means indirect contact, low force, low speed or no leading head, shoulder or forearm, or swinging arm. That may bring a yellow card or only a penalty to the opposition.
The fourth step asks whether there is any mitigation. In Hockings' case, officials found none.
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