‘A six week ban in the north’ – All Black escapes card for ‘flying headbutt’ on international team-mate

Chiefs flanker Luke Jacobson was perhaps fortunate to escape a card after he made head-on-head contact with Finlay Christie earlier on Saturday.

The back-row started in his side’s 31-17 defeat to the Blues during their regular season finale at Eden Park.

Jacobson was seeking to counter-ruck but he was leading with his head and ended up flying through the breakdown. He brushed against Ricky Riccitelli’s shoulder before connecting with Christie.

After the initial contact, Riccitelli reacted by picking the openside up, but that action only really began after he had clattered into the opposition scrum-half.

Any mitigation

It was certainly reckless, given that he did not wrap his arms and simply flew into the ruck leading with his head, and we can’t see any mitigation.

There was a slight change in direction after Jacobson knocked into Riccitelli but, given that the act was always illegal, a red card would not have been surprising.

However, the officials decided that it merited just a penalty and the All Blacks flanker was able to remain on the field.

“Just a penalty” pic.twitter.com/RPmhLwcYGY

— Riaan Louw (@Ringo26) June 1, 2024

Super Rugby Pacific has been criticised over its approach to head contact, especially with their promotion of the 20-minute red card, and the competition was once again in the firing line.

Many felt that Jacobson was lucky to escape sanction and that it would have been treated different had it the incident occurred north of the equator.

“That’s six week ban in the northern hemisphere,” one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter, while journalist Simon Thomas added: “Red card offence, for me.”

“Literally mind-blowing”, was the view on another person, with someone else stating, “That’s red card any and every day of the week, I don’t see how it can’t be. He dives over the ruck, head first, makes direct contact at force. What possible reason isn’t it a red?”

Rugbynause added: “The ref was unmoved. Literally happy to just play on. A flying headbutt… Nah play on.”

Blues denied top spot by late Chiefs try despite claiming victory at Eden Park

Case for the defence

The general consensus was that it should have been a red but some believed that the referee got it correct.

“They went through the process & it was a fair call. Didn’t line any player up, force was reasonable, deflected up in motion at initial contact,” one person wrote.

“Penalty, no cards is the correct call.”

Another person added that it was a “rugby incident” given that the “head hits the guard’s shoulder and ricochets up”.

But as journalist Francisco Isaac suggested: “What some are not getting, is that the Chiefs player was careless and didn’t mind for his colleagues’ well being. Red card all day.”

Jacobson could still be cited and banned and, if so, may miss the rest of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby season.

They finished the campaign in fourth position, setting up a quarter-final clash with the Reds next weekend.

READ MORE: Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final ties confirmed as regular season ends