Wales v Ireland: Garry Ringrose’s red card splits opinion as great calls for a ‘big ban’
Garry Ringrose leaves the pitch during the Six Nations match against Wales and an insert of the tackle that led to his red card.
Garry Ringrose became the third Ireland player to be sent off in a Six Nations men’s match after his 20-minute red card against Wales.
For the first 20 years of the Six Nations, since Italy joined in 2000, Ireland did not see a single player red carded in the Championship but that all changed in 2021.
Both flanker Peter O’Mahony and centre Bundee Aki were given their marching orders during the 2021 Six Nations, with Ringrose becoming the third Ireland player to be sent off.
Ringrose red
The 30-year-old was shown a yellow card in the 35th minute of the clash against Wales when he collided head-on-head with Wales centre Ben Thomas.
The tackle was initially missed by referee Christophe Ridley but he was prompted by TMO Ian Tempest to review the incident and the match official deemed that it reached the yellow card threshold and sent it to be reviewed by Foul Player Review Officer Matteo Liperini.
Garry Ringrose's tackle upgraded to a 20-minute red card. #WALvIRE
Ireland will be back to 15 men 10 minutes into the second half. https://t.co/1hPGQcL0wP
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) February 22, 2025
Ireland would play out the rest of the half down a man before Ridley confirmed that Ringrose’s yellow card had been upgraded to a red at the start of the second half as the tackle was of “a high degree of danger with no mitigation.”
Because of the World Rugby law trial, Ireland were able to bring on Bundee Aki in place of Ringrose 20 minutes after the incident.
WATCH: Every red card in the Six Nations history
Reaction
The decision to upgrade Ringrose’s yellow card to a red has split opinion online with many agreeing with the call and others not.
“Ringrose knee is literally on the ground when he makes the tackle…. How’s he meant to get lower?” one fan argued on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Irish journalist Rúaidhrí O’Connor also felt that the decision was harsh.
“Garry Ringrose’s yellow has been upgraded to a 20 minute red – seems harsh, but there’s comfort in being able to bring Bundee Aki on with 30 mins remaining,” he wrote.
Ex-Ireland winger Tommy Bowe felt it was the right decision during his half-time punditry, adding that “you would hope he gets a big ban for that, to help stamp it out.”
Another fan felt there was no arguing the decision.
“Also, no complaints on the red card. Whatever about the danger level, Garry was way too high (no real drop in the tackled player to mitigate it), and Ringrose lined him up from far out. I think the #OTB crew said we’d win with 12 players, so no need to worry I guess,” their post read.
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