IRELAND SECOND ROW Ryan Baird will today discover if the red card he received during Saturday’s U20 World Championship defeat to Australia will end his tournament.
Baird was sent-off by referee Christopher Ridley during the first half of Ireland’s pool defeat to the Junior Wallabies in Santa Fe for a high tackle on out-half Will Harrison.
In the 21st minute, Leinster lock Baird flew out of Ireland’s defensive line to hit Harrison but he connected with his opponent’s head, leaving Ridley and his TMO to decide that there was a ‘high level of force and danger.’
After video recourse with his TMO, Ridley said ‘I’ve no choice but to give a red card’ and dismissed Baird, with 14-man Ireland eventually running out of steam to suffer a 45-17 defeat.
Baird will today appear at a hearing before an independent World Rugby Disciplinary Committee chaired by José Luis Rolandi [Argentina], along with Stefan Terblanche [former South African player] and Valeriu Toma [former Romanian referee], in Rosario to discover his fate.
Ahead of Tuesday’s final pool outing against Italy, and with Sean French and Iwan Hughes already gone home through injury, Noel McNamara will also be anxiously waiting on news of Ronan Watters’ fitness after he was forced off on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Jake Flannery has been issued with a citing commissioner warning for a lifting tackle on Australia prop Angus Bell. The Ireland out-half was found to be in breach of Law 9.18.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
