Officials got it wrong twice: Franco Mostert and Japan lock cleared but not Wales star after Erasmus and Jones fumed
Japan's Harry Hockings and Springboks' Franco Mostert's tackles that led to red cards.
A pair of independent disciplinary panels have deemed that the weekend’s match officials got Franco Mostert’s and Harry Hockings’ sending-offs wrong.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and Japan boss Eddie Jones were both fuming in the post-match press conferences, with both annoyed by the red cards to their second-rowers.
Referee James Doleman issued Mostert with a permanent red card for what was judged to have been an always illegal tackle on Italian fly-half Paolo Garbisi.
Franco Mostert’s red card
That meant that the Springboks played the majority of the Test match with 14 men, with Erasmus reacting to the red card by making a plethora of early changes, including the likes of Siya Kolisi and Ben-Jason Dixon – the latter’s first appearance of the year not even lasting 20 minutes.
It was the second week in a row that Erasmus saw one of his locks being sent off for such an act, and the head coach couldn’t hide his disappointment afterwards.
“It is what it is. What I say here can’t make a difference,” he said.
Adding, “I’m not saying anybody was wrong. I just thought the balance of calling the head shots was not equal. By that I’m not criticising. That’s what I experienced live.”
Mostert has since faced a disciplinary hearing with a report by Netwerk24 stating that the veteran double Rugby World Cup winner is free to feature for the Springboks this weekend in the highly anticipated clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
According to the report, Mostert and his legal team were able to prove that the Bok lock had not made direct contact with the head of Garbisi. That was a key factor in Doleman’s decision to issue the permanent red card, with TMO Tual Trainini and assistants Ben O’Keeffe and Jeremy Rozier informing the New Zealand official that head contact had occurred.
Springboks greats accuse officials of ‘fabricating’ events to red card Franco Mostert
🟥 Franco Mostert’s red card.
Insane decision. #ITAvRSA pic.twitter.com/PskZt8S2hu
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) November 15, 2025
“What we had to determine there was whether or not that was clear head contact,” Doleman explained to captains Kolisi and Nacho Brex.
“The TMO has confirmed that there is clear head contact, the TMO, along with us has confirmed that it’s an always illegal action because number five does not attempt to wrap, his arm is behind him.
“Therefore, we don’t apply any mitigation; we acknowledge there is another tackler [Ethan Hooker], it doesn’t apply to an always illegal action, it’s going to be a permanent red card.”
However, a disciplinary committee has seemingly disagreed with the matchday officials, with footage proving that Mostert did not make shoulder-to-head contact with the Italian number 10 but instead made shoulder-to-chest contact first.
The report adds that Lood de Jager may also be available for selection against Ireland with the second rower appealing his four-game ban following his red card against France. His hearing is set to take place on Wednesday morning.
Springboks are world leaders in low, legal tackles and stats prove it, Rassie is right to be fuming
Hockings escapes further punishment
Meanwhile, Australian-born lock Hockings has also had his red card against Wales rescinded after he came off the bench for Japan in the defeat to Wales.
The 27-year-old made a hit on Wales flanker Alex Mann, who had been tackled by two Japan players before the lock made contact with the back-rower.
Referee Matthew Carley reviewed the incident with his officials and deemed that the second-rower’s actions met the yellow card threshold, with Foul Play Review Officer Quinton Immelman upgrading the incident to a 20-minute red card.
Because of the timing of the incident, in the final minute of the game, the decision to upgrade the yellow card to a red was not made official, but it was confirmed with Hockings facing a disciplinary hearing.
The committee was chaired by England’s Jeremy Summers, who was joined by South Africa’s Stefan Terblance and Romania’s Val Toma.
“Having considered all of the statements and evidence provided, the Disciplinary Committee determined that whilst an act of foul play had occurred, it did not meet the Red Card threshold. The 20-minute red card was thus rescinded,” the statement read.
“As a result, the Player is now free to play and available for selection this weekend.”
Hockings’ in-game sanction proved incredibly costly for Japan as Wales replacement fly-half Jarrod Evans kicked the penalty into the Brave Blossoms’ 22 and from the ensuing maul eked out another penalty.
Eddie Jones sledges skint Welsh Rugby and calls on World Rugby to act on ‘absurd’ red cards
Evans duly lined up a shot at goal, which handed the Welsh a narrow 24-23 victory.
Speaking after the match, Jones also aired his perceived misgivings: “It is almost farcical now, the sin-bin situation. We are absolutely ruining the game of rugby.
“I didn’t see any of those actions as being reckless. Penalties? Fair enough, let’s have penalties, of course, we’ve got to have penalties. ”
He added: “At one stage, we were down to 13 men, they got a red card, and they were down to 14 men. The game of rugby is about 15 players on the field, and I think World Rugby should be looking at this very closely.
“And if I were a fan, I’d be asking the Welsh Rugby Union for my money back, but they can’t afford it, so they’re not going to give it back.”
Ex-Irish ref boss weighs in on Franco Mostert’s red card as official slammed for ‘coaching’ players
Josh Adams banned
While Mostert and Hockings have had their red cards rescinded, the same isn’t true for Wales winger Josh Adams.
The 30-year-old launched himself into a ruck and made contact with Japan winger Kippei Ishida’s head at a breakdown.
Adams was issued with a yellow card, and the incident was sent to be reviewed by Immelman, who upgraded the sanction to a 20-minute red card.
On this occasion, the same independent disciplinary committee that oversaw Hockings’ rescinding deemed that the officials reached the right outcome with a red card.
The statement read: “The Disciplinary Committee has upheld the red card issued to the player and, by applying World Rugby’s sanctioning provisions, have determined that the mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches was appropriate.
“In light of the player accepting he committed an act of foul play as well as other mitigating factors, they have applied the maximum 50% reduction in sanction, thus reducing the final sanction to three weeks/matches.”
Adams will therefore miss Wales’ remaining two fixtures this month, against the All Blacks this weekend and the Springboks next, but could still feature for Cardiff in their Challenge Cup opener against Stade Francais on December 6.
“The player has additionally been given permission to apply to take part in World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme to substitute the final match of their sanction, which is aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play,” the statement concluded.
