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Canadian lock latest to cop red card after reckless shoulder charge at ruck in big loss to Springboks

October 9, 2019

The 2019 Rugby World Cup added to its record total of red cards in South Africa's demolition of Canada last night, after the minnows lost replacement lock Josh Larsen late in the first half for a reckless shoulder charge.

With Canada on the attack and metres from the Springboks' line, Larsen came in from the side at a ruck with his shoulder and hit South African prop Thomas Du Toit in the neck.

Welsh referee Luke Pearce went to the TMO soon after to look at replays of the contact and settled on a red card after finding no reasons to reduce it to just a yellow.

Larsen tried to argue his right arm was looking to wrap up Du Toit but Pearce wasn't convinced.

"You've connected with the neck of the South African prop," Pearce said in his ruling.

"It's an illegal shoulder charge, it's in the framework, it's a red card."

Larsen's dismissal is the sixth red card at this year's tournament in just 29 games - the previous record in an entire World Cup is four in both 1995 and 1999.

Canada were losing 40-0 when Larsen went off in the 36th minute but would eventually lose the game 66-7.

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